# Sabine Pass Sharks



## ranger-370 (Jul 13, 2010)

Sandy and I were fishing for sharks and redfish at the end of the Sabine Pass jetties Saturday. I hooked into one shark that broke my pole in half then went under the boat and snapped the 60lb test line like it was nothing.

This shark was not so lucky. I fought him for 30 minutes on light freshwater spinning tackle and finally boated him. He measured exactly 48 inches and was a ball to catch.


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## dodgingthefly (Jul 24, 2010)

Nice! Bull shark?


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## ranger-370 (Jul 13, 2010)

*Shark*



dodgingthefly said:


> Nice! Bull shark?


The game wardens who checked us at the dock said it was a blacktip but I can't honestly say. I thought he was a bull also.....


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## TMWTim (Jan 20, 2007)

30 minute fight? Enjoy the urine fillets 


Nice catch!


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## Shattered-Pole (Sep 19, 2010)

Just looking at the pic here, I'd say bull shark. The Blacktips usually have a more pointed nose. Would have to see the catch from a different angle. If it is truely a bull then you got REAL lucky my friend (18in short of legel). When I first started hunting shark, I misread the fish&game book and had 1 too many shark in the boat when the game warden stopped us on the way back to the dock. That mistake cost me $275, and the crappy part is the shark we released swam away and lived and he still wrote me a ticket. Best advice is as always know exactly what it is before you put a bullet or a blade in it especially if it ends up being on the prohibited list..... would HATE to see that ticket....


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## ranger-370 (Jul 13, 2010)

*Shark*



TMWTim said:


> 30 minute fight? Enjoy the urine fillets
> 
> Nice catch!


I had him on really light tackle and couldn't avoiid a prolonged fight. I bled him immediately and if he turns out to taste bad I'll use bigger gear next time. One larger shark broke a rod in half like it was a twig:frown: but I wanted to try some light tackle along with our larger saltwater stuff. I'll look at my other photos but I'm fairly certain he is a Blacktip. The two game wardens we ran into were really super guys and not at all what you hear about.

Aggiemulletboy....you are the resident shark expert. What do you think? Blacktip?


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## aggiemulletboy (May 31, 2006)

ranger-370 said:


> I had him on really light tackle and couldn't avoiid a prolonged fight. I bled him immediately and if he turns out to taste bad I'll use bigger gear next time. One larger shark broke a rod in half like it was a twig:frown: but I wanted to try some light tackle along with our larger saltwater stuff. I'll look at my other photos but I'm fairly certain he is a Blacktip. The two game wardens we ran into were really super guys and not at all what you hear about.
> 
> Aggiemulletboy....you are the resident shark expert. What do you think? Blacktip?


In all honesty, the pics aren't really the best angle for ID. Do you have any more that better show the color and position of the fins, like a pic from the side of the shark instead of head on? I wouldn't always trust the game wardens all the time too unless they actually look it up. Even they have to use a key sometimes to figure out exactly what species a fish is, and I'm not sure if they get any sort of training in telling shark species apart.

Glad you got out and caught some good fish though!


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## ranger-370 (Jul 13, 2010)

aggiemulletboy said:


> In all honesty, the pics aren't really the best angle for ID. Do you have any more that better show the color and position of the fins, like a pic from the side of the shark instead of head on? I wouldn't always trust the game wardens all the time too unless they actually look it up. Even they have to use a key sometimes to figure out exactly what species a fish is, and I'm not sure if they get any sort of training in telling shark species apart.
> 
> Glad you got out and caught some good fish though!


AMB,
I have some other photos at home I'll post later. The shark had almost a golden color to his skin when he first came out of the water if that helps. I should have looked at him closer I guess. However, thanks to you and many others Sandy and I enjoyed a great day of fishing. Now if I can just figure out the flounder thing before they are all gone I'll really be happy.:headknock


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## monkeyman1 (Dec 30, 2007)

i'd be very surprised if this was a blacktip...would be the first i've seen with such a rounded nose. but i'll bet it was a fun fight.

one thing to remember about game wardens is that they may have been working bighorn sheep in new mexico last month, transferred to texas and working fishing now. if they receive specifics in training when they move, it must be minimal training. could tell you some stories about duck identification...


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## great white fisherman (Jun 24, 2008)

As mentioned a black tip has a much more pronounced nose kind of like a spinner shark. This round blunt nose is more like a small bull shark. If it is not a mako I do not eat ****.


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## ranger-370 (Jul 13, 2010)

*Really?*



great white fisherman said:


> As mentioned a black tip has a much more pronounced nose kind of like a spinner shark. This round blunt nose is more like a small bull shark. If it is not a mako I do not eat ****.


That surprises me. I caught a small blacktip on our trip to Galveston last month and it was superb after being marinated and grilled.

On the mystery identification of this shark, I'll compare a bull and blacktip to my ID guide when I get home tonight. As I said in my initial post, I thought it was a bull but deferred to the wardens superior training. That may have been a mistake or just a kindness on his part as a blacktip that size would be legal.....who knows. He sure seemed to be a nice fellow:cheers:


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## EndTuition (May 24, 2004)

That is some amazingly good luck for you, not so much for the (bull) shark. 

We are talking Texas Game Warden correct ?


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## ranger-370 (Jul 13, 2010)

EndTuition said:


> That is some amazingly good luck for you, not so much for the (bull) shark.
> 
> We are talking Texas Game Warden correct ?


Yes, a Texas Warden. Great guy and very friendly and education oriented more than enforcement...In any event, we had a great day and made it back home safe.


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## Shattered-Pole (Sep 19, 2010)

aggiemulletboy said:


> In all honesty, the pics aren't really the best angle for ID. Do you have any more that better show the color and position of the fins, like a pic from the side of the shark instead of head on?


