Beach sharks...

Based on all the shark bites/attacks and close encounters on the East coast this year, fingers crossed we have a good week catching them.  T minus a week and on our way.  
Trying out Amelia Island in North Florida this year.  Just got anther surf spinner in the mail today to replace the one I broke last year and 500Yds of 50 lb braid to spool up on it....
Still waiting on my fishbites and some other terminal tackle.  Need to tie up some more leaders to replace some of the broken/bite offs from last year.  Can't wait!  Son says he wants to catch one longer than he is tall now and he is up to 5'-10"....setting the bar pretty high.

FYI if you didn’t know. I hear the wardens check for this. If you haven’t done yours.

https://myfwc.com/fishing...r/recreational/sharks/

Seems like these shark attacks and sightings are an annual thing now. Not sure if more every year or not?

The more important thing for you is that sargassum bloom they have been warning of for months seems to at least not be blanketing FL. Pretty much impossible to fish with that stuff in thick. Hope you get into them.

Good luck Gillz. What kind of FishBites do you use? 

I found out about them a few years at a beach just surf fishing. Incredible bait. Immediately turned my surf luck around.

I meant to pack mine. No bait shop around at least anywhere I am going down here. Caught a bar jack on a ZMan shrimp yesterday. Had a few other hits and something nice on a metal. Also some striking my bobber. Changed to a chugbug and no luck. Slept in this morning. Calm today. Going to snorkel now and see if I see any barracuda near my fishing spot. Will hopefully tie into one tomorrow morning.

FYI - keep your fish bites in the beer fridge between uses. It will have them last much longer without drying out. I use mostly sand flea scent. For some reason the past few times that I have hit the surf, sand fleas are few and far between. I have went times were every step is 20-30 swimming off. 100% on doubling up the bait. Those little panfish will strip you clean of your main bait. If that happens, put on a #6 hook and tiny chunk of shrimp and catch some live bait.

Puerto Aventuras, MX. I have a 7’ and 9’ travel rod.

Not sure about Amelia, but Daytona to Melbourne are mostly flat. A few places in Southern NSB that cut deep off the beach. Regardless, the fish and sharks don’t seem to care.

Double nice on the Mexico trip.  Hopefully you get some nice pulls from the surf.
 
Not looking fwd. to the sweltering heat and warmer ocean water but the family wanted to try FL this year so....here we go.
 
I just looked and I accidentally clicked on sand flea flavored fish bites.  Hope they work just as good.  Will be tying up leaders and such tonight prepping. 
This working stuff, then running my son to work and lacrosse practice and golf practice every day is getting OLD!  Getting in the way of vacay prep...at least the daughter can drive her self to work now. 

He does faceoffs and midi/attack.  Was a Freshman last year but got some playing time in Varsity and almost enough to letter.  He was a BIG dek hockey player but loves Lacrosse WAY more.  All the bruises are his badges of honor.  He's not right in the head but, if they had it at Norwin when I was in school, it would of def. been a sport I would have played.  
He was proud to be a part of Hempfield's first playoff team ever (their program is still young).  

anyone ever use that Berkley Gulp Alive! peeler crab or Shrimp? Any luck?

I bought a bucket last august and only used like 2 of them. It should still be good after a year right? 

Funny you just posted this. I'm bored at camp by myself so figured I'd grab a bag of misalliance tackle to go through. Seems all I do anymore. Ended up being another bag of salt Gulp smh. Least it wasn't their Catfish stink stuff.

 

Yeah - I have one of those little bottles. 

I've yet to catch anything on em, but they look good and should catch something. 

I doubt either of those would work very well, casted out sitting on the bottom without action. I might have tried gulp shrimp that way before, possibly if sick of casting and no takes. I definitely tried gulp sand fleas that way and not a nibble. Found some live ones and bite within 10 minutes. I’m pretty sure gulp uses the same sauce for minnow, crab, shrimp, etc. I don’t think it is nearly as real of a scent as fish bites/fish gum is. Those have absolutely no visual similarities to what they are supposed to be, but saltwater fish seem to love them. I tried them in freshwater without a bite. Although, I wouldn’t doubt they work in some situations. So, if cast and sand spike fishing, fish bites/fish gum is by far the way to go on artificial.

Have a project in the works in NJ…. Doubt that it will hold off long enough for fall striper action.

