# If a Shark becomes Aggressive...?



## shkad14 (Apr 26, 2008)

Do you A. paddle away from him or B. sit still and brace yourself in case he hits you?

Lets say a big shark 8-10ft tiger or hammerhead approaches you in a threatening manner. Would you sit there and hope he loses interest, or paddle away?

To me paddling away seems to be the best bet, but that might actually make the shark more interested.

I think once the shark feels or tastes the kayak it would then go away since it would know it wasnt food.

Is there an industry wide standard of what to do in this case?


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## Jaw Jacker (Jul 29, 2009)

shkad14 said:


> Do you A. paddle away from him or B. sit still and brace yourself in case he hits you?
> 
> Lets say a big shark 8-10ft tiger or hammerhead approaches you in a threatening manner. Would you sit there and hope he loses interest, or paddle away?
> 
> ...




C. Kiss your A$$ Good Bye :yes:


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## Razzorduck (Oct 22, 2007)

Poke him in the nose with your paddle. They don't like it.


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## shkad14 (Apr 26, 2008)

Razzorduck said:


> Poke him in the nose with your paddle. They don't like it.


That is something I have done...to smaller sharks. I am talking about big sharks that circle you and disappear. I have seen a lot of reports of people being knocked out of their kayaks, or hit from underneath. When you see them circle, do you stay and fight or run?


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## Austin (Sep 30, 2007)

If the shark was big enough that I thought it was a big threat, I wouldn't stick around to find out. Picture it like... Hitting the NOS button in a race car


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## Razzorduck (Oct 22, 2007)

I'm just glad we don't have 12' yellow seals in the GOM.

Sitting in a brightly colored kayak we don't look like anything they prey on.
Talked with a guy once that was in the middle of a large bait pod with sharks all around. They kept bumping his yak and shook him up. He ended up just paddling away and the sharks stayed with the bait.


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## FishGolfDrink (Apr 19, 2011)

shkad14 said:


> . I have seen a lot of reports of people being knocked out of their kayaks


Really?


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## TheRoguePirate (Nov 3, 2011)

Several times i have been bumped from below in NC and once down in tampa bay a huge Hammer swam parallel to me for about 10 min about 20 feet away. 
-I dont panick, this might cause you to make short chops at the water with your paddle giving them your something in distress and might be tasty.
-I continue on the same heading making smooth even strokes giving myself the appearence of something as large or bigger than them that is not fased (or afraid) of their presence. this also comes into effect by not hauling a$$ and paddling away in fear. 
-With the 12 foot hammer in tampa, after staying with him for a while, he begain to break off to the left a little and i made gentle corrections to my right. I proved that i was not a threat, just as big as he was and not afraid of him, nor a meal. 

Appear larger, badder and not fased and stay cool amigo. (also helps to have a change of shorts and a pack of smokes! for those hairy post encounters!)

TRP


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## shkad14 (Apr 26, 2008)

FishGolfDrink said:


> Really?


Yup. Saw a couple on shark week, both whites. There was a guy last month I think that was launched a few feet in the air by a shark. He landed in the water with the shark. 

There is a video of him on shore after the incident. He has in a Hobie. My theory on him was, the mirage drive looked like seal flippers.

There was also a post on Florida Soprtsman of a hammerhead doing it to a guy.


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## Seatmech86 (Mar 8, 2011)

Look fellas there is a really simple solution for this....
"CHOOT 'EM, 'LIZEBETH, CHOOT 'EM!"

Just kidding I would just go ahead a sh*t my pants, direct said matter to the scuppers and hope the smell runs him off.


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## Chris V (Oct 18, 2007)

I have only been bumped once by a shark on the gulf coast by a 8ishft bull shark. The second I moved the paddle and he realized I was something alive he was gone. I think the best thing you can do given your size, is to hit him with the paddle or at least start moving fast toward him. Most will want nothin to do with you.


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## Brandonshobie (Aug 10, 2009)

The porpoise is what you should be worried about here ha. Sharks not so much. Just think we have no seals here so the sharks only have fish on there mind. The water clarity here helps also. Sharks are pretty dumb but there not that dumb and they can distinguish between things so our kayak don't look like food to them. And if you ever find a article about a shark coming up and grabbing someone off a kayak then sir I will buy you a coke.


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## Yaksquatch (Mar 23, 2009)

I've never had any problems with sharks in the Gulf or bay. While hammerheads are big and scary, they have almost NEVER been implicated in any unprovoked attacks. Also, most hammers I've seen tended to be pretty shy and kept their distance. Most of the other species of sharks around tend to also keep their distance. Even bulls will usually stay away from the kayak.

