Central Florida Shark Fishing

[Bluebasser86]

The wife and I are surprising our boys with a trip to Florida in a little over a month. My oldest son would love the chance to get to fish for shark so if anyone has any suggestions on a reasonably priced guide (short notice so availability may be limited I know), I'd really appreciate it. We're going to be staying in Orlando and have our car so we can drive a reasonable distance to where we need to be. 

[TnRiver46]

Here’s hoping for some cool shark pics with the boys! 

[N Florida Mike]

Summer has a lot of sharks right on the beach. You can catch them surf fishing with cut bait, or a whole fish. like a croaker or whiting.

Sorry, but I dont know anyone that guides for sharks down there.

[crypt]

6 minutes ago, N Florida Mike said:

Summer has a lot of sharks right on the beach. You can catch them surf fishing with cut bait.

Sorry, but I dont know anyone that guides for sharks down there.

this, you can catch em in the surf. go to the Canaveral seashore and have a blast.there is a tackle shop at the Port. they can hook you up. real nice people that run the place. red helpful also.

[soflabasser]

Summer is a good time to fish for sharks from the beach. You do not need to hire a guide and can do well without one. A good place to fish for sharks is near inlets. Make sure to bring the appropriate tackle since sharks are far more powerful than any catfish you catch where you live. You will also need to get a shark fishing permit online which is very easy to do. Use a topshot, wire leader, and sharp inline circle hooks. 

[Bluebasser86]

Took some looking but I found what I was after. Shore based shark fishing, New Smryna Beach, FL. Got my Shore Based Shark fishing class done, license bought, just hoping that we'll find one that wants to play ?

[soflabasser]

New Smrya Beach is known as the shark attack capital of the world. You should have a very good chance at catching a 8 foot or bigger shark there. I suggest you research how to safely land and release a shark before you go shark fishing. It is not as easy as it looks online and you have to be very careful around them. Every year people get bit since they do not take the time to learn how to safely land and release a shark.

[Bluebasser86]

3 hours ago, soflabasser said:

New Smrya Beach is known as the shark attack capital of the world. You should have a very good chance at catching a 8 foot or bigger shark there. I suggest you research how to safely land and release a shark before you go shark fishing. It is not as easy as it looks online and you have to be very careful around them. Every year people get bit since they do not take the time to learn how to safely land and release a shark.

I had to take an online class since we're fishing from the beach for them and we we will have a guide also.

[bulldog1935]

Corpus Christi - Padre Island Nat'l Seashore has an annual SharkFest in the surf.  

It gets picketed by PITA  (intentional "anacronism")

 

But a couple of good reports, last two summers from shark guide w/ photos:  

Corpusfishing.com :: View topic - Covida Loca Mega Monstrous TX Surf/Sharking Report - Photos 

 

Corpusfishing.com :: View topic - PINS Summer Fun Mega Surf/Shark Report

 

Corpusfishing.com :: View topic - Poco's Great Catch 14 foot Hammer on PINS

 

[Bluebasser86]

58 minutes ago, bulldog1935 said:

Corpus Christi - Padre Island Nat'l Seashore has an annual SharkFest in the surf.  

It gets picketed by PITA.  

 

But a couple of good reports, last two summers from shark guide w/ photos:  

Corpusfishing.com :: View topic - Covida Loca Mega Monstrous TX Surf/Sharking Report - Photos 

 

Corpusfishing.com :: View topic - PINS Summer Fun Mega Surf/Shark Report

 

Also, for amazing beach photography, read any report on this search authored by Towboat Trash.  

 

Corpusfishing.com :: View topic - Poco's Great Catch 14 foot Hammer on PINS

 

 A huge hammerhead would be something else. I'm really just hoping for anything, a smedium sized bull shark would be perfect. My boys are always going on about catching a shark anytime we go fishing, I'd really like to get to make it happen. 

[bulldog1935]

I'm sure Poco's catch was Dues All Paid Up.  

[thunderblack]

I've fished in New Smryna before and we caught large reds 35"-40" and a nice nurse shark. Sounds like you found a guide but I know a great option down there too if needed. Sharks are a blast. I went for sharks out of a boat in the 10,000 islands near Marco and you could throw out a fish and it wouldn't even hit bottom before sharks took it. Hooked and landed several. One in the 8-10 ft range and lost others too. 

[Jigfishn10]

We’ll be getting into dogfish (sand shark) soon does that count? ?

Good luck. That would be quite the thrill for them.

[N Florida Mike]

There’s lots of small bonnet head sharks in the surf up here right now .Also small blacktips, hammerheads , etc. We caught some on memorial day weekend on the intercoastal side near marineland..

