# Shark Fishing - Placing baits



## soberliving (Aug 7, 2011)

Thought I'd get some strategies from you all on placing baits for surf shark fishing. For the past few years I've tried a kayak (which I rent) and they either have holes in them or the waves are too large @ the 2nd sandbar for a novice kayaker like me to get over. Last time the kayak flipped and the bloody stingray got wrapped around my leg. An unnerving feeling for sure. I'm hell bent on catching one this year and need all the help I can get.

Thanks!


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## Crusader (Jan 31, 2014)

soberliving said:


> Last time the kayak flipped and the bloody stingray got wrapped around my leg.


Mating season for stingrays?


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## Fishin' Soldier (Dec 25, 2007)

1st gut( at high tide) 2nd gut, behind third bar and run one out as far as possible depending on size reel and line capacity. Adjust accordingly to how the fish are biting. 

You can stagger more baits if you have more rods. 

Practice kayaking the surf a lot with nothing but a pfd. Casted baits will catch sharks as well. 

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk


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## Blueshoes (Jan 24, 2013)

dont waste your time until you see the sargassum basically STOP coming in. Even the smallest little bunch will bow your line and pull your weight.


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## Mustad7731 (May 23, 2004)

*Placing Bait(s)*

First off, keep it up. No one ever catches any sharks without baits in the
water....

I'd suggest the edges of the "Guts"...Areas where the water depth change
relatively quickly, ie, about a foot or so (Verticality) in 10 feet (Laterally).
Both sides of the 2nd & 3rd gut...

The 2nd gut is OK...The 3rd gut is twice as good as the 2nd...

Just keep fishing every chance you get...

Mustad7731
Jack


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## jagarcia10 (Mar 10, 2011)

Try to look at the surf conditions prior to going on your fishing trip. It is easier to kayak through 1-2' swells that it is to try to kayak through 3-4' swells. As far as bait placement refer to the picture below to give you an idea of where and how to place your baits in the surf. Note: You dont need 6 rods out. I use 3.


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## Paleo Dave (Jul 10, 2006)

Joe,
Is that your favorite spot there just past the first bar or is it the sharks favorite spot?
Take care!
David


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## waltmeda (Jul 9, 2013)

I agree with all. Stagger your baits to find the fish. Use different baits on each rod to see what they are hitting on. Get a kayak that is meant to clear the surf. I only take the kayak on the water when it is calm. I have done 3 foot waves before and I don't like it at all. I picked up an Ocean Frenzy for $200 off Craigslist and it is a very sturdy kayak.

Most of the time I use 2-3 rods. Three rods can be hard to handle if you are by yourself. Although I have never had a double hook up, I have read WHAT's reports and have seen it done. Sometimes three rods can be more than I can handle. Especially if I am by myself.

I am sure you have done this but read, research, research some more and practice as much as you can. Here are some good websites for checking out the surf conditions. Also, there are quite a bit of other good sites that give great advice from very experienced shark fishermen.

http://www.swellinfo.com/
http://www.tamug.edu/seas/index.html


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## fishingtwo (Feb 23, 2009)

I took a bait out on a surf board "ONCE". Many years ago we all would fish the 37th street rock groin. Either had a rubber raft and occasionally a jon boat.
I had a sport yak, which was basically a plastic raft. It had ore locks and would not sink. Wore that thing out. 
I only had one rig a 12/0 and would row my bait out about 500 yards. 
Ahh the good ole days.


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## jagarcia10 (Mar 10, 2011)

Paleo Dave said:


> Joe,
> Is that your favorite spot there just past the first bar or is it the sharks favorite spot?
> Take care!
> David


I would have to say that's my favorite spot. From my what I've learned and expierenced *everything* cruises behind that first bar.

:brew:


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## SurfRunner (May 22, 2004)

Mustad and What know what they are talking about. I like the backside of bars. Also color changes are good as well as concentrations of bait.


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## soberliving (Aug 7, 2011)

Fishin' Soldier said:


> 1st gut( at high tide) 2nd gut, behind third bar and run one out as far as possible depending on size reel and line capacity. Adjust accordingly to how the fish are biting.
> 
> You can stagger more baits if you have more rods.
> 
> ...


Cast baits huh? Haven't read much about that. Is it just chunks of bait and let it drift? If so, what kind of surf rig is needed and where to cast? I'd much rather do that at night. I hate yaking in the dark. Keep hearing horror stories of men in the black suits creeping up on folks

I've been fishing with a shorter rod used on deep sea trips for billfish and such. Has a large international lever drag reel. That's the one I use for yaking baits. I have surf rods but for plastics and such for reds and trout (6' with bait cast reels)


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## Yellow.mouth (May 10, 2013)

Casted baits are just what it sounds like...just wade out and cast. Be careful not to overcast the gut you are trying to get the bait into. If I'm standing on a bar, I'll just use a moderate cast to get my bait to the far side of the adjacent gut, unless I feel like trying to hum one over the next bar, which can require a pretty hefty cast sometimes. Same basic rigging...fishfinder style with 6 or 8 oz or whatever size spider you need to hold depending on conditions. Obviously can't throw huge baits, use whiting, mullet, or smaller pieces of ray or jack. Slide the hook over a leg of the weight to make casting easier and further. I catch plenty sharks this way, including some of my bigger ones. Be carefull wading out very far at night. Good luck!


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## SurfRunner (May 22, 2004)

A lot of where you place your bait also has to do with where you are fishing....Some beaches draw them very close to the beach while others don't.


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## BIGMIKE77 (May 2, 2009)

I Shat you not when I say that when me and my 2 friends go to the surf, I usually target trout, but they are all about the all mighty shark. And they wade out just far enough to cast out to behind the 1st bar. And the part i Shat you not about is the bait they use..... they take about 10" mullet, tie 3 together with about a foot of mono pierced through them. and then they stuff beef liver down their throats (they actually get a lot down there) and tie the mouths shut.


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## Crystalbeachangler (Jun 20, 2014)

That's the weirdest thing I have ever heard. I have a beach house right on the beach and fish regularly for sharks. For a decent size shark, go out on a calm day with a Penn 309 Levelwind and a decently sturdy rod and wade out to about your waist, on the backside of a sandbar and cast a freshly cut mullet. Sit there, wading, and you will get more hookups with 2-3 foot sharks and maybe even big reds or Jack Crevelle than worrying about a kayak and all that.


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## Crystalbeachangler (Jun 20, 2014)

And don't worry about sharks while you're wading out there. They are completely harmless.


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