Jaws Moment

[silverking]

Fished Lanark Sunday in a variety of conditions, from crystal clear to milky water ranging from 63 degrees to 68 by late afternoon. The water was choppy to downright rough at times. Found a few trout and a couple dozen very spooky redfish. Decided to get out of the wind/chop so tucked behind western Lanark Reef and eased into the shallows. I was just off the new park (old Island View) casting a Skitter Walk towards shore hoping for a happy trout or red in 3.7 feet of water. Without warning, a huge fin appeared behind the plug and as I kept up the retrieve the fish tracked it intently. It never did strike, but the 5-foot-plus bull shark followed the lure all the way to the boat, turning off right at the gunnel and disappeared. I never saw it again. This was the earliest I can ever remember finding a big coastal shark inshore. But you never know what you're going to encounter out there in the briny. It certainly didn't give warm fuzzies about jumping in the water and scalloping in a few months, though.

[FishWithChris]

During the Keaton tournament earlier in the month we saw several 5-6' bullsharks... and one or two that looked MUCH larger.

[silverking]

There have been occasional reports of mako sharks caught right off the Panhandle beaches during cobia season. Makos generally are blue-water species. Guess they have an appetite for ling.

Big bulls and hammerheads are also common in our area when the tarpon migrate through in the summer months.

We really didn't have that harsh of winter, so maybe the cycle is accelerating a bit this spring?

[Apalachee Inshore]

I’ve seen 5 big bulls in the last week, ranging from 6-10+ feet all in less than 3 feet.

[procraftwes]

Luckily you don't look like a skitterwalk.

[Apalachee Inshore]

We saw some more big bulls today. It’s been almost every day now.

[FlyrodC]

We saw some more big bulls today. It’s been almost every day now.

Appreciate the heads up as I enjoy walking the bars and casting a fly. I'm thinking ankle deep is about as far as I'll be going in this trip which will be spent entirely in Apalachee Bay.

A buddy of mine has seen some Tiger Sharks in AB over the years. For them that have seen them, when do they start showing up?

[silverking]

I've seen some monster tigers around the artificial reefs and Ochlockonee Shoal in April and May. A knowledgeable source said they pup in the nearshore waters (well off the refuge buoy line). I can only recall seeing one tiger in the shallows, though, and that was during tarpon season when the sharks track the migrating 'poons.

Sharks are cool animals and a necessary link in the marine food chain. Just pays to be aware when in their element, especially if wading with a stringer of fish or when chumming is going on such as scallops being cleaned and the shells/guts are dumped over the side.

[BillytheKid]

The wife and I were kayak fishing shell point at low tide last summer and had a shark that kept circling her. She said it kinda freaked her out at first and then she realized that the water was only about a foot deep there so the shark couldn't be very big.

[Apalachee Inshore]

So idk don’t know if they are migrating or what but they are everywhere in the shallows right now. Yesterday I had a client hook one about 7 feet. Was fishing with a gold spoon on high tide and hooked one. We got it to the boat and it was foul hooked through the dorsal, so I guess they are so thick right now you can’t even fish without foul hooking them.

[silverking]

There are a lot of rays in the shallows right now and they are a featured entree in the bull shark buffet line.

[FlyrodC]

Good stuff, thanks. Might have to fish out of the boat a bit more this trip...

[lonesouth]

Sharks are cool animals and a necessary link in the marine food chain. Just pays to be aware when in their element, especially if wading with a stringer of fish or when chumming is going on such as scallops being cleaned and the shells/guts are dumped over the side.

I've never seen, nor known anyone who has, a shark while out scalloping. Not say it doesn't happen, just that I'm not aware of it.

[BloodyChamp]

Right...sharks and scallops aren’t usually within each other. Now sharks and bloody mullet on a spearfisherman’s stringer is another story lol!

[silverking]

I don't scallop any more, so y'all splash and chum all you want. I'll be watching from the safe confines of my boat.