# Shark Wrangling Tips



## HuntinforTail (Mar 29, 2011)

Someone asked for some shark wrangling tips on another thread, and I thought that this topic was big and important enough for its own thread. With peak sharkin season just around the corner, it might be a good time to give some first time sharkers some good advice.

1. *Sometimes the tail can be the most dangerous part of the shark!* A lot of rookies don't realize this. I learned this the hard way when I started catching big sharks. A shark hit you very hard with their body or especially their tail. Since their skin is very rough like sand paper, it can take off your top layer of skin in an instant. Their skin carries many kinds of bacteria including staph so cuts should be disinfected immediately. One way to avoid this is to stay away from the rear third of the shark, always have the tail under control with a rope, and avoid straddling or standing over the rear of the shark.

2. *Use a dehooker, bolt cutters, or other tool.* Our rule is if we can't get the shark unhooked quickly with the dehooker we cut the hook in half with bolt cutters and it comes out much more easily. A lot of guys use large vice grips instead of a dehooking tool. A lot of guys make home made dehooking tools. I'm going to do a step by step in a couple of weeks on how to make them and I'll post it up.

3. *Make it as quick as possible.* I know the most important thing is focusing on your own safety, but the next most important thing is releasing a healthy shark. Know what you are going to do when the shark hits the sand. Have everyone you are fishing with know what role they are playing whether it be taking pictures, unhooking, measuring, etc.

4. *Get control with a tail rope.* Sharks under 6' really don't need a tail rope, but its good to use them for practice. Once you break 7', a tail rope really comes in handy. It will allow for the shark to be landed faster, kept under control while being dehooked, and realeased faster.

5. *Wear gloves!* Gloves help out with the entire shark fishing process, from reeling it in to dragging it on the beach.

6. *If you plan on harvesting the shark make sure you can make a 100% positive ID on it.* There are lots of species that look alike and that can be mistaken for a protected species.

Hopefully this helps out. I'm sure the other guys will have a lot to add.


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## Justin_Smithey (Aug 26, 2011)

What is the best method of getting one of them big boys back into the water safely for you and the shark.. Do you pull it in backwards with the tail rope?


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## Jfish1972 (Jan 16, 2006)

*Shark tips*

No doubt the tail can lay some sick licks if not careful, I learned that lesson this weekend. I wasnt really prepared to handle this 6' sandbar myself as it was suppose to just be a family outing. This has been the largest shark I have landed using my Penn Jigmaster to date. CPR'd.


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## SurfRunner (May 22, 2004)

Great tips!


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## 535 (May 23, 2004)

dont pick up the smaller sharks by the tail and be careful when near the business end... they are quick!


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## HuntinforTail (Mar 29, 2011)

Justin_Smithey said:


> What is the best method of getting one of them big boys back into the water safely for you and the shark.. Do you pull it in backwards with the tail rope?


Yea just pull them in backwards until they are in deep enough water that you can push them forwards.



jc said:


> dont pick up the smaller sharks by the tail and be careful when near the business end... they are quick!


X2 and some shark species are so flexible that they can bend back and get you if you are holding their tail, so always be alet.


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## 535 (May 23, 2004)

we have only released one over 7' and it required a tailrope... all others we do by hand... 

-pull slowly by tail backwards into surf deep enough for the shark to swim
-"swing" the shark's head around INTO the current so that water is moving into it's mouth
-as water begins flowing thru it's gills it should liven up
-shark should begin a slow tail wag
-don't let go of the tail until the shark is keeping itself upright and trying to swim
-shove it head first into the current and out to deeper water once it is trying to swim away

if you swing the head down-current and its not ready to swim it will start rolling and you are back at square one
if the shark rolls just do whatever it takes to keep it upright and water moving thru mouth and gills
this could take several seconds to 10 minutes
if shark keeps rolling, DONT GIVE UP
10 minutes may seem like an eternity but Billy Sandifer once revived a hammerhead by staying with it the better part of an hour... there were pics of him bear hugging it and swimming it into the currrent in the second gut

I have only lost one to exhaustion and it was a 5.5' BT... 3 times over the course of about 45 minutes it appeared to make it only to wash back in before we bled and steaked it


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## SouthTexUnkFishingCrew (Jul 31, 2012)

Good TIPS,,,,,Keep Them Lines Tight....


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## ronnie collins (May 21, 2004)

Bull sharks are good about turny around and comeing back at you, keep a stick or something to turn them back around.


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## Orion85 (Apr 11, 2013)

I am interested in catching some smaller (2-4') members of the 24 club. Problem is that I am new to surf fishing, well fishing in general really. I have learned alot from this forum and YouTube. 

However I have yet to find a decent instructional video or write up on how to clean a shark. I have heard about the urine and that it needs to be done quickly. So I need to know what to do well before I have to do it. Any info on this is appreciated.


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## fishingcacher (Mar 29, 2008)

Orion85 said:


> I am interested in catching some smaller (2-4') members of the 24 club. Problem is that I am new to surf fishing, well fishing in general really. I have learned alot from this forum and YouTube.
> 
> However I have yet to find a decent instructional video or write up on how to clean a shark. I have heard about the urine and that it needs to be done quickly. So I need to know what to do well before I have to do it. Any info on this is appreciated.


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## Orion85 (Apr 11, 2013)

yeah I had seen that one, not much detail and only how to gut it, not clean/filet/steak it.


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