Sharks Seasonal in Northern Gulf?

[Aucilla]

I am a newbie to spearfishing and hope to learn a lot about it and to do some here in the Big Bend area of Florida. I posted my first post a second ago in the Gulfcoast forum, but then I figured out that I should have posted it here because my question is about this area of the Gulf.

Recent posts I have seen have led me to believe that maybe the aggressive sharks, or larger ones, are more common up here after March or so, in the Northern Gulf waters. A very experienced local fisherman, who also spear fishes, told me he will hardly do any spearing, or carry a stringer anyway, after late March.

I wonder what y'all think about this.

[Daddy_Jeffy]

I think your experienced fisherman friend is a big wuss.

[Aucilla]

Originally posted by Daddy_Jeffy
I think your experienced fisherman friend is a big wuss.

:confused: :confused:

[PatMyGreen]

Welcome to the board! Its been my experience that the large sharks are present all year and some are territorial. Really it just depends on what species or even the individual shark. I hav recently learned (largely through this forum) that Makos do come all the way inshore around April. I personally suck as a fisherman but carry a stringer all year spearing, sometimes it isn't as full as I and many sharks would like to see it.

[hornypiranha]

Hey Aucilla, glad to see another N Fl diver on the board...in regards to sharks, I respect them, but I'm not going to let them ruin the party. I'm willing to bet that you have better chances of winning the lottery than getting tagged by a shark. And don't forget, if spearfishing was easy, everyone would be doing it!

[Daddy_Jeffy]

Aucilla,
I was just bustin' your stones a bit. I hope no offense. The thing I always try to remember is, when you are in the water, that is where the sharks live. I surf and spear, and I am not going to let the presence of sharks influence my use of the ocean (or Gulf). That said, don't be dumb about it. If you have some dead fish strung up and the landlord shows up, don't keep shooting fish. It is probably time to take your catch back to the boat (with the gun still locked and loaded) and go somewhere else. If you don't dive because of sharks, you are going to spend a lot of time on dry land.

[Letrappes]

Well I finally experienced my first shark sighting while diving last week. I've been out spearing a number of times now and the only time I ever dove without the gun was when the sharks showed up. They must be afraid of me with a gun. Everything else in the water is if i'm not aiming at it.

[Aucilla]

I want to thank all of you for responding. This, as I said, was my first post here; and the response has been gratifying.

I agree, we have to swim with sharks if we go in salt water, and that is the place to go! There is no point being paranoid or frozen with concern for the rare and unusual; and if we see 'em, the odds are slim there will be more than a mutual look.

I am for taking careful chances or I wouldn't be doing this! We are SO lucky to be able to see what we see as divers! We just have to take calculated risks to have the experiece! This was so well said by some of you.

And thank you for the special welcomes, too! Sorry my silly little fishing web site is down, but it will be back up. In the meantime,
I can't wait to learn and do more! This a place to get maybe both of those going!

[kitefisherman]

Aucilla:

First: Welcome! I used to hunt deer outside Monticello in Jefferson County. Your screen name brings back memories.

Second: Sharks can show up at the damnest times, whether you have fish or not. They are not predictable, but the attitude with which you deal with them can often apparently determine their subsequent behavior. There is wealth of anectdoctal experience on how to deal with sharks in the previous posts on this board. Although nothing here can guarantee how a sharkwill act in the future, I think and hope that it will be useful to you in your inevitable confrontations with these predators. It is just something that we have to live with when we venture into the ocean.

[Dive Ranger]

Hey Aucilla, I don't claim to know jack about sharks, but there's a wealth of info on this board that's made me more comfortable.

Check out:
http://www.spearboard.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=7988

This entire thread is chock full o' info.

[GrumpyDre]

Welcome to the board..
I recently had the chance to dive with sharks on a shark feed in the Bahamas. It was amazing to me to see the diffreence in the attitude and behavir of the sharks. First they were gliding, smooth and graceful, onec the fish hit the water the whole scene changed. Their pectorals dropped, their backs hunched, and their movements became jumpy and erratic as they began to feed and bid for position and territory. After the feed they returned to their graceful selves as their bodies flattened out. We were then allowed to swim freely among them without incident. One of the most unforgettable experiences of my life.
Had three black tip reef sharks swim within 2-3 feet of me...
"Fins to the left, fins to the right" and one overhead.
Awesome feeling....

[Marcus]

Supporting the shark feeding industry is a bad idea and not liked by the spearfishing community. The reasons are the same as why feeding bears in the woods isn't allowed. Feeding sharks shouldn't be allowed either. How would you have liked to be in the water with these sharks with a stringer full of fish hanging off your side? I'm not attacking you here, just trying to inform you. Sharing the experience is fine, but putting it in a good light to other people only promotes the industry.

[PatMyGreen]

There have been several incidents where divers have been attacked by sharks in recent years, when they dove in waters close to where such feeds have been going on. Some have been fatal. I remember a thread on this topic not so long ago when someone mentioned that guy that had his leg removed via bull shark while swimming (in the Bahamas) unbeknown to him in the vacinity of a favorie spot of one of those kind of Dive operators.

It is illegal here for a good reason, and while they are awesome creatures to behold, feeding them is just one more way people are going to use them to make a buck at the expense of the animals and of the safety of others.

[Double Down]

Roger that on the no-feed. I hate even seeing those shows on the Discovery channel and such. They really do their best to put a positive spin on it, I just don't see it that way.

[fishnfool13]

This year seems to be a good year for sharks . Everyone I have talked to in the past week said they saw sharks on every dive . Last year I saw very few all summer long . I know of another Mako being caught within 2 miles of the beach last week . It was about 400lbs .

[PatMyGreen]

Please stop telling me aout the Damn Mako's almost in the shore break, it makes uh ...my girlfriend...yeah... girlfriend, nervous!

[Marcus]

Your girlfriend is a pussy!
:D

[PatMyGreen]

Yes she is. Bullsharks-no problem, Blacktips-no problem, Reef sharks-no problem, Makos and White sharks I am a ..... rather SHE is one big pussy!

[Marcus]

Leave the bitch home. ;)

[Letrappes]

That's what I keep telling him.

[goindowner]

Aucilla.
DON'T WORRY AS MUCH AS YOUR FRIEND. I HAVE DOVE IN THIS AREAFOR 24 YEARS WITH ONLY ACOUPLE OF SHARK ENCOUNTERS THAT MADE ME UNCOMFORTABLE. NOTHING THAT THE POWERHEAD COULD NOT HANDLE. ITAKE IT JUST FOR INSURANCE.