# Shark Fishing --- Public Beaches



## Shiznik (Feb 24, 2008)

Long story short, I believe the rule is to not Shark fish at public swimming access points on the beach. Aren't most of the reports coming from areas that are public? Or, is it legal to Shark fish in those areas at night? I would not deliberately Shark fish around swimmers but am wondering if it is okay to try a night when there are no swimmers. Maybe I should call the man and ask.

Tight Lines,

Chris


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## saltfisher1 (Oct 8, 2007)

I've never been ticketed for dead bait fishing any public spots at night...Just do not chum the water...If youre in Orange Beach they passed some crazy law about dead or cut bait fishing.

http://www.wkrg.com/alabama/article/shark_fishing_banned/13283/Jul-31-2008_2-14-am/

"<SPAN id=article_font>The Orange Beach City Council voted at their worksession Monday to adopt an emergency resolution banning shark fishing along the immediate coastline. Council members have been discussing the issue for the past few months, after shark fishermen were spotted "chumming" near a public pier.

"We're also concerned about this following the shark attacks in Florida over the weekend and in California last week," says Orange Beach Mayor Pete Blalock. "Sharks draw sharks and if you're chumming, you're drawing in more sharks. It just doesn't need to happen right near the coastline. What we're saying is to get a boat and go do it out in the Gulf."

The city council will formally vote on the shark fishing ban at next week's council meeting. If approved, shark fishing, baiting and chumming will be illegal within 300 feet of the coastline. City leaders will work with state officials in enforcing the ban. 

"The Gulf is state water," says Blalock. "We've actually approved this emergency resolution sent to us by the state. We're trying to have a little teetch in our law down here to tell people you can't do this here."

Once approved and passed, the ordinance will go into effect in about 90 days."


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## Shiznik (Feb 24, 2008)

Yeah, I am more concerened for the public than I am catching a Shark. Meaning, I don't ever want to endanger anyone but also think it should be okay after dark.


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## konz (Oct 1, 2007)

I'm not sure of the official ruling. I have never had an issue fishing at night though. I never shark fish around swimmers. I only do it at night where nobody is around. A quick call to the powers that be should answer that question for you though.


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## Shiznik (Feb 24, 2008)

Just hoping they cant cite us for fishing in an area that is a public swimming area after dark if you know what I mean. Harm to swimmers would never be in my future from Shark fishing. Its just easier to access. Thanks! Hey Konz, when is the next Shark Fishing Bash?


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## saltfisher1 (Oct 8, 2007)

?We're also concerned about this following the shark attacks in Florida over the weekend and in California last week," says Orange Beach Mayor Pete Blalock. "Sharks draw sharks and if you're chumming, you're drawing in more sharks. It just doesn't need to happen right near the coastline. What we're saying is to get a boat and go do it out in the Gulf."

The city council will formally vote on the shark fishing ban at next week's council meeting. If approved, shark fishing, baiting and chumming will be illegal within 300 feet of the coastline. City leaders will work with state officials in enforcing the ban. "

My thoughts:

Sounds like these guys are catering to boaters and forcing the poor man into investing in a boat just to fish offshore by 300 ft.....Boat money means more money for city leaders...The sharks are always out there regardless if theres a fisherman nearby or not so I do not get what theyre saying here...The sharks in the cold waters of California are by far larger and potentially more aggressive than a few blacktips on the Gulf beaches..The chances are still slim on being bit by a shark even if youre swimming under the Pensacola pier....Its just a way to try to pick up extra revenue.

I'm not sure how this law is enforced if a guy is just fishing with a chunk of mullet for big reds and a shark gets it first..I guess you cut the line or get a hefty fine?


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## konz (Oct 1, 2007)

> *Shiznik (6/29/2009)*Just hoping they cant cite us for fishing in an area that is a public swimming area after dark if you know what I mean. Harm to swimmers would never be in my future from Shark fishing. Its just easier to access. Thanks! Hey Konz, when is the next Shark Fishing Bash?


A few other members and I have been throwing around some ideas. I'm trying to find a suitable location. Amberj has volunteered to make up some bbq for the next one. It should be awesome! As soon as we nail down a location we will nail down a date.


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## Shiznik (Feb 24, 2008)

Sounds great! I'm willing to bring something foodwise also to add to the feast! Hope I can make it.


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## tigershark (Oct 16, 2007)

I was in Pensacola this past week and went over to Orange Beach and was told by the locals that they do enforce the fishing ordinance now. I was fishing in FL and it sucked but just waved to the Game warden as she drove by every morning. I only fish in the early AM and after the swimmers are out of the water usually by 9PM. My almost 4yr old daughter caught her first black tip on a tweety fishing rod I was so proud, my wife and son caught multiple sharks but I did not have any luck, we had a 400 yard wide sand bar in front of the condo which really sucked and hurt fishing. I yakked up to 800 yards off shore daily and only caught 1 skipjack the entire trip and zero schools of fish. probably my worst fishing trip personally in the last 25 years but my daughter's first shark made up for it. an 18 inch BT. 

I did have some drunk old ladies come down to the beach for a swim one night around 11 PM. They saw my fishing rods/reels 12/0s and I told them I was fishing for large fish and they went ahead and swam 15 yards to the right of me. I did not reel in because they were about 25 yards out and my bait was 450+ yards out but I did get a little nervous . I guestimate their age to be mid to late 60s :doh adn they were pretty drunk


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## saltfisher1 (Oct 8, 2007)

It never fails that folks want to swim right next to the fishermen....It happens to me everytime I fish the beach in summer...There can be 40 miles of open beach but they have to get under the lines...I dont get it.


