# Destin Summer Sharkin'



## Lukeknox (Mar 5, 2015)

Hey y'all, Im coming down to destin next week and I am wondering how the surf shark fishing has been. I went down in march and managed to land six 5-7 foot sharks. Is the shark fishing just as productive in the summer? My friend is down there now and hasn't even gotten a nibble even after dropping a bonita carcass 150yd out. Can I expect to hook into some sharks on my trip? If so what species are roaming the waters this time of the year? Thanks for the help.


----------



## Txs_mde_87 (Feb 7, 2015)

I haven't been shark hunting since red season opened up but I do always chum some Bonita and hooked a ray and used a chunk as bait over a structure a couple miles out and nothing.

I chunked out pieces of stingray and Bonita with huge pieces of the carcus in a chum bag and not even a nibble. The rod was more or less in my way while I was fishing the past couple times I went out but I'm no expert I just know before I chummed something bloody and I had sharks circling the boat within 30 minutes right out the jetties.


----------



## Lukeknox (Mar 5, 2015)

Were you kayak fishing? And are you from texas?


----------



## Quackjn (Mar 10, 2014)

Lukeknox said:


> Hey y'all, Im coming down to destin next week and I am wondering how the surf shark fishing has been. I went down in march and managed to land six 5-7 foot sharks. Is the shark fishing just as productive in the summer? My friend is down there now and hasn't even gotten a nibble even after dropping a bonita carcass 150yd out. Can I expect to hook into some sharks on my trip? If so what species are roaming the waters this time of the year? Thanks for the help.


Honestly the weed and tourists can make things tricky this time of the year. The bulls have moved in to the sound in good numbers though. I recommend hitting up the sound instead of the gulf if you just want a shark and don't care about species/size, most you catch will be 5-8'. As for bait I recommend rays.

If you do decide to go in the gulf PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE do not shark fish around a bunch of tourists, every year we get bad rep due to people doing this. Fish at night, bobo's, mackerel, mullet, rays, basically anything will do for bait. 150 yards is fine for the drops, I normally stagger mine in each gut and 1-2 very long drops (400-800 yards).

This time of the year you can expect a bunch of nurse, blacktip, sandbars, bulls and hammers. There are still some big tigers around just not quiet like the early spring tiger/mako rush. If you have any questions hit me up and I will do my best to help you out.

One last thing, there is no need to chum, especially if you are land-based. It may help your odds of catching a shark, but in the off chance an accident happens you don't want to be blamed for "bringing shark close to swimmers" (we all know they are already there).


----------



## Bebee (May 27, 2013)

Yes definitely dont shark fish with a bunch of people around. I got yelled at by some itiot saying i shouldnt be shark fishing on a public beach. You can try to tell them there already there but it doesnt work.


----------



## FishFighter92 (Jul 10, 2012)

Fish the bay side and you'll catch some. Had one 4-5 ft in 3 feet of water behind my house in the bay. Not sure the species only saw a glimpse of it.


----------



## Quackjn (Mar 10, 2014)

Bebee said:


> Yes definitely dont shark fish with a bunch of people around. I got yelled at by some itiot saying i shouldnt be shark fishing on a public beach. You can try to tell them there already there but it doesnt work.


Legally you are able to in the middle of a bunch of tourists. Just can scare people and in rare cases turn out bad. Just so much easier to do it at night away from tourists (even though it is perfectly legal and if anyone gets in your way, fisherman on the beach have the right of way).


----------



## Bebee (May 27, 2013)

Quackjn said:


> Bebee said:
> 
> 
> > Yes definitely dont shark fish with a bunch of people around. I got yelled at by some itiot saying i shouldnt be shark fishing on a public beach. You can try to tell them there already there but it doesnt work.
> ...



Perfect way of explaining it.


----------



## krisc1 (Feb 11, 2015)

Hey man landed this baby in the sound last night








Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk


----------



## Madfishinskillz (May 28, 2015)

krisc1 said:


> Hey man landed this baby in the sound last night.


How did you deploy your bait? Kayak, Balloon, Cast?


----------



## krisc1 (Feb 11, 2015)

Kayaked it out.

Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk


----------



## Lukeknox (Mar 5, 2015)

Quackjn said:


> Honestly the weed and tourists can make things tricky this time of the year. The bulls have moved in to the sound in good numbers though. I recommend hitting up the sound instead of the gulf if you just want a shark and don't care about species/size, most you catch will be 5-8'. As for bait I recommend rays.
> 
> If you do decide to go in the gulf PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE do not shark fish around a bunch of tourists, every year we get bad rep due to people doing this. Fish at night, bobo's, mackerel, mullet, rays, basically anything will do for bait. 150 yards is fine for the drops, I normally stagger mine in each gut and 1-2 very long drops (400-800 yards).
> 
> ...


I have kayaked out the last 2 nights and no luck. Cant go much farther than 150-200yd due to my spinning setups. One setup I had a bonita head and on the other a kingfish head. I kayak out around sunset and stay out about 2.5 hrs till 9;30. I am on a private beach so people are not a problem. I haven't had any luck tho. I really want to get a shark but haven't gotten any bites. I mean they are sharks so I know they are out there, but do you have any tips?


----------



## Lukeknox (Mar 5, 2015)

krisc1 said:


> Hey man landed this baby in the sound last night
> View attachment 530193
> 
> 
> Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk


Hey man where exactly is the sound


----------



## krisc1 (Feb 11, 2015)

Luke,
Every shark i have been pulling out I have caught around midnight. I have been using whole mullet. The sound is the water between navarre/pensacola beach and mainland.

Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk


----------



## Guynamedtom (Oct 6, 2013)

krisc1 said:


> Luke, Every shark i have been pulling out I have caught around midnight. I have been using whole mullet. The sound is the water between navarre/pensacola beach and mainland. Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk


I second the whole mullet approach. I've been killing the Bulls and blacktip a from my dock. Running baits about 3/4 way from my dock to the channel marker. I put some rays out from time to time, but mullet gets picked up within the first hour of drop over half the time. The Rays get the wings bitten out a lot in guessing by nurse sharks. Do get some cut offs not sure if oyster beds or debris


----------



## Txs_mde_87 (Feb 7, 2015)

I chum the waters with the sail cats that annoyingly eat my baits lol. I fish off of my boat a 22' sea hunt bx and don't go looking for people to fish around but if they pull up and my conventionals are in the rod holders then there is a good chance I got a shark rig out as a "just in case". I tried mullet yesterday with no luck and some stole my Bonita but didn't hook wasn't a real attempt by any means. I heard of sharks in the Choctawahatchee bay but never attempted to fish the sound for shark.


----------

