When trying to decided ‘what is the best bait for shark fishing?’ You will want to keep a few things in mind like what size of sharks you are going after, where you are fishing for them at (whether on a boat or fishing off the shore), what do the sharks typically feed on and whether or not to use live bait.
All these important factors need to be taking into consideration so you can select the right bait and reel in a nice shark and not return home without the satisfaction of catching a shark.
Types of Sharks You Can Catch Surf Fishing
There are plenty of sharks to catch while surf fishing. You will find many different species of sharks that you can catch while fishing right from the beach. These are some of the shark species that you might catch
Blacktips –
Blacktip sharks are probably one of the most common species of sharks that are caught off of land. They stay relatively small in size 6 foot – 7 foot and will give you a decent fight when reeling them in.
Bull Sharks –
This species of shark is temperature dependent and they enjoy the water temperatures being around in the mid to low 70’s. You can easily identify them because they have a black halo around their tail and a rounded, blunt nose.
Sand Tigers –
Sand tigers are bigger sharks. This species of shark can get huge! They are often called ”sandbag” because they lack the will to fight when caught. While they have a mean look to them, they are actually quite docile.
They have a cone-shaped snout and very narrow teeth.
Lemon Sharks –
Lemon sharks are actually quite feisty sharks and have even been known to bite their own tails, so you have to be extremely careful when handling them. They do have yellow colored skin and a blunted, narrow snout.
Sandbar Sharks –
You will most likely find these sharks in the warmer months mixed in with sand tigers. They will provide you with a sporty fight.
Shark Fishing Bait
Some people might say that half the fun of shark fishing is catching the bait! Here are a few types of bait that you will most commonly use when going shark fishing.
What is the Best Bait for Shark Fishing?
The best shark bait is going to come down to either live bait or fresh, chunked bait. Some people will say that live bait makes for excellent shark bait and works best because the distress of the live bait usually draws the sharks in quickly. But, on the other hand some prefer to use fresh, chunks of fish for bait.
Most will suggest that you stay away from frozen bait as it can fall apart once it hits the water. Fresher bait is best!
So, live bait or fresh chunks of fish for bait are good bait for shark fishing.
How to Catch Shark Bait
Depending on what type of bait you are wanting to catch, you have 2 options to catch them. If they are smaller fish like mullet, herring or sardines, then you can use a cast net to catch them once you find a school of them.
If they are larger fish, then you will have to use a hook and line to catch them one by one. Bigger bait fish can included mackerel or bonito.
How to Prepare Fresh Shark Bait
If you are cutting up fresh bait into shark bait, then you want to make sure that you prepare and cut it correctly. When you cut bait from fresh fish, you want to make sure that you cut the chunks into pieces that are a minimum of 2” thick.
On larger pieces of fish, you can cut your chunks in pieces of 3” – 4”.
How to Cast Shark Bait
You always want to remember that the larger your bait is, the harder it will be to cast. You don’t want to just whip the line around with your big bait and throw the hook out in the water, you might lose your bait this way.
Generally, you will want to use a gentle lob to cast the bait as this is the best way. This motion is what helps to keep your bait on the hook.
You can wade out into deeper water a bit to get the cast out farther, but you don’t have to do this.
Learning to cast with large chunks of bait on your hook can be both a challenge and a learning curve, but practice will always make it easier. Then, you can reel in the big sharks
Reeling the Shark in
You want to make sure that after you cast and your line is in the water, that your drag is set very loose. This allows for when the shark takes your bait to continue swimming away with the bait and it won’t feel the resistance and it will keep your surf rod from being dragged into the water when the shark speeds off.
Once the shark takes your bait, you will want to take your surf rod out of the holder and wait 10 seconds before you do anything to make sure that the shark has a good bite.
You will then want to set the hook as hard as you can while you walk about 10 feet backwards. Then, take your time reeling and fighting the shark as he will get tired the longer he fights. Just remember to never reel against your drag.
Basics of Shark Fishing on the Beach
To make sure you and the sharks stay safe, here are a few things that you will want to keep in mind when going shark fishing
#1 – Do not remove the shark from the water. Just pull the shark up into the white wash area on the shore and handle it from there.
#2 – You do not want to squeeze the shark’s gills as they are very delicate. The best way to maneuver a shark is to grab it by its tail while placing a hand on the back of its body.
#3 – You will want to use a long hook remover or long pair of pliers to remove the hook. If the shark swallows the hook, you will want to cut the line as close to the hook as you possibly can.
#4 – Use circle hooks. a circle hook is designed to hook the lip of the fish and not farther down in the mouth.
#5 – Bring a pair of bolt cutters along. You can use them to cut the hook or wire leader if you need to. This goes for any larger shark or fish that has a lot of teeth.
Shark Fishing Q & A
How do you attract sharks when fishing? Cut bait is the perfect bait to attract shark because it will leave a scent trail in the water for the sharks to follow.
What time is the best time to go shark fishing? The best time to target sharks is at night with the freshest baits you can get.
What is the best bait for sharks in Florida? Oily and bloody cut baits such as mackerel and menhaden are the best baits to catch large sharks because of the scent they have in the water.
What attracts sharks the most? Sound attracts sharks more than anything else such as a wounded fish swimming.
What pound line for shark fishing? Usually you will want 90-lb braid to about 40 or 50 yards of 120-lb monofilament to a wire leader.
How long to let a shark run before setting the hook? After the shark takes the bait you will want to give it a good 10 count before setting the hook in case it is a small fish.
What size hooks for sharks? A 10/0 circle hook the best option for shark fishermen.
Is catfish good shark bait? No, tho catfish can be a good saltwater bait, but not so much for sharks.
What month are sharks most active in Florida? April through October is usually when sharks are the most active in Florida.
What part of the day are sharks most active? Night by far is when sharks are most active because it is when they are hunting for food.
What smell do sharks hate? The smell that sharks hate the most is the smell of another dead shark.
