Less than a month now and sharks are on my "to catch" list

UFM82

I'll be in Destin for a week plying the waters in search of whatever will bite. Not too picky but I do have a couple things on my "want to catch" list. I spent a week in October in 2010 in Destin an managed some decent fish but one thing I never caught (or even saw) was a shark. Now I know real fisherman consider sharks a waste of time and not worth the effort but I've caught bull sharks in the 6'-7' range in the past and they are a blast. But that was in the Keys and the "spot" was am easy find. Destin doesn't have the same topography for lack of a better word. I've been told that the area west of the inlet is good on an outgoing tide but I want to try to have a couple of areas in mind. I'm not looking for your spot or even a specific spot. Just the right conditions that will help ensure success. A choke point, a drop-off, a bar offshore, a dip, etc. Anything that tends to hold sharks. I didn't try to shark fish at all last time I came down and I plan to devote at least a day during this weeklong trip to tie into a couple. Your comments are appreciated.


UFM82

crcattypc

Go out to the reef, catch bonita on the way, cut bonita and let blood go in water when you get over the reef... anchor. Bleed bonita and cut pieces and throw in the water. Put bonita head on hook with large rod and reel. wait and be ready. The sharks are everywhere right now. once you get him to the surface, stick him in the nose with a knife so he remembers not to [email protected]&k with people Or dont

Split Shot

They've been a big pain in my back for sure!

fisheadgib

You didn't mention if you're fishing from a boat or from shore. From dusk to dawn, sharks come in closer to the shore all up and down the beach around here. If you're fishing from shore, try to run a bait out over the second bar with a kayak or paddle board after dark. If you don't have access to any way to run a bait out, try the east jetty at night on an outgoing. If you have a boat, run outside the pass and head east about half a mile and anchor about half a mile out. Balloon a bait or two out and sit back and wait for a clicker to go off. (do this after dark) The boat method is almost a sure thing and I would definitely keep the bait off the bottom unless you want to catch hardheads all night.

UFM82

I'll have my boat so that helps. But I'm not an "after-hours" kind of guy. I like being on land in a bar when it's dark. I'd been told that the west jetty has a big sandbar on it and that is a good place to float a bait. You say the east jetty. I was there for a week in 2010 and never even saw a shark. Are they as prevalent as you say? Toss out the chum block and wait? I can handle that.
Thanks for the help. It's appreciated.

Split Shot

Crooked Island Pass is a great place to shark fish!

UFM82

Is that east of PCB? About 20 miles east or so? I see that on the map. That's a bit too far away for me but I'll keep it in mind. What makes it a great spot?

fisheadgib

UFM82 wrote: »

I'll have my boat so that helps. But I'm not an "after-hours" kind of guy. I like being on land in a bar when it's dark. I'd been told that the west jetty has a big sandbar on it and that is a good place to float a bait. You say the east jetty. I was there for a week in 2010 and never even saw a shark. Are they as prevalent as you say? Toss out the chum block and wait? I can handle that.
Thanks for the help. It's appreciated.

If you really want to catch a shark around here, you'll increase your odds substantially by fishing at night. Sure, lots of sharks are caught during the day but at night, it's almost a sure thing around here. Whenever I get friends visiting from up north they almost always have catching a shark on their to-do list and I usually take them to around where the intake is for the harbor pump station (sort of in front of the Agean) as there always seems to be bait hanging around that area even at night. We anchor, turn the spreaders on, balloon out a bait or two, and everyone chat's and enjoys an adult beverage while waiting for a clicker to go off. Usually within an hour or two they have their shark and we can enjoy a moonlit cruise back in. A lot of other stuff swims into the spreaders also and they usually get a kick out of everything.