Agreed on the side view. But if you look close at the other pic, I'm starting to see a 2nd dorsal fin I think. Looked back at my blacktip and bull pics and none of the black tips have a 2nd dorsal and the bulls do.

ahhh a fun game of "Who's that Fish"..... lol


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## 88gmcjimmy (Apr 25, 2006)

From my experience the nose isn't rounded enough to be a Bull shark. And it also isn't pointy enough to be a Blacktip shark. What it looks like to me based on the nose and the color is a Sandbar shark. Just my .02 cents. Later.


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## ZenDaddy (May 22, 2004)

monkeyman1 said:


> one thing to remember about game wardens is that they may have been working bighorn sheep in new mexico last month, transferred to texas and working fishing now. if they receive specifics in training when they move, it must be minimal training. could tell you some stories about duck identification...


I double checked the photo - definitely not a bighorn sheep or a duck.

However, I've caught plenty of blacktips that look like bulls. Particularly blacktips with less angular heads that look like bulls.


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## Fishin-Inc (May 27, 2004)

*Crystal Beach 10-8 10-9*

You should have been there kinda trip. Fished about 4 hours friday with the kids. Caught about 5 bull reds and 4 sharks. No large sharks.
All on mullet yaked out.

Saturday got on the water about 11:00 with the kiddo's. Tides were way out. As fast as you could drop a bait the reds were jumping on it.
As soon as the wind shifted from N to S. The tides came in again.
The bull sharks started hitting. We ended up with 4. 2 were around 75-90#.

The kids had a blast and all fish released except an eater blacktip.
Lotsa bait in the water finally.


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## Jolly Roger (May 21, 2004)

88gmcjimmy said:


> From my experience the nose isn't rounded enough to be a Bull shark. And it also isn't pointy enough to be a Blacktip shark. What it looks like to me based on the nose and the color is a Sandbar shark. Just my .02 cents. Later.


That would be my guess also, small Sandbar shark. Bad pic for an ID, but the eyes are what make me think it a sandbar shark. My second guess would be an Altantic sharpnose shark.

Never seen a Bull shark with eyes like that. Bull sharks have beady little eyes.


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## aggiemulletboy (May 31, 2006)

Shattered-Pole said:


> Agreed on the side view. But if you look close at the other pic, I'm starting to see a 2nd dorsal fin I think. Looked back at my blacktip and bull pics and none of the black tips have a 2nd dorsal and the bulls do.
> 
> ahhh a fun game of "Who's that Fish"..... lol


Blacktips, sandbars, bulls, and all Charcharhinids have a second dorsal as far as I know.

But yeah, honestly it is hard sometimes unless you have a key out there with you.


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## fabian31268 (Jul 31, 2005)

bull are sandbar both would be illegal . we all need to educate ourselfs on the species and the guidlines . ive confronted many a fisherman over illegal catches . in hi island its kinda like in the swamps you take care of it yourself . gametheive been called several times to be told they have no one in the area.


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## iwanashark (Jul 13, 2009)

good catch ranger! I say sandbar. I bet half the wardens cant i.d sharks correctly. It's not easy until you catch a few species and get used to seeing them.
It wont taste bad either.


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## dolphinslayer1 (Mar 27, 2006)

*In all honesty...*



ranger-370 said:


> ...... The two game wardens we ran into were really super guys and not at all what you hear about. .....


99% of them really are great guys. People forget that they have a hard (and thankless for the most part) job, that has to be done. I know there are misunderstandings, misidentifications and etc etc... but again 99% of the time, if a game warden is giving you a hard time, yo probably earned it, fair and square.

Where I run charters (Alaska) instead of game wardens, the game responsibility (rec fishing, com fishin, com crabbin and hunting) all falls under the jusrisdiction af the Alaska State Troopers, on top of all the other duties you expect toopers to do (and actually more up there due to harsh environment). I have had the pleasure to take some of the Troopers on multiple fishing trips, and took 4 of them on a week long deer/goat hunt on Kodiak Island. They really were some great guys, and yeah they did point out some things I was doing that werent by the book... But it was never nitpicky... it waas stuff that would help me in the long run....

Just like a cop, fireman, soldier and veteran... every once in a while you might stop and thank these guys foor what they are doing!


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## ranger-370 (Jul 13, 2010)

*Amen to that!*



dolphinslayer1 said:


> 99% of them really are great guys. People forget that they have a hard (and thankless for the most part) job, that has to be done. I know there are misunderstandings, misidentifications and etc etc... but again 99% of the time, if a game warden is giving you a hard time, yo probably earned it, fair and square.
> 
> Where I run charters (Alaska) instead of game wardens, the game responsibility (rec fishing, com fishin, com crabbin and hunting) all falls under the jusrisdiction af the Alaska State Troopers, on top of all the other duties you expect toopers to do (and actually more up there due to harsh environment). I have had the pleasure to take some of the Troopers on multiple fishing trips, and took 4 of them on a week long deer/goat hunt on Kodiak Island. They really were some great guys, and yeah they did point out some things I was doing that werent by the book... But it was never nitpicky... it waas stuff that would help me in the long run....
> 
> Just like a cop, fireman, soldier and veteran... every once in a while you might stop and thank these guys foor what they are doing!


Great take on my encounter with the two young wardens. I have looked at all my photos of the shark, consulted my shark ID book and I can state with no doubt whatsoever that he was a shark and his steaks were mighty good after being marinated in Cajun spices and grilled very lightly......Next time, I'll carry my shark ID book out with me because I don't want to make a costly mistake but in reality this makes only the second shark I have ever kept so I doubt seriously I am having any impact on their numbers:spineyes: Thanks for all the help. The people on this board are super folks in my opinion.


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