How to Catch a Shark Off of the Pier
Fishing from piers is a popular pastime for anglers in coastal areas, and many such sportspeople catch a surprising variety of saltwater species from piers along the Atlantic or Pacific coasts. Among the surprises there can even be that marine denizen known as the shark. Catching a shark off of a pier takes some skill, patience and the right knowledge. If you catch one, you are sure to be the talk of the pier. Physically, you should be ready for the fight and the weight of a shark, as they tend to be larger than even the average saltwater fish caught off of a pier.
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Things You'll Need
- Heavy action fishing rod
- Saltwater reel
- Whole live mackerel or squid
- 50 lb. test fishing line
- 100 lb. test fishing line
- Fishing hook 1/0 or larger
- Pier net
- Gaff hook
Instructions
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Put your fishing tackle together to prepare for fishing. Use 50 lb. test fishing line on your rod. At the end of the 50 lb. fishing line, attach about five feet of shock leader, using 100 lb. test line.
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Bait your hook with live bait, such as a whole mackerel or small squid.
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Cast your line at the end of the pier (the deepest water, farthest from the shore). Sharks indeed come into shallow water, but when they do, they drift in from deeper water.
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Wait a second or two, once you feel a bite, to give the shark a chance to get the whole fish in its mouth. Then pull back with your rod firmly to set the hook.
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Keep steady tension on the line but do not force it. Let the shark swim for several minutes and it will tire out. Slowly begin to reel it in to the pier.
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Spear the shark with your gaff hook to begin bringing it out of the water. This will come once you have reeled it as far as you can out of the water. Take your pier net and get it under the shark's body to help distribute the weight, pulling the shark up slowly with both gaff and net until it reaches the surface of the pier.
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Tips & Warnings
Fish at dusk or even a few hours after sunset for best results. Sharks like to feed at night and come closer to shore in the darkness. Also, sharks are quite heavy, so you may want to bring a friend or two along to help you get it up to the pier.
Check local laws regarding fishing for sharks. Some species of shark are protected or endangered. Sharks are usually big and are tough swimmers, in addition to having sharp teeth. Be careful when getting them out of the water.
References
- Photo Credit Photodisc/Digital Vision/Getty Images
