# Sharks!



## Stetson22 (Mar 28, 2013)

Buddy hooked up on a bull red on light tackle near the salt cedars the weekend after last and fought it a good 20 min. Sure enough the redfish skylighted itself like bone topdog and a 6ft+ shark hammered it bout 20yds off the beach and 10 yds from him. Hell of an experience! Powerful animal


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## colbyntx (Jul 18, 2013)

That's always fun!


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## spicyitalian (Jan 18, 2012)

Looks like the shark was nice enough to leave a couple of good fillets. How do you tag a bull red with no tail?

Actually on a serious note, how would that situation be handled? You have a good hunk of meat that would be wasted on what was an oversize red...


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## HuntinforTail (Mar 29, 2011)

spicyitalian said:


> Looks like the shark was nice enough to leave a couple of good fillets. How do you tag a bull red with no tail?
> 
> Actually on a serious note, how would that situation be handled? You have a good hunk of meat that would be wasted on what was an oversize red...


I believe this conversation was brought up in the general forum not too long ago and the answer was that you can't keep it. You would have to just toss it back. The fish has to be fully in tact to keep. Otherwise, the GW would have to go on your word that it was actually a legal length.


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## HuntinforTail (Mar 29, 2011)

Found the reg:

"In order to verify length and species, *a fish caught may not have the head or tail removed* and may not be filleted until an angler finally lands the catch on the mainland, a peninsula, or barrier island not including jetties or piers and does not transport the catch by boat. Broadbill swordfish, shark and king mackerel may have the head or tail removed, but the carcass must remain intact and may not be filleted."


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## waltmeda (Jul 9, 2013)

I would feel guilty just throwing that fish away. If you kept it just like that in the cooler, I'm sure a GW would show leniency. Especially if you tagged the fish.


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## HuntinforTail (Mar 29, 2011)

waltmeda said:


> I would feel guilty just throwing that fish away. If you kept it just like that in the cooler, I'm sure a GW would show leniency. Especially if you tagged the fish.


I agree. I think most GWs would show leniency, especially if it is pretty clear it would have been a legal fish. If it looked undersized or oversized without a tag then he might give you some trouble. BUT, that is the law and if you get a GW who is by the book or having a bad day he can punish you for keeping a fish like that.


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## Peelerson (May 31, 2013)

How is mainland defined? does that mean one cannot clean fish at the beach front?


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## Orion85 (Apr 11, 2013)

I read it as: if you are not on a boat, jetty, pier, or plan to get on one after, then go ahead and fillet it. 

But I could be completely wrong, so don't quote me. Ask your local GW.


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## Dtrojcak (Jun 17, 2012)

Peelerson said:


> How is mainland defined? does that mean one cannot clean fish at the beach front?


The beach would be a barrier island.

Back on topic, I would have a hard time throwing a shark-bit fish back. I would think if you left it intact just like it is shown in the picture, that you would be OK. It is obvious that the fish was bitten by a shark and there is zero chance that the fish would survive being released. I would think waste of game would trump size limit in this case.


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## HuntinforTail (Mar 29, 2011)

Dtrojcak said:


> The beach would be a barrier island.
> 
> Back on topic, I would have a hard time throwing a shark-bit fish back. I would think if you left it intact just like it is shown in the picture, that you would be OK. It is obvious that the fish was bitten by a shark and there is zero chance that the fish would survive being released. I would think waste of game would trump size limit in this case.


The only problem there is just because a fish definitely won't survive being released, doesn't make it legal to keep it. If you gut hook an undersized trout and it is dead by the time you get the hook out you can't keep it because you are afraid of the waste of game law because that fish is illegal to keep in the first place. You have to toss it back even if its already dead.

Same principle applies to a shark bit catch. You wouldn't be wasting game because that game fish is illegal to keep in the first place once it has had its tail bit off, but I do think most GWs would be lenient if the fish seems to be clearly a legal size before it was bit... probably not worth the risk of a ticket to me though... even if its just a small chance.


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## rynochop (Aug 28, 2006)

waltmeda said:


> I would feel guilty just throwing that fish away. If you kept it just like that in the cooler, I'm sure a GW would show leniency. Especially if you tagged the fish.


I wouldn't count on that for one second.

Having said that I've fileted a mackerel on the boat a few times to make ceviche..reading the below line I guess that's against the law.


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## JOHNNYREB (Apr 20, 2006)

Lol....some of y'all spend way to much time analyzing things!

