Most don’t like to think about beach shark fishing as that’s where most like to go and relax and have a good time, not worrying about those massive, teethy beasts lingering just off a shoreline. And with over 600 miles of beautiful beachfront along the Texas coast, who wouldn’t. But I’m here to tell you that there are monsters waiting to be caught right here on our Texas beaches.
Most people would like to think that fishing for sharks takes specialized charter trips that will take you to the depths of the Gulf of Mexico using thousands of dollars worth of fishing equipment just to get hooked up to a massive, monster shark. Although these types of chartered fishing trips are certainly out there, it’s simply not the whole truth.
Although you’ll need some different gear than you are probably used to as you won’t be able to simply use some fishing equipment that you would when you go trout fishing or something like that, you certainly don’t have to go to the depths of the deep blue to catch a trophy. Shark fishing can be just as fruitful fishing closer in to the shoreline or straight from the beach itself.
So on your next trip to the beach, while packing up your towels and suntan lotions and what not, you could also pack some gear to catch a few sharks and get your motor humming while you are wasting away in margaritaville and enjoying a day on the shore. After you catch one, you’ll soon get hooked to catch a bigger one.
Shark fishing in Texas has always been a thrill for anyone who’s ever been hooked up to a monster. It doesn’t even have to be a huge one if it’s your first time. Hook into a good 4 or 5 foot black tip and you’ll have a fight on your hands. One you’ll soon want to have again, and again. But for those that have never done it before it can be a little daunting to think about so let’s take you through some basic steps and technique’s to get you your first shark from the shore.
Before You Start Shark Fishing:
Here’s some things that you are going to need to know before you ever start getting that line wet and really get into catching this species. Fishing is fun and you are doing it in a location (the beach) where you can have friends. Find some friends that have the same interests, you are going to need them along the way. Sure you could fish alone, but you’ll never land the truly big ones by yourself. It will take a little money to get going, not a lot, but a little and if it’s something you are truly passionate about you’ll spend it without hesitation. Be ready to get your hard hat out and buckle down a bit, it’s going to take some trial and error before you really get it. It will take time but if it’s something you want to do than you’ll spend it. There’s ton’s of good places to hook-up with sharks along the gulf coast, find a good one for you. As with all fishing, patience is a virtue. You can’t expect a full grown tree tomorrow if you are just planting the seed today.
3 Steps To Start Beach Shark Fishing:
What we are going to discuss here will work not only on Texas beaches but pretty much seashores everywhere across the country and other lands. So if you happen upon this page and you are in Florida or further up the East Coast or maybe all the way down through the coastlines of Mexico, these things will work. Now you are likely not going to jump off into the larger 10 to 12 footers, but could easily hook into the 4 to 7 foot class without an issue. I want to warn you though, don’t expect to read this and just jump off and immediately start catching them, there’s a skill and practice involved that takes time to master. Keep at it and your work will reap the rewards in the end.
Step 1: Have A Little Help From Your Friends - Have some friends that share the passion. Shark fishing is a team effort especially if you are going for the larger ones. You are going to need bait, run out lines, clean your lines, setup camp, help landing the fish, and a host of other things you’ll find out along the way that you are going to need a hand with.
Step 2: Get The Right Equipment – Sharks are stout fighting fish, when you hook into them, you feel the raw power they exude through every stroke in their swim. You can’t expect to go out with a measly $40 dollar combo you bought from Wal-Mart and take down a big one. This will take a little money to get the right tackle involved. Basic starters would include a heavy action surf setup. At a minimum you’ll need a 10-foot quality surf rod ($70 – $100), a heavy duty wide-spool reel that can hold a lot of line like a Penn 6/0 ($125 – $175), and of course all the line the reel can hold, hooks and weights.
Step 3: Baits Are Crucial – Most people think that sharks will simply eat anything, that they are vicious, cold blooded killers capable of devouring anything and anyone in sight. Well, quite to the contrary, they can actually be pretty picky. I like fist-sized chunks of fresh bait myself. Anything from mullet to whiting, sheepheads to rays, mackerel’s to ladyfish. The trick is finding what they are biting on and using it. Sure frozen will work, but the fresh tend to bleed a little better and we all know about sharks “smelling” blood.
This is enough to get you started beach shark fishing. You’ll learn more as you go and get more comfortable with it.
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