How to catch Sandbar shark

Sandbar shark feed in 62–86°F water and bite best at 68–80°F. Fish Scouter's season calendar follows them in 3 waters.

90 pts · trophy at 72"Feeds 62–86°FBest 68–80°FIn season nowBeach / surfPass / inletArtificial reef

About

The tall-finned brown shark of the winter beaches, the one the surf anglers catch off the Panhandle and the East Coast when the water cools. Protected — release.

How to fish it

A big chunk on the bottom off the beach in winter, on cable and a circle hook. Release in the wash.

What it eats

cut bonito and mulletbluefishstingray

Live bait for it

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.

Bonito (cut)Whole on cable for tiger and bull sharks; fillets and chunks on the bottom for grouper and snapper; strips trolled for wahoo.

What to fish it with

the sizes that fish it

Leader80–150 lb mono

Hook8/0–16/0

Braid65–150 lb

The rule

not confirmed here

Prohibited from harvest — catch-and-release only; confirm at MyFWC.

The current rule →

Where it is, month by month

PPeakSSpawningAArriving·AroundLLeaving

South Atlantic

The Lowcountry

The Southern Outer Banks & Cape Fear

The Outer Banks

Open the app for today's read