# Shark encounters while kayaking bait out?



## jsnbrdgs82

Okay...This question is as much for fun as it is for a piece of mind.. Has anyone had any issues with sharks or anything while taking your bait out..Im a little knew at it and ashamed to say that the erie feeling i get can be a little overwhelming at times...especially when im solo...ive yet to carry my bait out at night for this very reason..i cant help but hear the jaws theme song everytime im out...a few beers usually helps...any advice besides grow a set...Am i the only one???


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## oysterman

Edit


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## jsnbrdgs82

Mines a sit in...if it flips, its sinking.....is it likely for them to try and knock u out of it...


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## Justin618

jsnbrdgs82 said:


> Mines a sit in...if it flips, its sinking.....is it likely for them to try and knock u out of it...


Do not kayak bait out in a sit in.

Yes, they are known to investigate kayaks


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## lowprofile

They'll knock you right off. They get curious and you do have food in there which is most likely bleeding and dripping through the scuppers. Sometimes you can hear thier dorsals slashing the water behind you, especially late at night.


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## strongman

You're asking for trouble if you're yakking out bait in a sit-in kayak, especially if there are any kind of waves at all. If you flip, even if it isn't a shark that did it, you've got a long way to swim back to shore + a possible loss on a yak (unless you want to take extra time with the sharks out there to swim it back in). 
Just remember to always bring a sound device like a whistle or air horn in case something goes wrong out there. At least someone on shore could call for help. Headlamp as well.
Good luck on your endeavors!


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## catchnrelease

Let me add another very real danger to yakking baits that is often overlooked....DROWNING!! 

Heavy shark gear (leaders, hooks, braid aka razor wire) can entangle the best swimmers after a spill. Sharks don't matter when a 18/0 circle hook is embedded in your forearm while steel leader wraps your arms up tight....then your just hoping.

Don't hope - WEAR A LIFE JACKET.


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## bigcountryboy

DO NOT use a sit in in the surf. Bad idea. The chances of a shark messing with you are low but it can happen. I've never had one bother me BUT, I came back home for a couple weeks back in june to do some sharkin' and we had a night that there were 4 or so groups out on the same stretch of beach I was yakking a bait out about the same time as a guy from another group. I came back fine but he was dumped by a big shark. He almost became a statistic but luckily we found him. The incident with the shark couldn't be helped but he had several things that he did wrong that could have ended it for him. No1- no life jacket, no2- he had been drinking, no3- he didn't have a good headlamp, no4- he was in a sit in kayak.

when he was dumped his headlamp shorted out in the water and his kayak filled with water. He couldn't flip it and get back in so he had to hang on and no one could see him with the new moon. Just by chance me and my sister caught a reflection of a sticker from his kayak a couple hundred yds off the beach. When we finally got him to shore he collapsed from exhaustion. He had been fighting the waves and current for 2hrs before we found him.

so yes a shark can mess with you but that should be the least of your worries.


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## ChileRelleno

PFD?... Always.
Going out or coming in, its too easy to get flipped in the surf, and 50-100+#s of yak possibly hitting you on the head can leave you snoozing in the surf.
Make sure you PFD will float you face up.

PFD
Headlamp (a quality water resistant/proof one, spend the extra $$.)
Whistle (a loud one, plastic don't rust.)
Glowstick on back of PFD
If your PFD has a pocket/strap, a pair of heavy snips to cut yourself free of leader/line.


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## hjorgan

*Noooooopppeee nope nope nope no,,,*

I think you just cured me of wanting to yak out a bait. Ever.



lowprofile said:


> They'll knock you right off. They get curious and you do have food in there which is most likely bleeding and dripping through the scuppers. Sometimes you can hear thier dorsals slashing the water behind you, especially late at night.


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## FHD

While I tend to think that an encounter with a shark (other than a swim by) is not that likely, I have to admit that my son had a head lamp on at night and saw a very large shark swim directly under his kayak. It shook him up so much that he turned off the headlamp and left it off until he got back to land. He said he decided he didn't want to know what was under him. Funny looking back on it but not so much at that time...


