Shark ID needed please

I'm in Navarre Beach with my brothers and the fishing has been great. We've been catching lots of ladyfish and bluefish in the surf each morning. This morning we hooked up with this little guy, caught on a pompano rig baited with frozen sand fleas. From looking on the Internet, it appears to be a sandbar shark, since it doesn't have the black tips on its fins of a blacktip or spinner. Anyone have a more definitive ID? (Sorry for the quality of the pictures, which I realize are not great. I should note that if another angle is needed, I may be able to grab some stills from the GoPro footage we have.) Thanks.

A view of the dorsal fin would be extremely helpful. Round pupil means it's not a silky shark.

You're probably right with the sandbar shark ID.

*edit* on second thought, looks like some white spots on the back. Possibly atlantic sharpnose shark.

This a good enough shot of the dorsal fin? It is about all we got from the short video we shot. We were pretty much done fishing so the chest-mounted GoPros had already been taken off and turned off. Couldn't get the cameras on until the fish was already landed.

Yeah, with that dorsal fin my guess is sandbar. Can be really tough to distinguish juveniles of different species.

That is what I am learning. This is only the third time I've been saltwater fishing and the first time I have targeted anything other than reds or specks. The ladyfish and bluefish are providing plenty of action on topwaters, but it was nice to catch a shark.

May be a Lemon Shark

My guess is either a sandbar or a dusky.

Hard to tell with a little guy like that. I would say sandbar. I bet that was a good pull either way

Black tip pup

Either way, he's a cutie.

Texas has a shark I'd guide you can get from tpwd. If it is a sandbar it is a protected shark

Sandbar shark

Thanks to everyone. We ended up catching three of the sharks the week we were there. We ended up with one on sand fleas, one on red snapper scraps, and one on a cut up cigar minnow. The biggest went 22 inches. All were released after posing for a quick photo.

Sandbar indeed! Even the small ones put up a good fight on the rod.

They were a lot of fun. The first one was caught about 8 a.m., but the remaining two were caught at night. We had to weed through a lot of hardheads to get the two at night, but it was fun. Using the pompano rig we were catching hardheads two at at time, which was a blast.


Here is a report from my trip, which was a blast! http://texasfishingforum.com/forums/ubbt...m_#Post11715998

Man I am so jealous. I can't wait to get out to FL next year! That beach and those kingfish look amazing, and that RED! Ahhh man I want to catch one of those on a kayak. Just sold my kayak rig (bought a bass boat and have't taken the yak out since in the tx lakes I fish) but I'll be renting a kayak in FL or looking for a guide when I get out there.

Epic trip man, glad you had a ton of fun. Inspiring catches!

If you are going to be in the Pensacola area, talk to Matthew Vann of Sails and Tails Kayak Charters. That is who we used and he was great. His buddy, Brandon Barton, is also a guide and his company is Emerald Waters Kayak Charters. I can't vouch for him personally, but he is partners with Matthew in the redfish kayak fishing tourneys and Matthew spoke highly of him, so I don't think he would steer you wrong.