Many years ago I had friends that would kayak out 1/4 -1/2 mile  out at NIGHT, and drop a bloody fish out there , and go back and wait for a bite ….. They asked me if I wanted to take a fish out… I said , no thanks…?

[thunderblack]

13 hours ago, N Florida Mike said:

Many years ago I had friends that would kayak out 1/4 -1/2 mile  out at NIGHT, and drop a 

 

I'd rather do that then the guys I've seen swim or wade out a stingray for a little shark action. 

 

[N Florida Mike]

1 hour ago, thunderblack said:

 

I'd rather do that then the guys I've seen swim or wade out a stingray for a little shark action. 

 

Ive surf fished all my life barefoot and never stepped on one.

My cousin stepped on a cut off stinger  on the beach and I couldn’t pull it out with a pliers . Ive never seen anyone in so much pain in my life. We took him to the hospital and they cut it out. He lost all the feeling in his big toe permanently…

[thunderblack]

I was actually referring to them wading out the bait which was a stingray

I have also seen someone who was stung and it looked awful! right through the back of his heel. I've had them graze my feet while walking but I think guys use these for shark bait.

[soflabasser]

On 7/12/2021 at 8:07 PM, Bluebasser86 said:

I had to take an online class since we're fishing from the beach for them and we we will have a guide also.

How did your shark fishing trip go and what types of sharks did you catch?

On 7/15/2021 at 9:18 PM, N Florida Mike said:

There’s lots of small bonnet head sharks in the surf up here right now .Also small blacktips, hammerheads , etc. We caught some on memorial day weekend on the intercoastal side near marineland..

Many years ago I had friends that would kayak out 1/4 -1/2 mile  out at NIGHT, and drop a bloody fish out there , and go back and wait for a bite ….. They asked me if I wanted to take a fish out… I said , no thanks…?

I have kayaked baits out at night, it takes some time to get used to it but it is worth it if it means you can catch a big shark.

[Bluebasser86]

55 minutes ago, soflabasser said:

How did your shark fishing trip go and what types of sharks did you catch?

I have kayaked baits out at night, it takes some time to get used to it but it is worth it if it means you can catch a big shark.

We had storms unfortunately with quite a bit of lightning the seemed to push them out off the bank, never did get bit.

[soflabasser]

1 hour ago, Bluebasser86 said:

We had storms unfortunately with quite a bit of lightning the seemed to push them out off the bank, never did get bit.

We all have days we do not catch fish and it is ok since any day you get to go fishing is a good day. If you get a chance to visit the Florida keys I recommend you try shark fishing there. Mullet is a good bait which you can buy in a bait store. I prefer fishing with jack crevalle. Good lures to use for jack crevalle are topwaters, jerkbaits, and jigs. Look for areas that there is deep water close to the shore.

[Bluebasser86]

13 minutes ago, soflabasser said:

We all have days we do not catch fish and it is ok since any day you get to go fishing is a good day. If you get a chance to visit the Florida keys I recommend you try shark fishing there. Mullet is a good bait which you can buy in a bait store. I prefer fishing with jack crevalle. Good lures to use for jack crevalle are topwaters, jerkbaits, and jigs. Look for areas that there is deep water close to the shore.

We tried Jack, Mullet, and Croaker as well as a live Whiting. That's why it's called fishing and not catching though. We'll be back to try again another time.

[gim]

On 8/13/2021 at 7:46 PM, soflabasser said:

Good lures to use for jack crevalle are topwaters, jerkbaits, and jigs. 

When I was in the Keys in April 2018, we got into a school of big jacks and all we were using was a small neon colored hair jig.  I was shocked that fish that big were willing to bite such a small presentation.  You can actually see it in the photo to the right of the fish.

[soflabasser]

8 hours ago, gimruis said:

When I was in the Keys in April 2018, we got into a school of big jacks and all we were using was a small neon colored hair jig.  I was shocked that fish that big were willing to bite such a small presentation.  You can actually see it in the photo to the right of the fish.

I remember you posting this picture earlier, that jack must of given a great fight. Pound for pound they are one of the best fighting fish. A shark fishing friend told me that ''elephants eat peanuts'' when it comes to shark fishing. You can hook up to a +8 foot shark on a small piece of cutbait, jacks are similar in that they will hit any sized lure when the conditions are good.

[TnRiver46]

Those doggone jacks will hit everything and then go bananas once hooked. I’ve never even caught a big one and thought I snagged a porpoise a few times. I’ve also heard the jack is good shark bait 

[bulldog1935]

I've caught more than a few jacks on fly rod.  When you're on a channel slope, they're freight trains to get back to the Gulf.  When you're beyond the breakers, they sound, and you have to put your feet on the gunwhales and pump to lift them.