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## Justin618

FHD said:


> While I tend to think that an encounter with a shark (other than a swim by) is not that likely, I have to admit that my son had a head lamp on at night and saw a very large shark swim directly under his kayak. It shook him up so much that he turned off the headlamp and left it off until he got back to land. He said he decided he didn't want to know what was under him. Funny looking back on it but not so much at that time...


I use my headlamp going out but I know some guys who don't bc of this reason. I find myself looking in the water all too often when I know that's when I'll see something. I hope I never do, especially at night


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## ChileRelleno

Light ain't for me to see stuff, its so some boater cruising at night too close to shore don't run me over... Keep it on.

But if I was to see a big'un swimming near me, I'd probably try to feed him a bait.
I ain't skeered!


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## Justin618

ChileRelleno said:


> PFD?... Always.
> Going out or coming in, its too easy to get flipped in the surf, and 50-100+#s of yak possibly hitting you on the head can leave you snoozing in the surf.
> Make sure you PFD will float you face up.
> 
> PFD
> Headlamp (a quality water resistant/proof one, spend the extra $$.)
> Whistle (a loud one, plastic don't rust.)
> Glowstick on back of PFD
> If your PFD has a pocket/strap, a pair of heavy snips to cut yourself free of leader/line.


Well said. 

If you flip and get tangled more than likely you're gonna be wrapped up in heavy mono (400lb+) or big cable. I'd hate to be wrapped up in that with a big, nasty bait near me. Luckily when I took a swim it was after dropping my bait.

Always have headlamp on and make sure your buddies have one or some sort of light on the beach to guide you in.


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## lowprofile

Sometimes an LED headlamp will reflect off of water in the air and make it impossible to see in front of the yak. Get a stern light. It's visible at 360 degrees and doesn't blind you.


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## 153 Large fish

The last time I went surf fishing, I walked out to a sandbar and then as far I as I could past the sandbar to cast...on the way in past the sandbar where the water was at chest level I saw 2 big sharks between me and the shore....that pretty much slowed down my Surf fishing...and there is nothing more Erie than being a clumsy human in a predators path


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## Blazerz65

I was kayaking a bait out on monday and was only just passing the second sandbar and saw the biggest shark I've ever seen. I was maybe just 150 yards off the beach and can't believe that the big ones are that. Lose. Last year in June I caught near 40 three to four footers and im careful going to waist high water. I can say I almost capped my pants. Went another 50 yards dropped a bait and I think I made a world record paddling that fast to shore. My shoulder burn didnt even effect me hahha!


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## armyguardus

I have been flipped in 4 foot rollers about two hundred yards off. The best advice I can give you is to remain calm and try your best to keep the adrenaline under control. Keep your movements slow and deliberate. Don't kick and scream and panic you will become the bait if you do.


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## lowprofile

they really aren't out to get you. your not food to them.


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## Justin618

lowprofile said:


> they really aren't out to get you. your not food to them.


Tell that to the guy in hawaii who was attacked off his kayak by a big tiger lol. We'll he died so you can't actually.

But, he's right. They arent there to attack and eat you. On the yak they will investigate and come close. I mean, you're in their domain. If you get flipped anything can happen but probably not likely


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## lowprofile

Justin618 said:


> Tell that to the guy in hawaii who was attacked off his kayak by a big tiger lol. We'll he died so you can't actually.
> 
> But, he's right. They arent there to attack and eat you. On the yak they will investigate and come close. I mean, you're in their domain. If you get flipped anything can happen but probably not likely


Okay, and I'll say the same thing to the monkey I ate. Not really on the menu but i tried it. 

Okay bad analogy. Lol

Seriously though I'm more worried about falling asleep on the drive home than being investigated by a shark.


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## FenderBender

Every time I've sharked from the beach, I have always paddled the bait out on a surfboard (don't own a yak.) Never been bothered. Sharks around here aren't out to eat humans, or surfboards, or kayaks. So much learned fear of sharks that we aren't born with. I blame shark week. Discovery Channel keeps so many people out of the ocean.


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## Justin618

I'm not worried about being attacked it's just that feeling of being on a kayak alone on the dark. Just gives me the creeps. But, once I paddle with a buddy it's so much more relaxing. I'll paddle my distance and back to them and bs on the way in.


