# Advice needed for catching sharks from the beach.



## Bust-A-Hawg (Feb 16, 2011)

I'm planning to bring my family down to the coast, probably Brunswick, Jekyl or SSI this year probably around June or July.  I'm normally a freshwater angler, but my 6 year old is dying to catch a shark after watching a florida sportsman TV show with kids catching small sharks.  

I want to do the best I can to give him a shot at a bonnet head, small blacktip, sand or lemon.  I have some med/heavy and heavy catfish gear that should be able to handle a small(ish) shark I believe.  I need advice as to bait, best time/month and location. I would also like info on any laws/regs regarding fishing from the beach for shark, being law enforcement myself, I don't want to run afoul of any of my brethren on the coast.

Thanks in advance for the help.


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## BCAPES (Feb 16, 2011)

I caught some on the beach last year on live shrimp on a Carolina rig on my regular bass gear.  My setup was 15 lb big game with a 20 lb flouro leader and a size 2 kahle hook.  Leader was around 3 feet long.  

I went at low tide and caught some blacktips as well!


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## Rock-hard (Feb 16, 2011)

Bust-A-Hawg said:


> I'm planning to bring my family down to the coast, probably Brunswick, Jekyl or SSI this year probably around June or July.  I'm normally a freshwater angler, but my 6 year old is dying to catch a shark after watching a florida sportsman TV show with kids catching small sharks.
> 
> I want to do the best I can to give him a shot at a bonnet head, small blacktip, sand or lemon.  I have some med/heavy and heavy catfish gear that should be able to handle a small(ish) shark I believe.  I need advice as to bait, best time/month and location. I would also like info on any laws/regs regarding fishing from the beach for shark, being law enforcement myself, I don't want to run afoul of any of my brethren on the coast.
> 
> Thanks in advance for the help.



Go to south end of Jekyll anytime from June thru September. Fish with FRESH bait no matter what kind you use. Fresh mullet strips, fresh shrimp, frozen squid is fine and buy it from one of the seafood houses. The bait shops rip you off for what they charge you. I suggest fresh cut bait though. You might get a BIG surprize down there on the south end of the island too.

The whiting fishing down there is great too. fresh shrimp for them.


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## Sharkfighter (Feb 16, 2011)

About THE FIRST two hours after tide change is best but the bite is good as long as the water is moving.  

I would get some metal leaders but you dont need heavy wire for the small ones in the 3 ft range.  

Bonnetheads (and whiting) will hit shrimp and most of the others squid, but cut fish is awesome also.  Fish a live bait at the top or bottom fish the other bait.

Post Pics here after.  This pic was a few years ago at a spot within 100 yards of the beach.

I edited this post.  Should be the FIRST two after tide change....


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## mesocollins (Feb 17, 2011)

If you're looking for 4' and smaller stick with cut squid. You dont even really need wire leaders for the pups, but it helps. All you really need is a fish finder rig with 4-6 oz of pyramid weights and a 1/0 saltwater hooks of your favorite style. Carolina leaders with a 5oz flat weight also work good. Just cut a .5-1"x1.5-2" section of squid and hook it twice. 

If you're looking for bigger, you'll need steal leaders for sure and cut whiting/croaker are perfect.


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## Inshore GA (Feb 17, 2011)

Make sure to bring a sand spike (cut a piece of 1" pvc pipe at a 45* angle or better and stick it in the sand) Put you baited rod in the holder kick back enjoy the scenery and wait on a bite. I like to use squid but when you catch a whiting cut it in half or 3rds and put it out with a steel leader. Good Luck! Your son will really enjoy this! (almost as much as you)


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## wharfrat (Feb 17, 2011)

Inshore GA said:


> Make sure to bring a sand spike (cut a piece of 1" pvc pipe at a 45* angle or better and stick it in the sand) Put you baited rod in the holder kick back enjoy the scenery and wait on a bite. I like to use squid but when you catch a whiting cut it in half or 3rds and put it out with a steel leader. Good Luck! Your son will really enjoy this! (almost as much as you)



...what he said plus a little bellywash.


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## mesocollins (Feb 17, 2011)

Also agree on the pvc rod holders. I have maybe 10 of em that we use on sandbars at the river.