In the sharks' world, size is everything. If your yak is bigger than them, they'll give you a wide berth. If a shark gets close to you, NO NOT REACH OUT AND HIT IT!!! In their mind that is equal to issuing a formal challenge and the shark you hit will feel OBLIGATED TO HIT YOU BACK! On the other hand, if a shark bumps you first, then feel free to bump back to show him you're a viable threat. Again: DO NOT INITIATE PHYSICAL CONTACT with a shark unless you want to be hit back!

Good luck!
Alex


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## FLSalomon (Oct 3, 2007)

I have not had many run-ins as I am not out in the gulf much, but have had a shark take a fish off a friends stringer in the ICW. Bumped him pretty hard and pulled on the stringer... Needles to say, I don't use stringers anymore. 

You could always buy a Shark Shield - a electrical device that repels sharks... http://sharkshield.com/?/m/home


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## bbarton13 (May 4, 2009)

if i see a huge shark next to my yak, im turning on my gopro and throwing the biggest bait i got at him!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## PAWGhunter (Feb 3, 2010)

Brandonshobie said:


> The porpoise is what you should be worried about here ha]


No crap...those things are the real a-holes


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## reboot_me (Jul 8, 2011)

Considering that I am always armed, normally with my 9mm. Never had a problem with sharks. I have been concerned about gators in bayous of LA.


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## Pinksnappertrapper (Dec 7, 2007)

Bang stick.


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## Realtor (Oct 1, 2007)

leave them alone and they will leave you alone. unless you have a bunch of food (fish), they want nothing to do with a stinking human.....


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## PBTH (Oct 1, 2007)

Believing any thing you see on "Shark Week" was your first mistake...


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## Paolo (Jul 15, 2011)

bbarton13 said:


> if i see a huge shark next to my yak, im turning on my gopro and throwing the biggest bait i got at him!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Now THAT'S the spirit! Lol! I love to catch shark, a lot of fun.

But really, come on guys.... Sharks don't like human meat! And do you really think a shark will bust you out of your kayak and throw you thru the air and chomp on you? Sharks are generally just interested and want to check things out. I think we all have seen enough proof of that, and what we see on shark week are just incidents that happen really seldomly and just about always for some reason.
As someone said earlier, it's all about size. Sure, sharks are aggressive animals, no doubt, but a human is all together close to 8-9foot long. A shark won't try to eat anything nearly as big or bigger then him. So you'd have to encounter a bigass shark for him to consider an attack for food. And sharks usually prefer wounded fish... I you show some aggressiveness he will pee his pants and swim away. They want food, not a fight.
But this is just my 2cnts.


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## Yaksquatch (Mar 23, 2009)

PBTH said:


> Believing any thing you see on "Shark Week" was your first mistake...


Ah hahahaha!!! :lol::clapping:


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## Yaksquatch (Mar 23, 2009)

bbarton13 said:


> if i see a huge shark next to my yak, im turning on my gopro and throwing the biggest bait i got at him!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Yeah man! Ask Brandon Denney about getting towed by a 9ft+ Mako out of Destin a year and a half ago!


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## Caddy Yakker (May 21, 2011)

FLSalomon said:


> I have not had many run-ins as I am not out in the gulf much, but have had a shark take a fish off a friends stringer in the ICW. Bumped him pretty hard and pulled on the stringer... Needles to say, I don't use stringers anymore.
> 
> You could always buy a Shark Shield - a electrical device that repels sharks... http://sharkshield.com/?/m/home


Yeah those things cost more than most yaks and I think they would have a negative impact on fishing.

I agree most sharks don't have an appetite for tupperware. I think your highest probability for a bad encounter is when your fish is yak side.


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## shkad14 (Apr 26, 2008)

Caddy Yakker said:


> Yeah those things cost more than most yaks and I think they would have a negative impact on fishing.
> 
> I agree most sharks don't have an appetite for tupperware. I think your highest probability for a bad encounter is when your fish is yak side.


Yea, one thing I always do is get the fish out of the water once it is in grasp. I hate having a nice shiny, wounded King or spanish by my kayak.

One time I accidentally dropped the king in the kayak with his headed pointed toward me. That is a really bad position to be in with a live fish with those teeth aimed at your testicals. I hit him and spun him around in the commotion. He turned down as sliced my toe.


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## Realtor (Oct 1, 2007)

shkad14 said:


> Yea, one thing I always do is get the fish out of the water once it is in grasp. I hate having a nice shiny, wounded King or spanish by my kayak.
> 
> One time I accidentally dropped the king in the kayak with his headed pointed toward me. That is a really bad position to be in with a live fish with those teeth aimed at your testicals. I hit him and spun him around in the commotion. He turned down as sliced my toe.


ha ha BUZZZZZ SSSAAAWWWWWW Chomp.


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## B.Fine (Aug 13, 2010)

For the record, I'm not the only guy that got a toe bit by a king in a kayak!


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