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## pb&jellyfish (May 1, 2008)

There are always sharks around swimmers. Fishing for sharks isn't bringing them in because they already are in...they just rarely bite people. Why is this so hard to understand?


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## saltfisher1 (Oct 8, 2007)

Scientists do extended studies costing millionsto figure out why there are more shark attacks now than 40 years ago...Its too simple....More people in the world, more people vacationing to the beach, more people in the water, more shark attacks...Thats all it is.


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## bullminnow (Mar 2, 2008)

We have been to chicken bone beach twice in the past week and we wait until all swimmers are out of the water before getting started. Don't get me wrong now there were a few hmmmm whats the word.....idiots??......that were swimming at 9:30ish but bait or no bait in the water and sharks will eat them at that time. Am I wrong?


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## photofishin (Jun 26, 2009)

you know, it's funny, we fish every year on Bolivar Peninsula, Texas for bull reds and sharks and plenty of people swim in the same areas we're fishing. The water at Bolivar is usually a chocolate brown color due to wind and brown sand. Not one shark attack that I'm aware of in the past six years we've been going down there. Sharks typically don't target people...and unless, like in CA where there's lots of seals, you are mistaken for a seal or some other large prey, most sharks turn tail and swim away when they encounter people in the water from my experience. When a shark "attacks", many times it's just "mouthing" something to see if it's edible. In clear waters, they can see muich better, so chances of being attacked should be much slimmer...but as someone else said...with more people in the water, there are more chances of shark encounters. My advice is to just use common sense and follow the local laws/rules.


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## Jhoe (May 4, 2009)

I bet more people get attacked by morons at chicken bone beach than by sharks in the united states per year... but i guess we need to focus on stupid laws first.



Also, the law says 300 feet? what if i yack my bait out 301 feet


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## xtopdawg386x (Dec 31, 2010)

I think if it public area you should be able to do any type of fishing you want to no matter what . common since says not to shark fish were there's people swimming . how ever as many Florida residence have seen on the news during the summer sharks regularly swim around and between beach swimmers and the people never no there around . Most of all the shark attacks happen when swimmers are swimming around or near bait fish or early morning or dusk during prime feeding times for shark . Ideally id rather be in my boat fishing off the shore for sharks i still have the right to fish off the beach or jetties for sharks or what ever fish I choose to go after since i like many other people pay for a license to fish . The state should not be allowed to tell me or any one else what we can or cant fish for when we pay the taxes for this state and pay to fish just because people may get bit from a shark they still take the same chance of getting bit no matter what when they go into the sharks territory . Since they choose to do so they also choose to take the risk of being bit . Sharks are going to follow the food source so no matter what your fishing for there going to be in the area chasing bait fish and the fish that feed on the bait fish . If all fishing was ban from public beach's there still going to be a shark attack because the sharks are not going to stop doing what comes natural and thats looking for food . Swimmers need to use common since and not wear shiny jewelry and not swim during prime feeding hours for these animals . What is happening is people are doing stupid things and getting bit so our state officials have to put more restrictions on fisherman to protect the morons who choose to swim early morning or dusk or even late at night .If it keeps going like this these officials will soon have every thing banned and there will still be people being attacked and then there going to be standing there in office trying to figure out what to ban next to save idiots from getting bit . But no matter how you look at it your 1000X more likely to die in a car wreck heading to the beach then you are from being bit from a shark


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## appleguy (Jan 8, 2011)

I surf fish all of the time here in Navarre. When shark fishing I try to stay clear of public access beaches just because of what saltfisher1 said. But If I do fish at a public beach area I still steer clear of swimmers I don't wanna hook a snow bird they don't taste to well.


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## fishingcanada (Oct 21, 2010)

I'm not so familiarized with the beach rule about shark fishing, but if you try fishing it a night . Maybe it to be play to be "hide and fish".


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## appleguy (Jan 8, 2011)

fishingcanada said:


> I'm not so familiarized with the beach rule about shark fishing, but if you try fishing it a night . Maybe it to be play to be "hide and fish".


I fish at night and day and the evening seems to pay off the best for me I don't go after monsters. I mostly catch 2-6 footers and I like to have alot of light so my hand doesn't go missing :thumbsup:, When I do catch one I record data into my log for UWF then release them. Spend to much time playing in the water for bad krama to get me :thumbup:


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## J.Sharit (Oct 3, 2007)

Lots of communities in Florida are closing their beaches to shark fishing.Del Ray Beach and now Boca is considering doing the same. The biggest problem seems to be wanna be shark fisherman are catching large fish and just leaving them on the beach. Someone left a large Hammer on the beach there for the tourists and the press to find.....well it was pregnent with 22 pups. This shines a poor light on the sport and those who persue it. We need to police ourselves on this issue. If ya shark fish clean up your mess and either release the catch or take it with you. If it continues this way there won't be any place to shark fish. Just recently someone left a huge Tiger or parts of it at Navarre area. You know who you are. This area is one of the best producing areas for large sharks in the state and with this type of behavior it won't be long before they shut it down too.


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## beeritself (Nov 25, 2010)

What's the ruling on keeping sharks? I'm hoping to get started fishing for them as soon as I find someone that wants to go. I do not, however, want to break any laws harvesting them. Last thing I need is a cop pulling me over with an illegal shark in the bed of my truck....


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