AS SEEN IN THE MARCH/APRIL 2007 ISSUE

Shore-side shark fishing is quickly gaining popularity. If you’re like me and have an attraction to big fish with big teeth, there is simply no other way to target, capture and interact so directly with these magnificent animals. Read on and decide for yourself if big-game beach fishing is for you.

Like many of us, some of my earliest memories are of those in the outdoors, more often than not, fishing. My first catch was landed with my grandfather’s help on a stream in Pennsylvania. That trophy was a brook trout, which I returned to the water where it melted into the rocky shadows. That experience made fishing an important and permanent part of my life and began a quest for bigger and bigger game.

In 1975, I read a book then saw a movie of the same name called, JAWS. After that, I read and watched everything I could get my eyes on about real-life explorers and monster-hunting superheroes like Frank Mundus, Zane Grey, Ernest Hemingway and Jacques Cousteau. Of all the fish they chased, the shark caught every ounce of my imagination and interest. As far as I’m concerned, they are the most impressive of all predators.

As a game fish, sharks are unmatched; affording their pursuers challenge, excitement, danger and plenty of adrenalin-pumping, tackle-busting fight. Like the song says, “If you’re looking for trouble – you came to the right place.”

I went looking for trouble and caught my fair share of sharks from the typical platform of a boat deck. But I’ve always enjoyed the solitude of surf fishing where I would occasionally connect with juvenile members of the same species. I started thinking, then asking questions, and soon discovered others were capturing big, trophy-size fish from the beach. Witnessing these pioneering anglers with monsters eight feet in length and in some cases, exceeding 500 pounds landed right there on the sand hit me hard. It was like a powerful cocktail of adventure, solitude and big-game ferocity. And it had a name, “Land-Based Shark Fishing.” It was obvious that the dedicated individuals involved took this sport very seriously in places like Texas, Australia, South Africa and the eastern seaboard of the United States.

More recently, the sport has experienced a spike in statewide popularity, largely due to the internet. This notoriety also reveals that, just as in any style of fishing, countless combinations of tactics and techniques exist. What’s different, however, is the variety of species willing to do business. Because, it’s right there in the surf zone, where, for millions of years, the tiger, hammerhead, bull, dusky, lemon and even the notorious great white shark make their living swimming, eating and regenerating. It’s what puts these trophies within reach of any angler willing to invest the time required to properly prepare and stalk these ferocious feeding machines.

The All Star Rod & Gun Club jumps in the ring.

Fortunately, my brothers have shared my passion for the outdoors since we founded the All-Star Rod & Gun Club as kids. Using some of the huge catches I saw as proof, convincing them to climb the food chain with me was an easy sell. Finally, armed with some basic gear and knowledge, we decided it was time to go. Starting with the common technique of casting baits, success didn’t come immediately. But we focused on what the anglers we admired in other locales were doing, and continued pounding the sand, researching techniques and studying the history of Land Based Shark Fishing. Ultimately, the sharks started coming ashore. They were small at first, but finally, they began testing our skills and our gear.

Nowadays, our entire operation from gear to preparation to execution is entirely focused on monster-hunting with sharks in the 10-foot plus club. But fishing here, at the top of the marine food chain, requires a unique commitment and an elevated attention to detail and safety. Everything is bigger and there’s more of it.

Since common elements of tackle and tactics are so widely shared, a perfect mousetrap doesn’t exist. When targeting serious sharks from the sand, some go as far as wrapping leaders and hooks in electrical tape to reduce electromagnetic signals. You may not take your fishing to that level, but there are some key ingredients which must come into play. Equipment like spider, breakaway or sliding weights, multi-strand cable or single-strand wire, circle or J-hooks, floats, bait-bridling necessities, top- shots and wind-on leaders are just some of the means used in combination with heavy duty conventional gear to achieve the ultimate goal of baiting and landing monsters in the surf. Fortunately, the sharing of information about tackle, tactics and techniques among anglers in this sport is a never-ending process and a big part of how we got to where we are now.

Pictures Clockwise From Top:  Base camp is set up for a night of land-based shark fishing;  A cautious angler carefully coaxes a shark toward the water for a safe release;  High-capacity reels are mandatory to combat a powerful sharks long runs;   L-R Josh Maib, Zac Meyer, J.J. Klarmann, Mike Palmer, Sean Paxton, Brooks ll with shark #5 of 6 for the day

The ups and downs of bear hunting…

Regardless which stretch of shoreline around the state you intend to ply your craft, take some time and look for key features like sandbars and the troughs which run between them. The first one, referred to as the wade gut, is located just off the beach. After that, the bottom raises then slopes down before coming back up again at your first sandbar. During lower tides, the first bar may be exposed in the breaking surf. In deeper water or during higher tides, it may appear as a smooth patch of water running parallel to the beach. Depending on the depth, the area between the wade gut and the first bar is an option. If the first bar isn’t too steep or distant, you can aim for the outside of it between the second or even the third bar. These can be harder to spot, especially in low light conditions, but take everything in. Sandbars constantly change and are different everywhere. Avoid placing your offering on top of one. It’s between bars, in the guts, where baitfish and game fish congregate and sharks do their hunting. Breaks in the bars where water flows through or birds working are also good signs. Every stretch of beach is a little different, but with an investment in time, you’ll locate this structure.

Shore-side shark fishing can be enjoyed during any hour of the day, though there are a couple of rules; NEVER, and I mean NEVER, shark fish when swimmers are present, and don’t even consider targeting monster sharks from the surf alone.

