shark fishing from piers

[beaver825]

I was wondering what would be good bait for leopard sharks or any other sharks that frequent close to shore in so cal. i was looking for any tips. what kind of rigging i should use and how should i bait the hook. thanks for the help guys would love to land a nice size shark. its a dream of mine to catch a nice size shark.

[DockRat]

Kinda tough landing a 'nice sized' one on a pier. You need a hoopnet or beach landing for a nice sized one or a pier gaff if you want to keep it. Squid, mackeral fillet will work for leopards or smoothounds.

Rigging depends on how big of shark you want to target. You can catch them on 4 lb test to 60 lb or more.
http://i1221.photobucket.com/albums/dd480/sr3grappler/surf%20fishing%202010/201010-28sandshark.jpg
http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m27/srlandreneau/76796ca29643.jpg

It's ok to put your finger in the baby sharks mouth for a pic and bragging rights.
' Yeah, I catch sharks and stick my finger in thier mouth and let them chew on me '
' Want to see a pic '

http://i384.photobucket.com/albums/oo281/tyler1994_ns/stuff058.jpg

There were 7 authenticated unprovoked shark attacks reported from the Pacific Coast of North America during 2010. There were 5 attacks (1 fatal) from California and 2 from Oregon. The attacks were distributed in the following months; July (2), August (2), September (1) and October (2). From 2000 to the present, of 56 total reported shark attacks, 28 (50%), occurred during the months August (10), September (8), or October (10). If we use the Southern Santa Barbara County line as a division between Southern and Central California, 1 of the reported attacks occurred in Southern California with the remaining 4 north of the division line. Both Oregon shark attack locations were about midway between the California and Washington borders at Winchester Bay and the Siuslaw River. Activities of the victims were; 3 Surfing, 2 Kayaking, 1 Paddle-Boarder, and 1 Boogie Boarder (fatal). The Great White Shark, Carcharodon carcharias, was positively identified or highly suspect in all 7 of the attacks.

http://www.sharkresearchcommittee.com/pacific_coast_shark_news.htm

[smokehound]

It really depends on what the sharks are eating.. match the hatch...

A good bait for large sharks is a nice big fat golfball-sized roe-laden sandcrab, A fresh-cut surfperch, fresh, bloody mackerel strip, or the entire contents of a jumbo-california mussel.

You're better off targeting them from one of the jetties, that way you wont need an umbrella-net. If you grab a Leo by the nose, it goes limp.

[beaver825]

thanks a lot for the advice i will keep it in mind when i go fishing again. i figured live bait or fresh bait would work best. looks like i am going fishing for mackerel and hunting some sand crabs. i figured it would be kinda of hard on the pier but i was hoping it was possible. looks like i will have to hit up the jetties and the surf.

[smokehound]

thanks a lot for the advice i will keep it in mind when i go fishing again. i figured live bait or fresh bait would work best. looks like i am going fishing for mackerel and hunting some sand crabs. i figured it would be kinda of hard on the pier but i was hoping it was possible. looks like i will have to hit up the jetties and the surf. Dont count the piers out though, ive seen massive sharks and rays caught at just the OC piers.. HB pier in summer, on the end gives you a chance to catch threshers. These only hit live bait.

[5150fishn]

I have caught many leopard sharks from newport and balboa piers up to 4 1/2' in the past 5 years. Usually on squid or anchovies. I use 20# p-line and have been able to land them on the pier without a hoop net and release them. So it can be done.

[smokehound]

I have caught many leopard sharks from newport and balboa piers up to 4 1/2' in the past 5 years. Usually on squid or anchovies. I use 20# p-line and have been able to land them on the pier without a hoop net and release them. So it can be done.As long as you tie a good strong knot, I could see a leo being pulled over the rail.. I've pulled up DD batrays with 6-lb test.. But if you hook into a really big fish, like a 30-40 lb shovelnose, it wont be easy...

[5150fishn]

As long as you tie a good strong knot, I could see a leo being pulled over the rail.. I've pulled up DD batrays with 6-lb test.. But if you hook into a really big fish, like a 30-40 lb shovelnose, it wont be easy...
I agree it definatley isn't easy. I sometimes bring my hoopnet for the big leopards, shovels, or bats. But most times I like to travel light. About 3 months ago I hooked into a bat ray that I would estimate at 60# and I had nothing to land it in. A guy wanted to use his rope gaff but I had no intensions of keeping it so I wouldn't let him do it and it broke me off shortly afterwards. You never know what you might hook into out there and reeling anything big up to the top of the pier is sometimes a battle that your gear may not be able to handle.

[ToadsToadsOnly]

Whole squid works for everything, dropper loop, or double swivel one regular and one snap swivel tie it so your weight could slide up and down, 4-5 oz torpedo. Belmont pier end of the pier on the right arm left side great for for shovelnose shark, seal beach, bolsa chica, long beach rocks all hold nice leopard and sand sharks. They all hold nice shark late evening into the dark is the best time for them remember sharks generally are nocturnal. Good luck.

[smokehound]

Whole squid works for everything, dropper loop, or double swivel one regular and one snap swivel tie it so your weight could slide up and down, 4-5 oz torpedo. Belmont pier end of the pier on the right arm left side great for for shovelnose shark, seal beach, bolsa chica, long beach rocks all hold nice leopard and sand sharks. They all hold nice shark late evening into the dark is the best time for them remember sharks generally are nocturnal. Good luck.Dang, a 5-oz? Lol that's intense, I generally go no heavier than 2-oz pyramids..

[ToadsToadsOnly]

Dang, a 5-oz? Lol that's intense, I generally go no heavier than 2-oz pyramids..

When fishing the rocks i generally fish 25-30lb line sometimes the 4-5 oz torpedos or pyramids dont even hold with a good current and I wish I brought larger ones. On the pier its kind of hard to cast a 2 oz on conventional with a whole squid as far as i want to get it.