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## lowprofile

Justin618 said:


> I'm not worried about being attacked it's just that feeling of being on a kayak alone on the dark. Just gives me the creeps. But, once I paddle with a buddy it's so much more relaxing. I'll paddle my distance and back to them and bs on the way in.


have you started yakking baits after dark?


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## Justin618

lowprofile said:


> have you started yakking baits after dark?


Lol I've been running bait after dark. I'm not a fan of doing it but its gotta get done.

And I'm done with my 500 yard drops. Gonna do 300 or less. Reading too many reports of quality sharks being caught on short drops


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## Fer3577

I have had them swim right under and one time I was dragging a bait and didn't realize it one picked it up and spun the kayak around no issues that were serious. Most of my kayaking baits was in texas


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## AndyS

lowprofile said:


> Sometimes an LED headlamp will reflect off of water in the air and make it impossible to see in front of the yak. Get a stern light. It's visible at 360 degrees and doesn't blind you.


This has been my experience. 

Sometimes I use a light going out & sometimes it's more of a hindrance depending on how much moon I have. I need to be able to see the angle & closeness of the next wave coming at my yak if it's a little rough. I figure managing a light is just one more unnecessary task load if you don't need it anyway.

I have had to specifically instruct partners on the beach not to light me up as I'm coming in because it blinds me.

I probably don't follow as many safety protocols as some folks, and yes I have yakked baits out solo in the dark (conditions permitting) .... but I do always have a Pfd with a small bright waterproof light, a pair of wire cutting pliers, & folding pocket knife, and a big plastic dive whistle attached.

Also, the yak I use for dropping shark baits at night I keep stripped of any potentially entangling accoutrements (like rod holders) for the line to get caught on if things go bad. I try to minimize entanglement hazards to the shark leader/line, my paddle leash, and myself.

I've not encountered any sharks paddling baits out ... but haven't really looked for them either so they may have been there. I'm generally too focused on the wave sets, paddle strokes, my position in relation to the beach, & my line/leader. I think if I found myself looking for & worrying about sharks I probably would not be paying due attention to what I'm doing. I've been dumped once in the dark, between the bars, no moon, coming back in, it was kind of rough that night ... truly an adrenaline pumping experience I don't want to have again anytime soon. I never got back on a yak so quickly in my life ... still don't know how I managed it so fast, it was just kind of automatic. Make sure your skills at getting back on your yak quickly are up to snuff so the yak doesn't get away from you if it ever happens. And pay attention to which side of the yak you need to be on if you are in the water so it's not going to go over you.


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## lowprofile

AndyS said:


> This has been my experience.
> 
> Sometimes I use a light going out & sometimes it's more of a hindrance depending on how much moon I have. I need to be able to see the angle & closeness of the next wave coming at my yak if it's a little rough.
> 
> I have had to specifically instruct partners on the beach not to light me up as I'm coming in because it blinds me.
> 
> I probably don't follow as many safety protocols as some folks, and yes I have yakked baits out solo in the dark (conditions permitting) .... but I do always have a Pfd with a small bright waterproof light attached & a big plastic dive whistle.


exactly, sometimes your "spotter" will light you up and you can't see the swell or break. I always tell them to point the light down at the sand next to the rod so I can see the angle of the drop. I just need a landing point. when I'm the spotter I'll try to light up the deeper areas that aren't breaking with erratic flashes to try to direct the yaker over into calmer water, but it almost never works. haha they just keep going straight.


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## FHD

Well, I got baptized (literally!  ) last night into the ranks of kayaking bait out for sharks. I've shark fished from piers for years, but this was my third time out using a kayak (first time watched another guy, second time my son did the kayaking) and my first time doing the kayaking. It was a solo shark fishing trip that came together for me at the last minute so that added a bit of extra intimidation to the kayaking.

I got there at sundown and was able to make the first trip with enough sunlight to see what I was doing. Some big waves went over the front of my small 8 foot kayak and got me pretty wet, but I was able to get out there, drop the bait, and get turned around and ride a few waves back in and paddle the rest of the way.

