UTERBonnethead shark fishing in Mississippi & Alabama Coast
In Mississippi & Alabama Coast, bonnethead shark peak May–September and are around April–October, according to Fish Scouter's month-by-month season calendar. June: Bonnetheads in the Sound.
No note for October — see the months around it.
Bonnethead shark in Mississippi & Alabama Coast, month by month
- JanuaryNot here
- FebruaryNot here
- MarchNot here
- AprilArriving
- MayPeak
- JunePeakBonnetheads in the Sound.
- JulyPeak
- AugustPeak
- SeptemberPeak
- OctoberLeaving
- NovemberNot here
- DecemberNot here
Where to fish bonnethead shark near Bay St. Louis, Gulfport, Biloxi
The Mississippi Sound behind Cat, Ship, Horn and Petit Bois islands, the Biloxi Marsh to the west, Mobile Bay and the Mobile–Tensaw Delta, the Dauphin Island bridge and causeway, Perdido Bay and the Alabama beaches — with the world's biggest artificial-reef zone just offshore of Orange Beach.
Fish Scouter charts 36 grass flat, 1 pass / inlet spots in the Mississippi Sound & Mobile Bay map area — the kinds bonnethead shark hold on.
What to use for bonnethead shark
- Live shrimpUnder a popping cork or free-lined, hooked under the horn on a #1 to 2/0 circle hook; on a jig head for the bottom. The universal inshore bait.
- Blue crabsWhole and small for permit and tarpon; halved or quartered on the bottom for black drum, redfish and cobia.
- Finger mulletLip-hooked on a 2/0 to 4/0 circle hook and free-lined, or on a fish-finder rig in the surf. Cut mullet on the bottom for redfish and drum.
- Leader20–40 lb fluorocarbon
- Hook#1–4/0
- Jig head1/8–1/2 oz
- Braid10–30 lb
Feeds in 68–90°F water, best at 74–86°F.
Questions anglers ask
When is the best time to catch bonnethead shark in Mississippi & Alabama Coast?
Peak season is May–September. Bonnethead shark are in Mississippi & Alabama Coast April–October. June: Bonnetheads in the Sound.
Where do bonnethead shark hold in Mississippi & Alabama Coast?
Look on grass flat, channel edge, pass / inlet, beach / surf — around Bay St. Louis, Gulfport, Biloxi, Ocean Springs, Pascagoula, Dauphin Island.
What is the best bait for bonnethead shark in Mississippi & Alabama Coast?
Live bait: live shrimp, blue crabs, finger mullet. Live shrimp: Under a popping cork or free-lined, hooked under the horn on a #1 to 2/0 circle hook; on a jig head for the bottom. The universal inshore bait. Tackle: leader 20–40 lb fluorocarbon, hook #1–4/0, jig head 1/8–1/2 oz, braid 10–30 lb.
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All about bonnethead shark · Mississippi Sound & Mobile Bay, the whole year