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## BuckMKII (Feb 17, 2011)

Bust-A-Hawg said:


> I'm planning to bring my family down to the coast, probably Brunswick, Jekyl or SSI this year probably around June or July.  I'm normally a freshwater angler, but my 6 year old is dying to catch a shark after watching a florida sportsman TV show with kids catching small sharks.
> 
> I want to do the best I can to give him a shot at a bonnet head, small blacktip, sand or lemon.  I have some med/heavy and heavy catfish gear that should be able to handle a small(ish) shark I believe.  I need advice as to bait, best time/month and location. I would also like info on any laws/regs regarding fishing from the beach for shark, being law enforcement myself, I don't want to run afoul of any of my brethren on the coast.
> 
> Thanks in advance for the help.



Well shark fishing from the beach on casting gear is my specialty. The best time for me is May through August. The best locations are in my opinion the north and south ends of Jekyll Island. On the north end of the island the best location is where the Johnson rocks end just past Villas by the Sea up to the pier. This area is known as driftwood beach and can get cramped at high tide. On the south end I like from the soccer field all the way around to St. Andrews picnic area. The middle of the island really is too shallow and it has a hundred yard sandbar at low tide. 

I prefer any bait that I can catch in my castnet or the fish I catch on my smaller rods. I have had good luck with whiting, mullet, menhaden, and eels. Just make sure your whiting are legal size and you follow the creel and possession limits.

What catfishing rigs do yo have? I prefer reels with magnetic or centrifugal casting brakes. I also prefer 12 to 13 ft rods that are able to cast 8oz and bait.

I know what you mean when you say you don't want to go afoul of the law. Just follow the state gamefish laws and you will be okay. In a little while I will put up some of the fishing leaders and descriptions of them that I fish.
Here is the largest shark I caught from the beach last season.


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## BuckMKII (Feb 17, 2011)

I like to experiment with how I make my castable shark leaders. I have gone through the clipdown rig and pulley rig stage and have finally settled with these style rigs.

This rig starts out with a 13/0 Eagle Claw 190 circle hook on 18 or so inches of 270lb test Pro Rigger 7 strand coated cable. I double crimped this cable on both ends and twisted it back on itself to make the connection a little stronger. The cable is connected to about 5' of 400lb test Momoi Hi Catch mono with a 600lb stainless steel Billfisher Krok swivel. I have a barrel swivel between two beads which my weight is allowed to slide along the mono. I have a 500lb test swivel on top of this leader. I do like the larger size swivel on the top because it makes leadering fish a little easier. 




This next leader is almost identical to the above leader except I used a 13/0 VMC 9788PS hook and two Rosco 4/0 350lb swivels. The cable is not twisted back on itself and it is double crimped at both ends.




I have used some weedeater leaders and this is how I make mine. I thread two sleeves on the weedeater line. I put an offshore loop (it may be called a flemish eye) on the eye of the hook (a 13/0 VMC 9788PS) and leave a long tag end. I crimp the line near the loop knot. I wrap the 12" or so tag end then crimp it with the other sleeve. It helps with biteoffs because it is double thickness in the area where it is most likely to be bitten. I placed snap swivel in between two beads for the weight then cut the weedeater line where the overall length of it will be 6' to 6'1/2" long. I have a Rosco 4/0 swivel on the top.




Here is a better view of the business end of this leader. 




This last leader is good for small sharks and bull redfish. I start with an 8/0 Gamakatsu octopus circle snelled to 6' of 200lb test Triplefish mono. I thread on a size 4 single barrel sleeve down on the mono and use some Klein pliers to gently crimp it down as a bead stop. I like to have it as far down the leader as possible but not so far that the weight will interfere with the hook and bait. I thread a snap swivel between two beads and crimp a 600lb test Krok swivel on the top.





I use Gemini weights with legs on them that helps hold them down and in place.

Another thing is that it would be helpful if you had some kind of cart to help you carry your gear down to the water. It is a long walk from any parking lot. It can hold your coolers, tackle box, chairs, umbrella, rods, and rod holders. I use an Anglers Fish-N-Mate aluminum cart. Here is what i'm talking about.


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## BuckMKII (Feb 18, 2011)

Lets talk about reels and rods a little more. I like the 12ft 6-120oz Oceanmaster surf rod for larger sharks. I personally have thrown a pound and a whole corncob mullet with mine. It will throw anything you are man enough to toss. As for reels, I prefer the 40 and 50 sized ones. These are Penn 545 and 555 GS reels and for Daiwa they are the 40 and 50 Sealine-X HV and HA, the Saltist 40 and 50, and the Saltiga 40 and 50. I personally have the Sealine-X 50 HV and the Saltiga 40. Both were bought on clearance at Bass Pro. The 50 HV is static magged with centrifugal brakes and the Saltiga throws fine just with brake blocks. I use 300yds of 65lb braid backing on the 50 with 100yds of mono on top. On the 40 size reel I have 300yds of braid on he bottom with 100 yds o 30lb mono on top. I use a 80lb shockleader on both reels so as to not snap the 30lb mono on the cast. 