DeadGator401
anyone ever use that Berkley Gulp Alive! peeler crab or Shrimp? Any luck?

I bought a bucket last august and only used like 2 of them. It should still be good after a year right? 

The Gulp mantis shrimp and ghost shrimp are more productive than the regular shrimp for me. Really like the 3” and 4” swim mullet too. Have caught reds, speckled trout, flounder, black drum, small sharks, whiting, mangrove snapper, bluefish and sheepshead with em. Never used the crabs.

Channel cats in the Shenango River below Pymy dam love Gulp shrimp too. The swim mullet/minnow grubs in white are fantastic for walleyes, musky, and smallmouth.

They last a long time as long as they’re sealed up and remain in the juice. What you bought a year ago should be just fine.

A couple years ago, I started looking for storage options so Gulp juice didn’t leak from the packs all over my tackle bag or in the car. Best solution I’ve found is a waterproof phone case.

Catching a mixed bag of small stuff...whiting, pompano (too small), bluefish, pup blacktip, hard heads and gafftops. Made some friends with some newbie fisherman and they gave me some ladyfish and a small jack they caught. Good shark bait. Two nights ago my son landed a nice sized 4.5 footer (on a chunk of ladyfish). I think it was a finetooth but it was at night and I wanted to get it back in the water. Last night, had one on much bigger, that had me down to 3 wraps of mono on the spool on the same rig my son caught his shark on. I have a 50 yd topshot of 50# mono then 300 yds of 50# braid and another 100 yds of 50# mono backing. Reel says it has 28# of drag I think and I had it locked down and palming the spool. I was waist deep at night trying to keep from getting spooled. Got him stopped and instead of going out, he headed up the beach which was good for me to get back line but good for him too. Got my line back to my glow stick (attached after I casted from shore and set the rod) so maybe 60 or 70 yds) but he was angled hard to me and got leverage on the circle hook and it popped off in the wash. Never got to see it. Fought like the 5.5 to 6 ft bulls I've caught before but who knows. Could have been a lemon or something else but I can guarantee it was bigger than 5'. Low tide right now and my son and I swam a big chunk of bluefish out on my big pole out to the first bar to cast it out from there. Bar is knee deep right now but over 100 yds of water over your head to get to it. I am too old and fat for this crap! Son says we need a kayak. I said No Kidding....Lol... The shark he got made his trip already but would be good to get one even bigger. Tried to post pic from the beach but not uploading for some reason. Might try again tonight but down to 2 glow sticks.

snagr

DeadGator401
anyone ever use that Berkley Gulp Alive! peeler crab or Shrimp? Any luck?

I bought a bucket last august and only used like 2 of them. It should still be good after a year right? 

The Gulp mantis shrimp and ghost shrimp are more productive than the regular shrimp for me. Really like the 3” and 4” swim mullet too. Have caught reds, speckled trout, flounder, black drum, small sharks, whiting, mangrove snapper, bluefish and sheepshead with em. Never used the crabs.

Channel cats in the Shenango River below Pymy dam love Gulp shrimp too. The swim mullet/minnow grubs in white are fantastic for walleyes, musky, and smallmouth.

They last a long time as long as they’re sealed up and remain in the juice. What you bought a year ago should be just fine.

A couple years ago, I started looking for storage options so Gulp juice didn’t leak from the packs all over my tackle bag or in the car. Best solution I’ve found is a waterproof phone case.

Mantis shrimp you say? I'll have to check it out and see if i can find some. 

I'm planning for a late summer beach trip in Virginia. Likely some pier action a few nights but mostly Surf. 
Will be sure to bring the FishBites. 

@pork I've seen those Skinner videos. Dude's a jedi. Any of you guys ever use the Diamond Jigs? I think they're called Diamond Jigs. Just big elongated weights, with hooks on em and some flash. I saw a video of surf fisherman using em, no luck though. 

My son managed to pull in a 3.5' Atlantic sharpnose shark last night right before we pulled lines at 11pm. After 18 holes of golf in the heat yesterday and all the fishing, he and I both wore out. He said can we skip fishing today and just relax at the beach??? Lol.. .I was on board with that plan! He got his first legit birdie on a hard ocean course yesterday too so he's had a good week. His new clubs are being delivered today or tomorrow so he gets to try those out after work on Sunday. He's living the dream .