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"Shark fishing is like watching the grass grow". That
was the comment from a great mate that worked on my boat last yeat.
Thanks to Doug S. for the great quote! By the way, if you're looking
for shark charter info,
I have a complete page available including tournament dates and
rates.
Well, it's a lot more fun than watching the grass grow, but there
are times when the process is a slow one. So, I like to say that
shark fishing is a lot like, well, fishing. Like any other type
of fishing, there are good days and bad ones.
When to fish for sharks
It just so happens that June water temps usually climb to a point
that these toothy predators begin to inhabit our waters in Montauk.
It's always a good idea to watch water temperatures closely before
you go shark fishing. In the early days of the season, look for
warm water temperature breaks. When summer kicks in heavy, look
for colder water among the hot, flat offshore waters. If I had the
choice of when to fish for sharks, I'd choose the last week of June
through the first week of July OR the first 2 weeks of October.
Where do we fish for sharks?
There are numerous shark spots within striking distance of boats
leaving from Montauk. These spots range anywere from 10 to 55 miles
from the point. The most important things about your location are
structure and water temperature. A structure can be a rise or dip
in the sea floor. Since shark fishing is normally drift fishing,
chart your drift, based on wind and tide, to follow the edges of
the structure you choose. From Montauk, there are excellent shark
fishing spots to the east, southeast, south and southwest.
What to bring on a shark fishing trip?
When chumming for sharks (most popular) your gear should be able
to handle a fish over 300 lbs. It is not uncommon to hook into a
shark that exceeds this weight. Whatever gear you choose and depending
on wind and tide, you should fish with 3 - 5 baits in the water.
That means, you will need just as many rod/reel setups. I recommend
the following tackle:
Rod: 50 to 80 lb. class
rod
Reel: Penn Senator 9/0 or higher
Reel: Penn International 50 or 80
Fishing Line: 80 - 100 lb. Mono
Hooks: 12/0
Leaders: 12 ft., 200 lb. test wire
Gaff
Flying Gaff |
Quality Wire Cutters
Balloons or floats
Chum Bags
EzTwist - Dubrow
Tail Rope: 7ft with secured loop
Tag stick and tags
Harness AND safety straps
Outrigger or flatline clips |
Don't forget bait and chum:
