I was wondering how do you land a shark or tarpon size fish off a pier that high up. I know you use a drop net for bull redfish and big uglies, but how do you haul up a 6'+ shark and then release it?

You usually walk it to the beach and land it there. It takes alot of cooperation with the other fisherman. There is no BHP right now as it collapsed during reconstruction.

Good question!

I've always seen the long distance release, with the shark swimming off with a hook in its mouth. I always figured there had to be better way.

Ive seen people use a gaff on a long rope, hook em and pull um up. It looks like a giant treble hook. but id think that would damage the shark too much to release it.

Ive always seen big fish that was caught on a tall jetty or pier walked to the shore and landed there.

Only the new part of BHP collapsed.

wow if that was a new part I hate to see the old .

I don't remember how high BH is it's been to many years since i have been there..When i was fishing San luis pass pier before the hurricane destoryed it.. i saw guys take a rope with a cowboy laso made into it they used a small piece of tape to keep it from closing to soon ,They slide it over there rods and down the line and hopefully over the shark where they able to Jerk it shut on the body of the shark, it would slide to the tail and they would pull them up however this didn't work every time ...

We used a extendable paint pole at san luis pass with a large homemade copper loop on the end with some 5 inch pieces of tubing taped to it that were split down the sides facing towards the center of the hoop, the 5 inch pieces of tubing held the rope open in a circle till we were ready to jerk it loose to close it, hopefully just after we were able to get it over the sharks tail...I have seen something slightly simular to this in saltwater mags thats where we got the idea from we just needed a longer versoin.. they called them tail hook gaffs we just made our own and added alot of handle ...

When I go I'll take a long piece of rope crimp some cast net or wheel weights to it, tie it in a lasso and slip it over the rod down the line and around the sharks fins. The weights on the rope will help make it sink and you can work it around the shark. When it gets past it's head and over 1 or both fins if possible pull tight and hoist it up

Lay a towel on the pier where it rubs and you won't bust a rope after a couple nice sharks

Flying Gaff...it's a gaff hook on a rope. Best way to do it if you're targeting shark from a pier.

we rope them, either the tail or the leader.

Tanks got it. Watched a guy net a shark once..Lol. Tried to tell him but he didn't listen. Watched a 4ft blacktip eat straight through it.

Easiest thing to do is get some anchor rope, make a loop, and rope the leader. using a gaff on a pier is a SURE way to piss people off and end up getting an earful. Most of us guys that fish for sharks practice conservation. As stated, I wouldnt use a net because sharks will tear a net up.