I have smaller reels for small sharks and to catch bait with. I'm sorry for all the rambling this morning I had to post in between work. I would be glad to answer any questions you may have.  I have a 5 year old boy who loves surf fishing so I can see how your son wants to land a shark.


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## BowtechRedneck (Feb 18, 2011)

try the rigs that everyone showed you i have floated rigs out with bannita and snatched them off to drop to the bottom try saint simons sound blife island those are some good spots


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## mesocollins (Feb 18, 2011)

Nice posts buck! That weed eater rig is interesting. How does it hold up against bigger sharks?


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## jfinch (Feb 18, 2011)

BuckMKII,

What kind of crimper do you use to make those rigs?


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## BuckMKII (Feb 18, 2011)

mesocollins said:


> Nice posts buck! That weed eater rig is interesting. How does it hold up against bigger sharks?



Well I haven't had one bitten in two yet. I have had them all mauled up where they were unserviceable but not bitten completely off. The secret is the circle hook and the doubled up line. I have had the 200 lb mono bitten off several times though but I believe I get more bites on mono leaders than I do on steel.


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## BuckMKII (Feb 18, 2011)

jfinch said:


> BuckMKII,
> 
> What kind of crimper do you use to make those rigs?



When I get home I will throw up a picture of them. The smaller one is a P-line brand hand swager, and the larger one looks like bolt cutters with holes.


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## BuckMKII (Feb 18, 2011)

Here are the crimpers/swaging tools that I use:


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## Bust-A-Hawg (Feb 19, 2011)

Thanks for all the advice guys.  I have already made up a half dozen sand spikes and have made arrangements to borrow some of my nephews saltwater gear, he has several penn spinning reels and 7 1/2 - 8 ft rods (unly stick and offshore angler stuff).  BUCKMKII, I really appreciate the pics of your leaders, but I don't think I'm gonna go that advanced with it this trip.  I got some simple 12" 20lb wire leaders at BPS Macon along with a variety of 4 & 6 oz pyramid weights.  I'm gonna try to get by there today and pick up some 8/0 gamakatsu octopus hooks.  

My son is getting stoked for this trip and to tell the truth, I am too.  I think we are gonna do Jekyl in June.


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## Rock-hard (Feb 19, 2011)

Bust-A-Hawg said:


> Thanks for all the advice guys.  I have already made up a half dozen sand spikes and have made arrangements to borrow some of my nephews saltwater gear, he has several penn spinning reels and 7 1/2 - 8 ft rods (unly stick and offshore angler stuff).  BUCKMKII, I really appreciate the pics of your leaders, but I don't think I'm gonna go that advanced with it this trip.  I got some simple 12" 20lb wire leaders at BPS Macon along with a variety of 4 & 6 oz pyramid weights.  I'm gonna try to get by there today and pick up some 8/0 gamakatsu octopus hooks.
> 
> My son is getting stoked for this trip and to tell the truth, I am too.  I think we are gonna do Jekyl in June.




I am going to scout the area for you in the morning. LOL to get some sun.
If you give me a shout, I can loan you all the shark tackle you want if you merely stop at exit 51(Dublin) on your way down. I have plenty of stuff I will give you to use.


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## Bust-A-Hawg (Feb 20, 2011)

I appreciate the offer, but I think between my nephews stuff and my heavy catfish tackle I should have it covered.  At least enough to give my son a thrill.  Heck, my wife and daughter are even getting excited after thye saw some of the shark pics folks have posted on here.


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## BuckMKII (Feb 22, 2011)

Good luck and don't be afraid to ask any more questions you may have.


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## Hogchaser (Mar 7, 2011)

I also agree here. Go get the pvc yourself and cut it yourself. PVC at HomeDepot or Lowes is 1/3 the cost of the ready made you buy. Comfy chair and something cold. Loose drags - good luck !


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## Bust-A-Hawg (Mar 11, 2011)

Got the PVC at Lowes this past weekend.  A buddy who works at the store found some 1" PVC they couldn't sell because the ends on a few of the pipes had cracked or were broken.  Got the (already cheap) PVC for half off because it was "damaged", then had it cut at the store for nothing.  I left with 6 good sand spikes and I may have spent $2.50 with tax    The closer July gets the more wired my son gets.  All he talks about is catching "JAWS" and now he's got my daughter started. LOL


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