I had the back half of a bonito (with half of a concrete paver for weight) and something cleaned the bonito entirely off the hook without running with it. So, I baited up with the front end of the bonito and prepared to make my way out again - this time without benefit of the sunlight. On the other hand, a full moon made my headlamp pretty useless but I used it anyway just to look down in the water. I guess I have yet to paddle out on a "dark" night and may plan my trips to enjoy at least a half moon since it's nice to see everything around you.

I got the bait out just fine, but two waves (one right after the other and coming from different directions) knocked me out of the kayak on the way back in. (I find it more tricky coming back in than going out because I don't know what's coming behind me.) I was able to immediately get back in with no problem but drank a bit of saltwater in the process. I broke a major rule (no PFD) because I only realized it was missing from the kayak out in the carport as I was getting ready to leave to go out. However, I agree with what someone else said on this thread - I have nothing in my kayak except me and a paddle. I have an open well behind the seat that holds the brick and the bait very well. I keep the bait right behind me so I can put it out first and get the hook out of the way. Then I drop the brick to take it all on down. Brick first would increase the risk of something going wrong. 

I'm fishing out on Perdido Key Beach and really like it out there. I buy pavers (thin and small red bricks) from Walmart for 50 cents each and break them in half with a hammer. If you put one paver on top of two other pavers and hit it in the middle with a hammer it will break in half pretty evenly. I just tie a slip not with 15 lb. test around the half paver and tie the other end to the swivel. It holds the line very right back to the rod. 

About 30 minutes after I got the second bait out, I had something pick it up and run with it for about 5 seconds; but, all went silent after that. Glad to have at least one trip under my belt. I don't mind admitting my first ride out (even with sunlight) was with some healthy fear and trembling! 

Tight lines my friends! :thumbup:


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## AndyS

FHD said:


> ... I buy pavers (thin and small red bricks) from Walmart for 50 cents each and break them in half with a hammer. If you put one paver on top of two other pavers and hit it in the middle with a hammer it will break in half pretty evenly. I just tie a slip not with 15 lb. test around the half paver and tie the other end to the swivel. It holds the line very right back to the rod.


I just get 'em from the landscaping around the house. (Wife hasn't noticed yet!)


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## Tofnda

is it likely for them to try and knock u out of it...


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## Rebfhecca

its sinking.....is it likely for them to try and knock u out of it...


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## strongman

Why are these two previous posters randomly restating things from previous posts?


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## FHD

AndyS said:


> I just get 'em from the landscaping around the house. (Wife hasn't noticed yet!)


Now that was funny Andy!!! :thumbup:


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## FHD

I went out again Friday night on a solo trip. Things were quite different this time! Not only was the moon not full, the moon didn't even rise until midnight. And, most of the rental units (that had been adding light to the beach in previous weeks) were now empty with school getting ready to start and the lights were off. The beach was DARK!!! Even with a headlamp, I could't see out on the water very well when I was yaking out my bait. Pretty intimidating with that small kayak of mine. It's an 8' Lotus and a smarter man probably wouldn't be using it for bait yaking. Made two drops and got skunked both times retrieving a clean hook after no run at all. Fortunately managed to stay out of the water! :thumbup:


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## rustybucket

Used to yak baits out quite a bit. Haven't done it much lately b/c we have the boat now.

We would strap a green glow stick to the back of the life vest and a red one to the front of the life vest. That way your crew on the beach knows when you've dropped and are coming back.

On the OP's concern about sharks bothering you on the way out... well... I had an 'encounter' one time. Was yaking a bait out, was dead calm and actually kinda erie. All of a sudden I see a bioluminescent 'thing' approaching me from behind. At first I thought it was a school of bait, but then as it came along side me I could clearly make out that it was a BIG shark. My kayak was around 8' and it almost double it in length!!!

It was cruising directly to my port side, parallel to me, as it got almost even with me, it turned DIRECTLY toward me... I bout crapped my pants.

Had about a 5lb king mac sitting in my lap bleeding all over me, so I grabbed it and literally threw it at the shark's head. Pretty sure I scared it as much as it had scared me. It whipped around and took off.... and so did I!!!