Deploying large baits in the strike zone when fishing with bulky conventional gear, does present a challenge. Depending upon conditions, we rely upon Malibu Kayak’s’ X-Factor or Mini-X kayaks. My brother, Brooks, and I have developed a procedure that works well with one of us acting as paddler and the other as rod man. First, 25’ of leader system with a sliding, biodegradable breakaway 36-ounce weight and double-rigged bait is attached to the kayak. The leader stays outside while the bait and weight ride in the cockpit. Once the paddler maneuvers through the breaking surf, it’s the rod man’s job to control the line and tension. Using walkie-talkies to communicate direction changes to the paddler as he moves toward the predetermined drop-zone eliminates the need for him to monitor his course. Once on site, the kayak is maneuvered parallel to the shore and after some brief communication to remove slack from the line, the weight and finally the bait is deployed. We have an alternate signal method using whistles in the event we lose electronic communication.

After a successful hookup and fight, and with the beaten adversary now coming to the beach, we prepare for ‘The Pit Stop,’ another carefully planned procedure designed to last no more than a matter of minutes. Our primary goal is to enjoy a brief, safe and documented interaction with one of nature’s most awesome predators while causing as little harm and undue stress to the creature as possible. The words planning and safety can’t be stressed enough. Both ends of a shark are more than dangerous and even after years of experience, we never forget that the only predictable thing about any shark is that it is completely unpredictable.

After carefully leadering the fish and beaching it just high enough to where its body weight is still supported by water, a tail rope is applied before allowing the fish an opportunity to calm down while the hook removal process is assessed. If the hardware can be removed quickly using a long hook-remover, channel locks or a bolt cutter, then it is. If not, the leader is cut down as close to the hook as possible. We then apply a National Marine Fisheries Service tag next to the dorsal fin before fork, total and girth measurements are taken to formulate an estimated weight, and general notes are made about the species’ sex and overall condition before it is photographed and prepared for release. Bringing fish to the beach as quickly as possible and the brief ‘Pit Stop’ are critical in our efforts to release every shark in a healthy condition and without the need for resuscitation. Land Based Shark Fishing is all about the sport and our clear intention is to insure that future generations have an opportunity to share in the same thrills.

Pictures:  Top:  Deploying baits means paddling out to the second or third bar.  Middle:  Fresh Kingfish make for irresistible offerings.  Bottom:  Caution is a must with unpredictable sharks. 

The future of shore-side shark fishing.

As the sport continues to evolve, we’ve been fortunate to form friendships with some of its pioneers. In 2006, with their support and input, The International Land-Based Shark Fishing Association was launched. Its mission is to unify the sport’s anglers by establishing standards for the compilation and recognition of world-records for released fish, while also promoting - through research, education and practice - responsible management of marine and coastal resources. We’re not alone in this cause. Several land-based catch & release tournaments have been enjoying success in different areas. And the legendary founding father of shark fishing and good friend, Frank Mundus, recently teamed up with Mustad Hooks to design a line of catch and release leaders featuring circle hooks. The gear will be labeled, “Monster Tackle - Conservation by Frank Mundus,” and will be made available at retail outlets in the near future. Frank popularized the use of this innovation in recreational shark fishing many years ago and was responsible for helping to start the same tagging program we use today. All of these efforts are welcome signs that a shared and growing dedication exists among the sport fishing community to put conservation on the forefront of recreational angling.

Surf essentials:

Rods: Customs by Team OldSkool & Blackfin Rods, Jim Adam, Shakespeare

Reels: Penn Senators 6/0 – 14/0

Line: Berkley Big-Game 100 lb. to 130 lb. test.

Leader: 600# stainless cable with matched sleeves, swivels and snaps

Hooks: Mustard 12/0 J & 20/0 circle

Kayak: Malibu Kayak’s X-Factor and Mini-X

Bait: Fresh is best, but frozen stingrays, bonito, jacks, mackerel, kingfish, mullet, ladyfish, etc.

Other Key Ingredients:

PVC sand-spikes

Walkie-Talkies and cell phones with waterproof cases

Life jacket with safety lights

Spotlight – Headlamps - Flashlights

30’ tail rope

Hook removal tools

Measuring tape – Camera - Extra batteries

Fresh water spray bottle - First-aid kit - Sun block and bug repellant

Running out of sharks? Love them or leave them!

Robert Hueter, Ph.D., of Mote Marine Laboratory and the world’s largest research center dedicated to sharks, recently shared the following information with me.

“Coastal sharks have been depleted by 75% or more in many areas around the world and even fisheries management has not been able to reverse declines in some areas. Some sharks are even being looked at now for listing as endangered species. Over-fishing of sharks, either in directed fisheries or as bycatch, is the largest source of the problem. Catch-and-release is THE conservation alternative in today's world of declining populations of marine species, including sharks. Recreational anglers contribute greatly to the advancement of scientific research on sport fishes by providing logbook data, returning recaptured tags and tagging released fishes. Tagging helps us understand the migratory patterns of fish species and there are many more recreational anglers on the water than scientists, so anglers' information is vital in making these tagging programs successful.”

Sean Paxton is founder and President of the International Land-Based Shark Fishing Association and a member of the Florida Outdoor Writer's Association. For more information, visit: www.FishingGoneWild.com and www.LandBasedSharkFishing.com.

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