Bull sharks in 10k

Tons of sharks along the coast of the 'glades - just as many as there always were...Bulls, lemons, blacktips, nurses, as well as the occasional hammer or tiger... Most days year round - I can get my anglers hooked up within five minutes of setting out a fresh killed chunk of bait, not one bit of chum needed (for us it's mostly ladyfish - and I want them kicking as I'm cutting them..). The animals come in every size from babies all the way up to un-stoppable (at least with the gear we use...). The good news is that up inside you're only dealing with bull sharks - the others have to be in saltwater to be happy. They'll come inside on a rising tide - but have to leave as it falls (cobia and other saltwater species do this as well...).

Now for the bad news... We've created our own problems as far as I'm concerned. The rise of "catch and release" means lots of easy meals for local sharks. Yeah we've handled our released fish carefully - but they're still limping along for a while and trailing an "injured scent" that no predator can ignore... A shark really has to work at it to catch a healthy fish - and they all live in close proximity to each other. The moment that fish is not in good condition any shark will attack and feed... We compound the problem by not leaving any spot - the moment a shark tries or succeeds in grabbing a hooked fish. The moment you hook a second fish at that spot - you've created a shark feeding spot - and most of us are reluctant to leave any spot where "the fish are biting"... Places like Boca Grande or the bridges down in the Keys during tarpon season are just a magnet for hungry sharks - and they'll get fed there - every day as long as folks keep hooking tarpon there...

Here's how to deal with the problem. In places with lots of sharks don't use ultra-light tackle - work any hooked fish like you were starved - get that fish to the boat as quickly as possible. Consider moving away from a spot with sharks before releasing your caught fish.. Lastly, simply keep moving and rarely ever try to catch a second fish in a spot with lots of sharks (your odds of getting a second fish to the boat aren't very good at all). One more thing to consider - in places where sharks are a problem - quit using the spot lock feature on your trolling motor... Anchor or stake out instead. I'm convinced that those really nice convenient trolling motors call sharks..

Pass this along to anyone interested -and I'll do the same. Like I said, I'm convinced we're causing our own troubles... until we change our ways...