I got back to the beach and decided that I really didn't care for beach shark fishing much anymore.... haven't done it much since.


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## Ivarie

lowprofile said:


> They'll knock you right off. They get curious and you do have food in there which is most likely bleeding and dripping through the scuppers. Sometimes you can hear thier dorsals slashing the water behind you, especially late at night.


:thumbup:
Ahahaha. You just scared off all the noobs.


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## theirons84

FenderBender said:


> Every time I've sharked from the beach, I have always paddled the bait out on a surfboard (don't own a yak.) Never been bothered. Sharks around here aren't out to eat humans, or surfboards, or kayaks. So much learned fear of sharks that we aren't born with. I blame shark week. Discovery Channel keeps so many people out of the ocean.


 Your mention of Shark week reminded me of this pic I found somewhere


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## Angryturkey

Yall are wimps with your whimpering about the potential for shark attacks (The statistics suggest one is more likely to die in a car accident on the way to the beach then being attacked by a shark).....Before I incorporated a kayak into my gear, I just swam my baits out. The real danger here likely is getting tangled up in the line.
Swimming baits out does make your sphincter pucker though....:tt2:


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## ChileRelleno




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## ChileRelleno

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/nat...reat-white-shark-mass-beach-article-1.1927787



> *Two kayakers attacked by great white shark near Plymouth, Mass. beach*
> 
> *When Ida Parker saw the shark’s big eyes, gray pointy snout and teeth, she knew it was a great white shark knocking she and Kristin Orr into the water on Wednesday evening. ‘I don’t think I’ll ever kayak again,” Parker says. *
> 
> BY  Nicole Hensley
> NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
> Thursday, September 4, 2014, 12:31 PM
> 
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> whdh Ida Parker (R) says she and her best friend, Kristin Orr (L), were attacked by a great white shark near a Plymouth beach while kayaking.
> Two best friends cried together on a Massachusetts beach after a great white shark attacked their kayaks.
> Ida Parker and Kristin Orr were paddling along the Plymouth coast and photographing seals when a Great White Shark sank its teeth into their boats.
> The shark breached four feet of its body out of the water and flipped their boats from below during the Wednesday evening encounter. That’s when Parker saw its gray pointy nose, big eyes and big teeth.
> “I don’t think I’ll ever kayak again,” Parker told WCVB-TV.
> She recalled the attack while occasionally bursting into tears from the shore of White Horse Beach while huddled with Orr — still wet from the ocean water.
> 
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> whdh The two women were in seperate kayaks when the shark emerged from below and sank its teeth into one of their boats.
> The two women treaded water not knowing where the shark was.
> “It was petrifying waiting in that water for the harbormaster and not knowing if anybody was going to come get us,” Parker told WHDH-TV.
> Their screams were heard from shore which prompted a call to 911. They were plucked from the water by the Plymouth Harbormaster shortly after the attack, but a good Samaritan also in a kayak paddled out to check on them, the TV station reported.
> A GoPro camera captured the attack, but it sank about 150 yards from shore.
> 
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> whdh The shark was identified as a great white based on the bite mark it left on their kayaks.
> The shark was later identified by the Division of Marine Fisheries as a great white based on a tooth fragment and bite radius left on a recovered kayak, the Patriot Ledger reported.
> Now the search is on for the big shark, but as of Thursday, there was no sign of it. Another kayaker reported a shark sighting at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, but neither the harbormaster nor State Police helicopter ever found it.
> [email protected]


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## AndyS

ChileRelleno said:


> http://www.nydailynews.com/news/nat...reat-white-shark-mass-beach-article-1.1927787


I think they're gonna need a bigger boat. :laughing:


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## armyguardus

To bad they weren't running baits


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## amdoch

I've been out on my kayak a few times now and have seen a few sharks. I usually only go out during day time, but I will guarantee you that spotting a big shark under you will leave you breathless for a few seconds. 

Also I think that they are over reporting about those kayakers that got "attacked" by a shark.. they were paddling around with a bunch of seals! Obviously that shark is going to try for the biggest and slowest "seal" that it sees. Its about as unexpected as getting almost attacked by a lion when going for a jog with a bunch of gazelles..


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