Shark Fishing 101
Shark fishing in Florida has become quite popular in all regions. These hard fighting bruisers are easy to target during the warmer months and can provide anglers with some exciting rod bending action!
Lets start with the one thing to get these guys to the boat - CHUM! Sharks have an incredible sense of sm ell and can detect the slightest scent in the water. Once they lock on to an odor they usuallymake their way to the source to investigate a possible meal. Chum blocks (store bought or home made), fish carcasses(barracuda-lady fish-jack crevalle), or cut up bait in a sack are all great options to lure these predators close.
Anchor up in an area with a good moving tide and place the chum in the water to allow the scent to work. I often place a ball on the anchor line. This allows me to just untie from the boat and throw the line in the water in case we have to chase a big shark down. Remember to "mark" your anchor location on the GPS so you can quickly find the ball.
When the tide is weak or slack, there are a few techniques anglers can do to get the scent out. The first one is to not anchor and let the wind push your boat. Be sure to trim your motor up so the boat will turn side ways and catch more wind. If there is no wind either, then I deploy the trolling motor and slowly troll. The idea for both these methods is to get the scent out.
There are a variety of baits that will work. Any cut bait will do the trick, but live baits also are very productive. Mullet,large pin fish, or lady fish all work wellif fished live but I often cut the tail a bit so the fish will swim wounded and put scent in the water.
Light spinning tackle is a blast but it's a bit of a gamble. If the you hook the "BIG ONE" on this setup it's like trying fly a kite in a hurricane, but when a 2 or 3 footer cooperates it's a great fight. I prefer heavy spinning tackle for larger fish but conventional tackle is a viable option. When in doubt go with "the bigger the fish, the bigger the tackle!"
Steel leaders are a must when dealing with sharks. When I rig for sharks this is the Med/Heavy set up I set up for my clients - Quantum Cabo 70- Power pro 60 - 80 LB braid - A 4-6 ft. 100 -120LB steel leader- 6/0-8/0 circle hook. I place a 6-8 ft section of 60LB mono-filament leader between the steel leader and the braid to allow for stretch and give me a place to attach a balloon or cork. There are many sharks out there that are to powerful for this rig, but I find this package to handle most hook ups.
Good luck and tight lines!
Capt. Keith Tomlinson
Bulldog Fishin Charters
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