Shark week got me thinking about trying to catch a shark. Me and my buddy are always trying to find ways to have fun that not many others have done. We can probly just rent a bay boat ( if I don't build one ). We aren't looking for a jumbo, just one big enough to keep. 2' is the minimum length, and were aiming for a little above that. We just need to know how to do it, I've got the rods and reels to do it (catfish rigs) I just need to know about the tackle, bait, and how to do it. You can't give me to much information. If we can't get it done in a week or two well just blowfish for rays. I was thinking port Aransas but I'm open to other areas. Thanks

Its possible, fish early mornings and late evenings. The south jetty in port aransas, Bob Hall Pier, and the Packery Channel is a good starting point. Catfish rigs/ You might want to be more specific. You might go out looking for a 3ft and a 6 ft bull might take it. Nothing worse than watching the line rip off your reel till it pops. Or worse they burn the drag up. As for bait you can use cut croaker,for smaller sharkers. whole mullet or ribbinfish if your looking for something bigger. Invest in a good leader as well. check out mtpockets he has some reel strong ones. Good luck

7' and 8' poles with big baitcasters on them fed with 20lb test. I've never used leader before either. This is not a dead set thing, I just want to get a pretty dang good idea about how to do it. I'm looking for a black tip, Atlantic sharp nose, and a bonnethead. Since that's what tpwd says we can keep. What about night time fishing? I wouldn't mind getting on a bass buster with a trolling motor with lights and a cooler. Plus the water is only a few feet deep. If I HAD to, I wouldn't mind getting in with him. I've done worse. Just wondering if the plastic boat thing is a good idea

The best time to trap a shark is early morning or midnight.Make sure you take some fish as their trap along with you.First day you need to keep a close watch on them ,next day try to track their movements if possible,third day would be the final day.

Hahaha what the heck?

2 foot is the minimum length for 3 species of sharks (blacktip, bonnet head, and atlantic sharpnose). All other sharks either need to be 64 inches (which is over 5 feet) or they are protected species which can't be kept at all. Learn how to properly ID sharks before you decide to keep any so you aren't poaching. Here is an article I wrote last year about IDing texas sharks. http://lostboysblog.com/2012/08/12/sharkid/

If you're going to be fishing from a boat I would use a 16/0 mustad circle hook, a good size chunk of bait like a whole whiting or mullet, and a heavy mono leader (at least 200 lbs), Fish it carolina rigged would be the easiest deal. You could also float your bait 4 feet under a balloon off the boat.

check out my web site for custom made shark leaders and surf weights. Great products for very reasonable prices
Charlie (m.t.pockets)

I would be really careful looking for sharks right now. Just saw a special on TV where there was a reported Megalodon shark sighting. Not sure where, but someone mentioned San Luis Pass.
It was estimated to be 100' long. Not something you want to mess with. Catfish gear won't be a good choice...neither would a bay boat if that thing is swimming around. Keep your eyes open and be careful.

You are WAY under tackled! You never know what you may get on your line. Go to Texas Sharking Fishing . com and read handbook.


100# line with 400# shock leader to spider weight and steel cable to hook will get you there. 25% of your line to bait with the rest for runs, 500 yds will get you started, this is for beach fishing, in a boat less will do fine with another type of rig.

I'm looking for the 3 that only have to be 2' long. If you use 20lb test you can catch a 25 or 30lb fish. Using your drag and time you can catch it. Not saying that's what I'm going to use but I'm not looking to catch a 100lb shark either. I'm definitely going to learn my shark species though. Well have a bow fishing rig with us (mainly for rays) but we could use it for the shark also if its legal. And how far am I going to have to go out? Where I've been fishing out there it was only 2-4 ft deep. Mostly 2 to 3 ft deep. I was hoping to stay in the bay but I guess not.

I have picked up a few 2-4ft blacktips on light tackle off bob hall. By light tackle I mean like 20-30lb mono on cheap open face reels. Though like the guys here have said you never know what you may snag. Even fishing with a small piece of cut mullet you could end up with 5ft+++++ taking it. Texas shark fishing forums are a great resource for sure as well that's where I learned the little I do know about shark fishing.

I have caught 2 footers (bonnets and black tips) in the wade gut on the 91st pier, used a 1/0 circle and 80lb mono leader, I don't really target sharks.

Have also gotten 80lb mono cut off and spooled out of the wade gut so bigguns can lurk shallow. Don't think I would do this in a pond prowler, there are fish much bigger than that looking at you like bait.

How deep is the water out there? I'm not scared of a big shark coming in, we'll find a way to make it work. What are things I should look for when finding a good shark fishing spot?

You can't use a bow to shoot sharks with. They are a game fish so same rules apply as they do with trout and other game fish.

Honestly for small sharks, you setup is just fine. Get you a sturdy circle hook, a heavy mono or wire leader, and some cut bait and you should be able to land some small ones.

Unlike Florida and a few other places, the bays in Texas don't really hold sharks. They are normally caught in the surf so you really can't use a bass buster. You could try the end of the Jetty at Port A. The South Jetty is good, the North Jetty is better but a $12 ferry ride. But as everyone has said, you don't get to pick what size shark eats your bait. Big fish will still eat a little bait.