Shark Fishing Florida Tips and Techniques
Sharks are just about everywhere in Florida waters. They are in the rivers and creeks; along the beaches and inlets; on the grass flats; on the mud flats and in the mangroves and just about anywhere else that has water.
The best way to catch sharks is with fresh dead baits. Sharks will find your baits very quickly if they are anywhere near the spot that you are fishing. You will need a strong metal leader and a stout reel at least a 5500 series; a medium/heavy 7 foot rod and lots of 50 to 100 pound braided line.
There are lots of shark species for shark fishermen to target in Florida waters. The three main species that I usually catch are bull sharks, black tip sharks and bonnet head sharks. All three of those shark species are fun to catch and offer very different styles of fighting when hooked. So those are the three species that I will focus on. My goal is teaching you where, when and how to catch these fish when you go shark fishing Florida.
I am an INSHORE FISHING CHARTERS on the Treasure Coast of Florida. I have been fishing the grass flats and mangroves around Florida for more than 40 years. Let's learn how to catch some sharks!!!
Let's get started.
Watch this video and catch more bull sharks in Florida.
Sharks are just about everywhere in Florida waters. They are in the rivers and creeks; along the beaches and inlets; on the grass flats; on the mud flats and in the mangroves and just about anywhere else that has water.
The best way to catch sharks is with fresh dead baits. Sharks will find your baits very quickly if they are anywhere near the spot that you are fishing. You will need a strong metal leader and a stout reel at least a 5500 series; a medium/heavy 7 foot rod and lots of 50 to 100 pound braided line.
There are lots of shark species for shark fishermen to target in Florida waters. The three main species that I usually catch are bull sharks, black tip sharks and bonnet head sharks. All three of those shark species are fun to catch and offer very different styles of fighting when hooked. So those are the three species that I will focus on. My goal is teaching you where, when and how to catch these fish when you go shark fishing Florida.
I am an INSHORE FISHING CHARTERS on the Treasure Coast of Florida. I have been fishing the grass flats and mangroves around Florida for more than 40 years. Let's learn how to catch some sharks!!!
Let's get started.
Watch this video and catch more bull sharks in Florida.
Shark Fishing Florida--Beaches
There are lots of sharks cruising Florida beaches. I think that if tourists knew just how many are always around them the would not want to go into the water. Every time that I go surfing or diving around Florida, I assume that I will be within a couple hundred yards of a shark of some kind.
How do you catch a shark off of the beach? Historically, there have been lots of counties in Florida that do not allow shark fishing with baits from the beach. They do not want a bloody fish carcass to attract sharks anywhere near public beaches full of swimmers.
NEW SHARK FISHING LAWS as of July 1, 2019:
The FWC (Florida Wildlife Commission) implemented new laws for Florida shark fishermen in 2019.
- These laws require everyone over the age of 16 to get a special permit to catch sharks.
- People under 16 years of age must take an educational course that is associated with the shark permit unless they are fishing with an adult who has already passed all of the requirements. No one can use chum ie. dead bait to catch sharks off of the beach anymore.
- You must now release any prohibited shark species immediately by cutting the leaders, lines and hooks to make sure that you don't delay the release in any way.
- You can not bring prohibited species up on shore either. They must remain in the water whether you are fishing from shore or from a boat.
- You cannot use stainless steel hooks and the hooks that you use must be inline rust away circle hooks whether you are using live bait or dead bait from shore or a boat.
- You have to have a tool that can quickly cut the leader or hook when you are targeting sharks.
You used to be able to fish on beaches where shark baiting is permitted the technique is to use a kayak and bring the bait out a hundred yard or so off of the beach. They bloodier and oilier the fish the better.
This type of shark fishing often yields big bull sharks and hammerheads. The problem with this type of fishing is yahoos cruising the beach in their boats when it is calm. They will often run right over the shark lines.
You can catch sharks with lures on beaches where dead baiting is not permitted. When I am shark fishing off the beach in Florida it is usually to catch black tip sharks on a top water lure. In my opinion, they are the most athletic of the sharks that can be caught off of the beach.
A black tip shark is one of the most abundant shark species in Florida as well. You can find them off of the beach and just about any clear water cuts inshore. They do not get very large. The Florida state record is 152 pounds.
I love to walk the beach as the sun comes up with my 10 foot surf casting rod; my 5500 Penn reel filled with 80 pound braid and my 8 inch pencil popper top water lure hunting black tips. This fishing technique is especially effective when the Spring and Fall bait runs are occurring.
The video below will show you the surf casting lure that I use for catching black tips in the surf.
What the video below and catch more black tip sharks using dead baits.
Shark Fishing Florida--Inlets
Another great place to target black tip sharks is in and around inlets. They love to hang out around inlet mouths and prey upon Spanish mackerel and whatever other fish are around. When the mackerel are running you can count on the black tips being around in force.
A great way to target inlet black tips is to free line a mullet, blue runner, jack, lady fish.... basically any fish and wait for the action. In my opinion, only the black tip can rival the tarpon for acrobatic jumps when hooked.
