Author: Reel Smooth Fishing Team
Night Shark Fishing
We were on a dry streak sharking down in Fort Lauderdale during the winter so we decided to take a trip north to Delray and search for some big boys. Most of our shark fishing has been done locally between Port Everglades and Hillsboro Inlet so we weren’t too experienced with the area, however we heard large tigers were biting and decided to give it a shot.
We loaded up on some fresh bonita and cuda from the charter boats and hit the road just before dusk. We put an old Triton 80W and two 9/0 senators, all loaded with Bullbuster braid and topshot monofilament. The baits were staggered and dropped in between the troughs. Man was paddling a difference up there compared to Fort Lauderdale! We had to go 3-4 times the distance, the current was a lot stronger, and the waves a lot bigger. It was something we weren’t expecting, but it wasn’t going to stop us.
The first 30 minutes go by, and a 9/0 goes off. Pulled the hook, so had to make another horrible paddle out. 10 minutes later after the redrop, the same 9/0 goes off for the second time. Again, hook pulled. The blacktips and sharpnoses were obviously messing with us so we decided to drop the bait a little deeper closer to the other 9/0. 5 minutes later, the third strike came on the same 9/0 and we were able to set the hook. Lorenzo had a fun time battling a tipper just over 5 feet. The fight lasted like 20 minutes because of how far the bait was dropped. First catch of the night, things were not too shabby.
We recast the 9/0 this time also recasting some of the other baits that were getting picked apart or washed out. 10 minutes went by and the same 9/0 got another bite! Talk about a lucky rod. Once again Lorenzo battled a tipper this one a bit longer and fatter than the previous. After that he decided to call it a day on his rod and watched the rest of us try to catch a big boy.
Thankfully the baits stopped getting picked, but the action unfortunately died down. An hour and half later and the 80w starts screaming. Julian let the fish run for a good 30 seconds, feeling the weight of a decent fish at the end of his line. He cranked the drag, and the fish is gone. We are all really starting to get frustrated at this point. Soon after, the other 9/0 goes off, and this time it’s fish on. Munoz takes the reel, and halfway into the fight the handle tightens up and locks in place. He’s hooked up, but can’t reel. Great. Julian and Lorenzo start to hand line the fish in praying that 80 Lb mono is enough to hold up. Line is everywhere, tangling at our feet. The fish starts making runs as it closer to shore and we’re getting swept off our feet. Thankfully he tired out and we pulled him up. It was a nice sandbar shark, a first for us, one of the more beautiful fish we have caught with the huge dorsal fin. He taped just under 7 feet. Nothing crazy, but a new species is always exciting.
Besides the fish, the day wasn’t going too well due to the rough waters, broken reels, and cold weather so we decide to call it a day. We managed to break the dry streak.
We Help Millions Of Anglers Spend More Time Fishing
We hope that you enjoyed this article on the Bullbuster Community. It is our mission to help millions of anglers spend more time fishing and that starts with YOU!
Tour Our Factory Below
Buy Your Fishing Line Brand Direct Online Now!
