The Pictures used in this article of the Hammerhead was caught and released by Team Black Bart during the 2009 Shorebound Shark Tourney
Written by the Boatless Fisherman..TA
Sharks are a hefty catch, some our tuggers and others our fighters and others our just dead weight. The best fighters, I think are Hammerheads, Then Bulls, Black tips and Spinners, Sandbar, Lemons the worst being the curse of the Nurse because it tugs and is just a nightmare – and what do you do when you get it in?
Firstly, I do hope you will be responsible and not slaughter sharks. The fish can be released or broken off, preferably the latter. Try to release them rather than breaking them off but in case you do, use bronze hooks so they fall out fast. You don’t need thirty pairs of jaws and most Sharks aren’t that good tasting so no reason to keep them. I like to see these beautiful fish swim by when I am fishing. Remember that they are a vital part of the ocean’s eco-system, fewer Sharks would eventually mean fewer of all other species. Catch them and have fun but please release.
The only ones I might keep are 20lbs to 70lbs Black tips. I find they are good to eat, particularly grilled as steaks. Also keep in mind that some sharks are protected species and there are possesion laws on them so check your laws before you fish or keep.
There are two ways I fish for shark:
1.Up off the bottom on a float device or in the current of a bridge or pier.
(I find that this way lowers your chance of a nurse sharks)
My rod of choice is a 4/0 or 9/0 on a stiff rod this one is 8 foot long. Most use 6/0, 9/0. 12/0, 14/0 and bigger I use 40lb test line on the 4/0 and 80 on the 9/0 and most people seem to use 40lbs to 100lbs test line. I place a spiderhitch about 3 feet to double my line and a swivel and a steel leader about 6′ foot or larger and a 8/0 to a 12/0 hook attached to the steel leader.
I then place a live bait on it “Bluerunner, Jack” or a dead bait a “whole fish, eels,” something big and allow it to swim out or let the current take it out with a balloon at some places “bridges” the current is strong enough to pull the dead bait and keep it off the bottom without a balloon at short distances out from the bridge. I fish Long Key and channel 5 for shark and 7 mile when I was a kid. Just chill the fishy is coming.
2.On the bottom at a bridge, pier, beach, jetty:
(this method you will get the curse of the Nurse)
My rod of choice is a 4/0 or 9/0 on a stiff rod mines 10 foot for casting. Most use 6/0 and bigger I use 40lb test line to 80lb and most people seem to use 40lbs to 300lbs test line. I place a 6 oz weight on my line then a swivel and a steel leader about 6′ foot and a 8/0 to a 12/0 hook attached to the steel leader.
I then place a bait on “live Bluerunner, Jack” or a dead bait a “whole fish, eels,” something big and heave it out or some mode of delivering the bait to its place (Kayak, Row boat, Swim!) I hold the rod for a little bit because you can get hits instantly and I then wait, it will go off.
I don’t normally chum because it kills all my other types of fishing like Snapper fishing they don’t like the sharks.
written by Boatless Fisherman….TA..
boatlessfisherman@boatlessfishing.com