They often jump and spin at the same time. That is why many people mistake black tips for spinner sharks. However, spinner sharks are an entirely different species of shark.
At dawn, dusk and at night you can target bull sharks in the inlets with just about any kind of dead, stinky, oily fish on the bottom. Bull sharks are a completely different kind of fighter than a black tip shark. Bull sharks just pull, pull and pull some more. They will not jump out of the water. That is why I do not usually target this species of shark.
I catch a lot of bull sharks but not on purpose. When the bigger tarpon are around I like to use a large lady fish head or a large mullet head to catch them. Your goal is to sink your bait out of the current and wait for the tarpon. You will have to be at the tip of the inlet to do this usually.
WANT TO CATCH A SHARK? BOOK YOUR FISHING CHARTER TODAY!
Any tidal creek mouth is another place where you can catch a lot of bull sharks. This is another favorite spot of mine to target bigger tarpon. Which is again why I catch so many bull sharks. They seem to find the bait much more quickly than the tarpon.
Some days you can luck out and catch 5 or 6 tarpon before a bull shark shows up. Once the bull sharks move in it is time to find another place to fish. Unless of course you want to catch bull sharks all day.
Big tarpon love to scavenge fish on the bottom. The problem with this tarpon fishing technique is that bull sharks will often find the bait before the tarpon do. Then instead of an amazing 20 minute fight full of acrobatic jumps and flips I end up with 45 minutes of bicep busting pull, pull, pull... Both are fun but the tarpon is a lot more fun because you get to watch the fight.
Shark Fishing Florida--Grass Flats
I like to target bonnet head sharks on the grass flats. These are a real fun species of sharks to catch with light spinning tackle. I like to use a 2500 series reel with 8 pound braid and a 20 pound leader. Make sure to use a circle hook so you will be less likely to get cut off by their extremely sharp teeth. Bonnet head sharks are crustacean specialists.
They cruise the grass flats, mud flats, mangroves and tidal creeks around Florida looking for shrimp and crabs. They will eat fish but they definitely prefer shrimp and crabs.
These sharks can be found in water that is less than a foot deep. This makes them a great species to target by sight fishing. Once you see one up on the flats just pitch your shrimp or crab offering in front of them and get ready for a great fight. The first run that this shark makes is incredible. Your drag will be singing your favorite fishing song as they run off 40 or 50 yards of line.
These sharks only grow to about 4 1/2 feet long and are supposedly good to eat but I have never eaten any. Most of the ones that I catch are 3 feet or less. They are extremely abundant in clean water healthy grass flats and the mud flat/oyster bar ecosystems all around Florida.
Shark Fishing Florida-- Mud Flats/Oyster Bars
Sometimes you can sight fish bonnet head sharks around mud flats and oyster bars but I usually catch them in the deeper cuts when fishing this ecosystem. One of my favorite ways to catch red fish is by bouncing a shrimp with a split shot down a deeper cut between an oyster bar and a mud flat.
Bonnet head sharks are a pleasant bi catch when using this red fish technique. You will know when you have a bonnet head shark on the end of your line instead of a redfish. The bonnet head shark will run off 30 yards of line on their first run very quickly. A redfish is more of a pull, pull, pull and pull some more.
Bonnet heads will also hit a scented shrimp imitation on a jig head. My favorite is a white Berkely Gulp Shrimp with an 1/8 ounce red jig head.
This rig is a really fun way to sight fish bonnet heads on the mud flats and oyster bars. Just pitch it in front of them and let it sit. They will probably smell it if it is up current from them. If it is down current you will have to jig it a little to get their attention.
Watch the video below and catch more Blacktip Sharks.
Shark Fishing Florida-- Mangroves
I fish the mangroves a lot! One neat things about the mangroves is that they are a nursery for sharks. Lemon sharks, nurse sharks, bull sharks and bonnet head sharks all hang out around mangroves when they are immature. The places that I fish on the Treasure Coast are pupping grounds for bull sharks so I catch baby bull sharks quite often. It is very fun to catch a baby bull shark with a finger mullet underneath a popping cork in shallow water.
If you have read any of my other articles you probably already know that I love to catch tarpon. One of my favorite live bait techniques is to send a finger mullet under a popping cork up to the mangroves. The great thing about this technique is that sometimes I catch a snook or a redfish instead of a tarpon.
That's not a bad bi catch. I also catch baby bull sharks that are staying safe in the mangrove roots but also hunting in them. A 2 1/2 feet long baby bull shark is an excellent fighter.
The bonnet head sharks also cruise the mangrove roots looking for shrimp and crabs to eat. They aren't very interested in the finger mullet usually but I like to keep a white shrimp Gulp bait rigged to sight fish them. They definitely won't turn that down.
Of course a real shrimp or crab will work better. Next time that you are cruising the mangroves be ready to sight cast to a baby bull shark or a bonnet head cruising the mangrove roots.
Best gear for shark fishing:
If you are going to be fishing for sharks all day you will definitely need to protect your eyes and skin from the sun's harmful rays. Polarized sunglasses are a must for shark fishing.
