[firedog]

Can anyone give me the best way to catch some sandsharks at sandbridge, I have caught them before between the first and second Island with boat rod using a liter and about 8 oz,. of lead and cut up spot or croaker, no boat anymore so would like to catchem off the pier they don't have to be monsters just fun. If you use a spinnig reel, do you leave the spool open and let it take it before you flip the bail. I imagine if you don't leave the bail open you could loose your rod, I sat a rod down Friday at lynnhaven with a piece of squid, just happened to look up as a skate almost pulled the hole rig over. thanx for the info

 

[George Gravier]

Firedog
You cant technically "shark fish" off of sandbridge pier; meaning chumming throwing blood in the water and such but we usually catch them by mistake fishing for cobia on the bottom. Go out there at night in the summer, throw a chunk of spot or bunker head out there and youll catch a shark eventually. Throw your stuff out, loosen the drag and set your rod on a rod guide and wait for the run. Caught them on float rigs also. If there is a good n/e chop better your odds even during the day. hope this helps my friend....tight lines.....geo

 

[firedog]

appreciate the info geo, I was thinking I had heard before you cannot technically shark fish from the pier, I guess that isn't to smart once all the beachers and swimmers hit the water. Thanx for the reply [/LIST]

 

[George Gravier]

Dont forget about seagull pier. I do pretty good out there at times in the summer...........geo

 

[Shoeless]

One thing to remember is sharks(or any predator) go where food is. Piers are a natural attractant for fish, so larger fish come. There are sharks swimming around the beach goers all summer long, they just don't know it. Last summer we had a large school of bunker come through with a large amount of 3-4' sharks munching on them. All this happened only 400' from the shore. The bottom line here is the sharks are there regardless of whether we "fish" for them or not.

 

[firedog]

That is very true, I guess they are there all summer with the swimmers, I can't remember who posted it but someone said they saw one in the surf next to the pier at sandbridge and almost beached itself.

 

[GraphixDude]

I saw a shark that was caught from Lynnhaven 2 nights ago. The guy who caught it was bottom fishing with finger mullet I believe.

The shark was the first I have seen, about 2 feet long.

I have decided not to swim in the ocean. I will miss it (swimming) but my luck I will put my foot in and get eaten by jaws.

The only way I might go is if I can go body boarding, but that will be a once in a life time experience.

 

[jay b]

Been surfing & fishing all my life and I can't tell you the number of times I've seen Sharks in the water close by. Almost as often as the Dolphin or Rays. The thing is not to be afraid but respectful in that they are part of the ocean just like you, know their habbits and patterns, don't try to surf or swim during their typical feeding times (dawn, dusk, and when there is an abundance of food in the water nearby) and stay in a group of others that are doing the same thing. You know, surf at the "surfing" part of the beach and fish where elsewhere, safety in numbers really works. It's unfortunate that there has been an unusual amount of Shark/People incidents here lately but that is not the norm. I personally think it's kind of neat to be out in the line up waiting for a swell and see part of Mother Nature's creatures swim by.

 

[Andre]

Some kid got bitten last year or two and lost his life in the v.a.beach area..right ! Did they ever found out what type of shark ?

 

[Cdog]

Happened right down at Sandbridge,if I remember hearing right there was lots of baitfish in th water at th time. If I recall right they ID'd it as a Bull. Their was a guy that got killed a few days later in Avon NC again they suspected a Bull Shark.

 

[Guest]

last october i was fishing in nc and caught a 5 1/2 foot shark 20 foot out in the water. dont swim there anymore.

 

[rockhead]

i grew up surfing in va bch and hatteras, and have spent thousands of hours floating about in the surf, i have never seen a shark out there, and would never let a shark keep me outta the ocean. you probably have a 10000 times better chance of getting hurt driving to work.

 

[Guest]

Rockhead,

that's so true about the 10,000 to 1 odds of getting into an auto accident. Good thing about that is the "jaws of life" would be a welcomed sight by any victim verses the "jaws of death." And I doubt if any would be as eager to step (I meant jump) in to help pull a victim away from a shark encounter type mishap.

Even though the jaws of life may take a few hours to get to the chewy center inside verses the jaws of death taking only a few minutes to get the chewy center inside...surely this would be one time when it would be best to avoid the rush hour "jam."