Has anyone been catching shark lately.

I hooked about 5 smaller ones along the galveston beach front on Sunday. We drift fished about 300 yards in front of Stewart Beach. They averaged about 3 feet in length.

Bill brought in a 6' blacktip the other day about 32 miles out. The big ones are out there only smaller ones closer to the shore. Wait till the waters warm up more.
Lynn

We catch the dickens out of blacktips off the beachfront ... usually, on offshore-size Black Salty baitfish intended for trout. I caught more sharks last year than I ever remember encountering, especially from the beachfront and the Galveston Jetties.

When we are really serious, we paddle those big Saltys out with my kayak, using a large rod-reel combo resting in PVC on the beach. You'll get big reds that way, too, most of them oversized "trophy tag" fish.

Best bet, along with steel leader specifically for sharks to prevent cutoffs, is to use a large circle hook. I like the Daiichi Bleeding Hook in a 12/0 or 13/0 circle "tuna" hook version. Use a heavy, hundred-pound-class fluorocarbon leader, if you don't go with steel or Steelon.

Drop me a note if I can help. And, if you don't know how, you might want to learn to tie a shock leader for beachfront longrodding. Diagram, along with others, is viewable and printable at www.blacksalty.com.

Good luck ...

Boz

Forgot to mention ... and you probably already know this ... those blacktips are GREAT eating, provided you promptly bleed them out and get them on ice.

I've BBQ'd them before and had folks who swore they are every bit as good as swordfish ... and a hell of a lot less expensive to come by.

They are also great fighters ... along with spinners and makos, the only sharks that jump, and big-time.

Jetty bases are also a good shot ... in the Galveston area, try the "Bolivar Pocket" at the Gulf-side base of the North Galveston Jetty, just off the Bolivar side of the ferry landing.

Good luck.

Boz

I own the Dirty Pelican Pier in Gilchrist. Today we had 3 men and three boys on the pier. They were here approx 5 hours. They caught over 30 sharks on light tackle. The biggest being 4 feet. They lost some bigger ones because of the size of their gear. I saw one out by the end of the pier on Sunday (where the circle used to be that was 12 feet or bigger. We are having the shark rodeo this weekend and the beach and piers from the curve at high island to rollover pass will be covered with shark fisherman. Alot of fun come check it out if you get a chance.today and yesterday everything you could imagine was in the water including two over 40 lb. cow nose rays. Lots of shark,up to 6 feet bigger ones lost because of in experience or gear not big enough.Days like today and yesterday are the days we who fish, live for. Redfish. Huge gafftop

A thumbs-up on the Dirty Pelican, folks. Forgot to mention it in the previous post ... an oversight on my behalf. The pier has long been a favorite of area anglers, who catch lots of redfish and trout (and huge gafftop) ... but the shark fishing there is legendary.

Cheryl points out one shortcoming of many ... tackle that is too light. Don't underestimate those sharks; it's not uncommon for folks on the pier to get 80- and 100-pound fish ... and sometimes, big whoppers much heavier.

If you happen to catch a jackfish, that bloody fillet can be some of the best bait there is for big sharks. The offshore-size Black Salty, again, is great for virtually everything. Throughout the summer, and especially around Labor Day, the bull red fishing off the Dirty Pelican Pier is phenomenal.

Give it a try; you'll be glad you did.

Good fishing ...

Boz

I will be there in a few weeks! I can't wait. I wil be there a week and I plan on fishing the pier a time or two. I hope things are still hot then. Not just the weather.

Put 4 nice blacktips in the boat Sunday at Port O'Connor.

Excerpted from today's Galveston Daily News column by writer Vince Stiglich:

The Dirty Pelican Pier�s annual three-day Shark Rodeo begins Friday, and with the $50 fee paid, anglers can vie for a solid $1,000 first-place prize for the heaviest (not necessarily longest) shark. The Dirty Pelican Pier is located in Gilchrist, and for information call Gary Bomar at (409) 286-5854.

Good luck ...

Boz