A very expensive pair of sunglasses will run about $250 and a lower end cheap pair will run you about $25 with glass lenses. You can find very, very cheap ones with plastic lenses for about $5 at Walmart.
Whatever price range you decide to go with you must wear polarized sunglasses or you can not sight fish for sharks on the flats or up some mangrove tidal creek. The polarized lenses eliminate most of the glare on the surface of the water so that you can see under the surface.
The best color lenses for inshore and dirtier water scenarios are amber, rose and copper. If you are fishing super clean and clear water or you are fishing offshore a blue or a gray lens is best.
You will also want to stock up on UV performance fishing shirts to protect your skin from the sun's harmful rays. These shirts have built in sunscreen and are moisture wicking which means they evaporate your perspiration more efficiently keeping you cool on those hot days on the water.
FAQs Shark Fishing in Florida
What is the best bait for shark fishing in the surf?
The best bait for shark fishing in the surf is a fresh dead, oily, stinky species of fish. A bluefish or a ladyfish are great choices for dead bait. Jacks, blue runners and barracuda are also great choices for dead bait fishing for sharks.
You can use frozen baits like mullet or even squid to catch sharks if you don't have any fresh bait but it is not nearly as effective at catching sharks.
What is the best tide for shark fishing off the beach?
The best tide to target sharks off of the beach is during the higher parts of the tide when the water volume is high. The higher water volume allows large predators to get close to shore to hunt for prey. You can literally catch a 150 pound shark just 3 feet from shore during the high tide.
What is the best artificial bait for sharks off the beach?
The best artificial bait bait for sharks off the beach is a large top water lure like a pencil popper or a lipped lure of some sort. You cannot use treble hooks when you fish for sharks so you will need to put single hooks on your lures.
Can you keep a shark if you catch it in Florida?
Yes. You can keep certain species of sharks in Florida like a blacktip and a bonnet head shark but most sharks are off limits for harvesting.
Here is the list of prohibited species:
Atlantic angel shark, basking shark, bigeye sand tiger, bigeye six gill shark, bigeye thresher, big nose shark, blunt nose six gill shark, Caribbean reef shark, Caribbean sharp nose shark, dusky shark, Galapagos shark, Great hammerhead, lemon shark, long fin mako, narrow tooth shark, night shark, sandbar shark, sand tiger, scalloped hammerhead, sharp nose seven gill shark, short fin mako, silky shark, small tail shark, smooth hammerhead, spiny dog fish, tiger shark, whale shark, Great white shark, large tooth sawfish, manta rays and spotted eagle rays.
Where is the best shark fishing in Florida?
The best shark fishing in Florida is along the Treasure Coast of Florida. This area gets thousands of blacktip sharks every year during the annual shark migration. Blacktip sharks migrate to get away from cold water during the winter months in Florida.
This migration usually occurs from December through March depending upon the severity of the cold fronts that come to Florida in the winter. Some years the winter is very warm and the sharks stop migrating south off the beaches of the Treasure Coast. Other years the winter is colder and they will migrate all the way down to Miami Beach and beyond.
It all depends upon the water temperatures but you can catch sharks off of the beaches of the Treasure Coast for 12 months a year. That is why that area is the best shark fishing spot in Florida.
What months are shark attacks most common in Florida?
The frequency of shark attacks in Florida coincides with our annual mullet run. This mullet migration occurs during September through October. That is when most of the shark attacks occur in Florida waters with September being the worst month.
When swimmers and surfers are in the water with the many thousands of mullet they are often mistaken by sharks as a food source. Most of the shark bites come from blacktip sharks because they are the most common during that time of year.
Some years the mullet migration starts in August and other years it doesn't end until November. This depends upon water temperatures and tropical storms and hurricanes.
Tropical storms and hurricanes along the east coast of the United States gets the mullet moving south to spawn in the gulf stream off of south Florida waters.
Conclusion:
Sharks are everywhere in Florida. It is one of the easiest species to target as long as you have some time on your hands. Dead baiting is the most consistent way to catch most species of sharks. Just send some stinky bait out to a spot where you think sharks can find it and wait.
Florida's shark fishing laws are changing all of the time these days so make sure to check the latest rules and regulations to keep yourself out of trouble. There is a change coming soon and by the time that you read this their might be new laws prohibiting shark fishing from the beaches of Florida. Don't get in trouble with the Florida Wildlife Commission. That can be an extremely expensive mistake to make.
If you are down in the Treasure Coast of Florida book a Flats Boat Charter with me. You can often sight fish for small bull sharks and bonnet head sharks on the grass flats. We can also catch spotted sea trout, snook, tarpon and redfish too.
I hope that this article helps you catch more sharks. Let's get some lines wet Florida.
Do you like how to fishing articles like this one? If you answered yes, then sign up for our email list below and you will get one new artical every week. Sign up below.
Want to catch more sharks?
Get 1 new how to fishing article or video every week!
Just fill in your email below and check your inbox once a week.
- Learn the best baits and lures.
- Learn when and where to find sharks.
- Learn how to catch sharks consistently.
Get 1 new how to fishing article or video every week!
Just fill in your email below and check your inbox once a week.