Shark Fishing

Probably one of the most dangerous and most exhilarating types of fishing is shark fishing, of any kind, from Salmon Shark fishing in the Gulf of Alaska to the Great Whites and Mako Sharks off the New England coasts where points of depth can extend to as low as 6,000 below the water surface. All kinds of shark fishing trips (or scenarios), whether it is beach shark fishing in Florida in February, surf shark fishing, winter shark fishing, Florida shark fishing, implementing shark fishing knots on Alaska Salmon Sharks, kayak fishing for Bull Sharks, or angling from a pier or boat deck require skill, sharp sense of focus and, without a doubt, complete and confident know-how.

How to fish for Sharks? Well, while knowing the shark’s nature and habits, not to mention where they gravitate, anglers are recommended to have heavy-duty shark fishing gear. The first, or primary, consideration would be the test line, because that determines everything else to be used. Although the line weight and length depends on the size and strength of the shark, anywhere from 50lb-60lb lines are common with a range of at least 500 yards. All sharks put up a fight that many times lasts for hours, so anglers can quite easy run out of line. A 20lb drag is minimal and essential for every line to be used in shark fishing. Florida charters typically book large boats for just this reason—that successful shark fishing requires a lot of room. If surrounding space is tight, the shark is liable to buck harder; rolling in the shark would likely be more difficult a process to complete. A Shimano 50-weight or a Penn International 50TW offer strong line extending to over 500 yards for 50lb, 60lb and 80 lb, the last of which is preferred for fishing for the ‘Big Thresher’ sharks that grow to be 300lbs or more in total weight. As for bait, that goes without saying: live or dead real bait, either chopped up or whole, such as Mackerel and other smaller prey fish. Wire cutters are necessary to snip the wire leader snagged in the shark’s mouth.

Plenty of video coverage can capture amazing sharking fishing events that show just how dangerous and difficult the sport really is. Video clip of shark fishing are typically brief, but they can be stopped on any frame for close analysis, if necessary. Many of these shark fishing videos appear on Discovery and other cable science shows for educational purposes. Any shark fishing video can show viewers how to catch and reel in a shark the right way, or what happens when an angler does it the wrong way.

One of the best shark fishing tips is this: Use heavy equipment, at least an 80lb test line with a long wire leader holding real bait, on the uplifted tip of a 6-7-foot rod, lest the shark get too far away. Some leeway is necessary, but too much can give the shark the greater advantage. The angler must always be in control.