Their is a wanton waste law, and I wouldn't be wanton to waste it, stick a couple Js in its *** and send it back out!


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## sharksurfer66 (Sep 17, 2005)

Put a hook in that sucka and wade it out to the second gut!

Sent using Tapatalk 2


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## Big Sherm (Jul 8, 2005)

Im w/ Jreb, the meat was tainted (shark teeth bacteria and bacteria in the water) an don't believe in wanton waste, twin J's and send em back...


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## Stetson22 (Mar 28, 2013)

Yea that's where it gets pretty technical so ya pretty much have to throw the fish back. Me personally I let over slot reds go but I think I'd be inclined myself to keep the fish and tag it just because I hate to waste anything


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## Stetson22 (Mar 28, 2013)

HuntinforTail said:


> The only problem there is just because a fish definitely won't survive being released, doesn't make it legal to keep it. If you gut hook an undersized trout and it is dead by the time you get the hook out you can't keep it because you are afraid of the waste of game law because that fish is illegal to keep in the first place. You have to toss it back even if its already dead.
> 
> Same principle applies to a shark bit catch. You wouldn't be wasting game because that game fish is illegal to keep in the first place once it has had its tail bit off, but I do think most GWs would be lenient if the fish seems to be clearly a legal size before it was bit... probably not worth the risk of a ticket to me though... even if its just a small chance.


That's true bout the trout but if the red was obviously a taggable and legal fish then it makes it a little more complex that it is now illegal because it's missin a tail. Not trying to stir anything up just don't see that as the same.


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## HuntinforTail (Mar 29, 2011)

Stetson22 said:


> That's true bout the trout but if the red was obviously a taggable and legal fish then it makes it a little more complex that it is now illegal because it's missin a tail. Not trying to stir anything up just don't see that as the same.


I was wondering the same thing. If you caught a 45" drum that had 10" of its tail bit off and you tagged it then there would be no question that it was a legal catch... but the law states the tail must be in tact. It doesn't say unless the fish is clearly legal. I think the game warden could still get you, but probably wouldn't.

There are tons of laws that aren't enforced. My brother is HPD and he was telling me all the crazy stuff he can write tickets for... tires not inflated to the manufacturer specs, anything hanging from a rear-view mirror, not setting the parking break when you park...


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## HuntinforTail (Mar 29, 2011)




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## surfguy (May 17, 2011)

So, if you drug in a dead 6' shark and did not want to keep it, would you:
a. Throw it back in whole and let it wash up and rot on the shore
b. Cut it up and throw it back
c. Cut it up and stick a couple J's in it's arse and send it back out?


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## HuntinforTail (Mar 29, 2011)

surfguy said:


> So, if you drug in a dead 6' shark and did not want to keep it, would you:
> a. Throw it back in whole and let it wash up and rot on the shore
> b. Cut it up and throw it back
> c. Cut it up and stick a couple J's in it's arse and send it back out?


A. If you drug in a dead 6' shark and decided not to keep it that would be a waste of game since that is a legal catch (if the meat was still consumable).

B. If you drug in a 6' shark with its tail or head bit off then it would be illegal to keep because its not in tact.

C. If you decided to use it for bait you'd be breaking another law by using a game fish for bait.

Not trying to argue with anyone or to tell anyone what decision they should personally make when put in that situation. Someone asked for clarification of the law and I'm explaining the law how it reads.

You can choose to keep that red or shark with the tail bit off and you can choose to put some Js in it and paddle it out, but you would be breaking the law and risking a ticket or whatever else the GW sees fit. Whether or not you agree with it, that's the law.


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## surfguy (May 17, 2011)

That's my point. If you're breaking the law in every case, you can't make that decision from a home computer cuz you're not the person in that situation.


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## spicyitalian (Jan 18, 2012)

surfguy said:


> So, if you drug in a dead 6' shark and did not want to keep it, would you:
> a. Throw it back in whole and let it wash up and rot on the shore
> b. Cut it up and throw it back
> c. Cut it up and stick a couple J's in it's arse and send it back out?


Did the 6' Shark die from a shark bite? If so, I want the shark that did the biting.

C. is obviously illegal, as it would be with the Red.

A&B though are a little tougher. Did you foul hook a dead shark? Were you fishing for shark and he died because of your actions? Were you fishing for whiting in the first gut and accidentally caught a 6' shark?

