How to catch Bull shark

Bull shark feed in 66–92°F water and bite best at 72–88°F. Fish Scouter's season calendar follows them in 18 waters; in October they are at their peak in Tampa Bay & Sarasota, Charlotte Harbor & the Islands, The Ten Thousand Islands & Everglades and 4 more.

100 pts · trophy at 84"Feeds 66–92°FBest 72–88°FIn season nowPass / inletChannel edgeBridgeBeach / surfWreck

About

The heavyweight of the inshore water: a thick, blunt, brown shark of the passes, the rivers and the bridges that eats tarpon off the hook and pulls like a truck. Three hundred pounds inshore is not unusual.

How to fish it

Heavy tackle in the pass or under the bridge on the outgoing; a big bait on a cable leader and a 12/0 circle hook. Release at the boat with the pliers on a pole.

What it eats

whole jacks and ladyfishstingray wingsbig cut baityour tarpon

Live bait for it

Blue runners (hardtails)Nose-hooked and slow-trolled on a wire stinger rig for kings; bridled for sailfish 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.

Menhaden (pogies)Nose-hooked on a circle hook and free-lined or slow-trolled; cut in chunks for the bottom.

Cut ladyfishA whole ladyfish or a head on a 9/0 circle hook and wire for sharks; chunks on the bottom for redfish and drum. The best shark bait in Florida.