Fishing with Capt. George Tunison | Along with tarpon, now’s a good time to fish for Mr. Shark
Don’t get me wrong, I love tarpon fishing, especially at night, but when tarpon time rolls around in May, it’s also time to challenge another personal favorite — Mr. Shark.
Capt. George Tunison
What’s not to like? They get big, as in really big. They are powerful and will definitely test your tackle and your endurance. They hit lures and flies and, of course, respond very well to chumming. They jump and spin and can be caught in both shallow and deep water. You don’t need a boat to enjoy the sport and they taste good.
If you plan on fishing sharks from land or area beaches, you must take the Shark-SmartFishing Educational Course at MyFWC.com/SharkCourse and get your Shore-based Shark Fishing Permit as both are required when fishing for sharks from land and must be renewed annually. A permit is not needed when fishing from a vessel.
FWC hook and other requirements are as follows: Hook and line only. Harvest prohibited by or with the use of a treble hook or any other multiple hook with two or more points and a common shaft in conjunction with live or dead natural bait.
Non-offset, non-stainless-steel circle hooks are required when targeting or harvesting sharks when using live or dead natural bait (when fishing from shore and from a vessel).
The possession/use of a device capable of quickly cutting the leader or hook when targeting sharks is required (when fishing from shore or a vessel).
All sharks that are retained for use must remain in whole condition with heads, tails and fins attached until landed. Gilling and evisceration while on waters or in a fishing location is allowed.
One thing we don’t need when fishing from crowded beaches is a gang of sharks drawn in and ready to chow down because of the chum you’ve put out and why chumming from beaches is prohibited. As a matter of fact, chumming is prohibited when beach fishing for any and all species of fish in Florida.
• Many species of sharks are prohibited from harvest, possession or landing in Florida waters.
• Prohibited shark species must remain in the water with the gills submerged when fishing from shore or from a vessel.
• Prohibited shark species must be released without delay when fishing from the shore.
• Do not bring prohibited species onto a fishing vessel, a pier or bridge or onto dry land beyond the surf zone.
• If hook removal will delay release, cut the hook or the leader as close to the hook as possible. A device capable of cutting the hook or leader such as bolt or cable cutters is required gear when fishing for sharks from shore.
• Treat unknown catches as a prohibited species and release them.
Consult the FWC website for an in-depth look at the many and prohibited to harvest species list with illustrations.
Limits are one shark per person per day or two per vessel per day.
There are eight shark species that have no size requirement for harvest: Atlantic Sharpnose, Blacknose, Blacktip, Bonnethead, Finetooth, Smooth dogfish, Florida smoothhound and Gulf smoothhound.
Other sharks require a 54-inch fork length like the Bull, Nurse, Spinner, Blue, Porbeagle and Thresher (common).
My favorite and, in my opinion, the most exciting way to catch these guys is from a small boat using lures, flies and fairly lite tackle. Set up in a likely area like on the edge of a channel in 3-4 feet of water and start chumming. If you are in the right spot it won’t be long before you have customers right off the transom. By this time they are ready to eat and will take a well presented lure or fly dropped right on their nose. It’s important to get the lure right in front of them.
Get ready for a drag-burning reel test and be prepared to follow along in your skiff. Pull hard to minimize stress on the fish in hot water.
Capt. George Tunison is a Cape Coral resident fishing guide. You can contact him at 239-579-0461 or via email at captgeorget3@aol.com.