I hadn't considered the possibility of the redfish meat being tainted by shark teeth bacteria, but that would probably get taken care of with cooking. I would keep the red, thinking I was doing the right thing by not wasting meat and hope that in the slim chance that I run into a GW, he agrees.


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## HuntinforTail (Mar 29, 2011)

You wouldn't be breaking the law in every case though. If you drug in that dead 6' shark, you could choose to use it for consumption, which would be the only legal option (as long as the fish was still consumable by the time the fish was landed). Telling a game warden that you just didn't want to keep it so you left it to rot or used it for bait wouldn't be a good enough excuse. 

That is one of the things us shark fishermen have to be ready for. If you shark fish often eventually you are going to have one die. You can choose to throw it away or use it for bait and risk getting in trouble or you can choose to consume it and stay within the boundaries of the law. 

I've thought about what I would do in the situation that I caught a huge shark and had it die. How would you even haul a giant hammer or tiger off the beach and keep it fresh enough to consume? Especially if you are in a remote location like the 50mm on PINS. One form of consumption would be to donate it to science. These are questions us shark fishermen have to ask ourselves and be ready to deal with when they happen.


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## surfguy (May 17, 2011)

That's exactly what happened to someone down at PINS but it's just a practical "What if" exercise, so don't overthink it. I doubt if anyone would haul a 6'+ dead rotting shark off the beach in their vehicle even if they could with the intention of donating it to science. Sometimes you just don't have any good choice, so you might as well use common sense and make the best of the situation.


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## HuntinforTail (Mar 29, 2011)

True. You've got to make the best choice with whatever hand you're dealt. I've heard about lots of sharks at PINS that didn't make it. Puts the angler in a situation to make a tough choice. Going through the "What ifs" helps make the best choice when you are put in that situation. 

If you fish an area where you don't have a 3-4 hour drive off the beach, you wouldn't have much of an excuse for leaving a 6' shark to rot. Where I fish most of the time, I'm within 10 minutes of a place to buy ice. Most guys who fish the upper coast can usually get to ice within 30 minutes or so. There isn't any excuse to dump a shark that died during the fight in that case.


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## surfguy (May 17, 2011)

For the red, I would run its arse back out with a couple J's and let that shark finish the job it started! :wink: But not at Sharkathon. LOL


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## PBD539 (May 4, 2010)

WWJD?
He was a fisherman, you know!


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## Greatwhite (Mar 28, 2011)

"Its only illegal when you get caught"


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## Attkisson (Aug 3, 2013)

The easy thing to do is call TPW and talk to a warden and explained the situation and let them give u there input personally I would be most likely to keep a fish that died during the fight because I do not like to wast game and because if a fish is healthy enough it is getting released


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## surfguy (May 17, 2011)

Attkisson said:


> The easy thing to do is call TPW and talk to a warden and explained the situation and let them give u there input


Not at PINS you wouldn't. No cellphone coverage within 10mi of the beach.


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## DMC (Apr 2, 2006)

I'd toss it back. Laws don't always make situational common sense, however applied across the board they often have a positive effect. I agree about the waste of otherwise good meat, but the shark has to eat as well.


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## shadslinger (Aug 21, 2005)

That's right, the fisherman may have hooked and fought the red, but the shark tagged it. I would have walked out as far as my shaking knees would let me and chunk it into the water for him to finish his meal. No phone calls, no GWs, etc....


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## Cylinder (Oct 8, 2006)

Huntinfortail wrote:
"You wouldn't be breaking the law in every case though. If you drug in that dead 6' shark, you could choose to use it for consumption, which would be the only legal option (as long as the fish was still consumable by the time the fish was landed)."

This assumes the shark is not a sand tiger, sandbar, etc. 

So...what to do? I spoke with a TP&W biologist in Dickinson a couple years ago when they held a seminar addressing the new shark rules. She said it was ok to catch/kill a legal shark, like a 12' Tiger, but you had to properly dispose of the carcass. On the beach this means burying it. In the bay or gulf, it would mean cutting it up into pieces small enough that it wouldn't be a hazard to boating or wash up on shore.

I have landed a few small sharks that were dead. Some may not have met the legal size or species limits currently in place. I would probably cut them up and throw the pieces back. I would probably bury the larger shark, after I cut the jaws out. 

As for the redfish in question. You were on the beach. This is considered "final destination". You could filet it out. Since the fish was oversized prior to the shark bite, you should remove the tag from your license and put it in the same bag as your filets. My 2 cents! Roger


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