When sharks attack

[johnny a]

It seems that there have been several sharks going after the bull reds when they have been hooked. If memory serves me correct there were 2 sharks seen following the hook fish this past Saturday and bigfost saw one BR that a shark got a hold of that was floating. Me personally I like to hang both feet over the side and I generally use my legs to help land big fish (with the exception of sharks of course), I also use them to catch the anchor rope when I am fighting a fish that goes under the anchor line. My fear is that when fighting a fish and trying to land it using my legs then have the shark mistake my leg for food. I try to be mindful to pay attention to what is going on around me in the water but sometimes it is easy to get caught up in other things.

Does anyone else think about stuff like this or am I just is it that I am still traumatized from dad taking me to see jaws at 8 years old? Do you even think it could happen or should I just not worry about it?

[Jolly Roger]

always a chance a shark can mistake your legs for food. Having your feet in the water when landing a fish is not a good ideal.


Sharks biting legs that are hanging in the water does not happen very often, if it did surfers would be in major trouble. But you increase the chance of shark hitting your leg if it is in the water when a thrashing fish is along side your kayak. Would be very easy for a shark to mistake your leg for a fish at that time.

[pdt818]

man johnny, you are talking about one of my biggest fears while out there. i always put my legs in the water to either cool off a little bit or to help stabilize the yak. but i am always afraid there is something under there eye-balling my calf or foot

[Mythman]

Like others, above, I always fish with my legs in the water and even leave them in when pulling a BR in (they often help me while pulling him in the yak). If the sharks keep being thick and attacking hooked BRs, I may have to at least keep them in the yak, when a fish gets close to the yak.

A couple of years ago, I had my legs out and was awaiting a bite when this 3 ft shark came cruising by about 2 ft from my foot and it seemed to be sizing things up. I kept my feet in for the rest of the day.

[bignate523]

i just wear my wadding boots when i go out figure it gives me a little extra protection unless there mouthe is big enough to go over my foot to my ankle then yall could just call me stumpy lol

[Wolfman57]

When I'm going to flop a big red into the boat I use my foot to give it a little boost most of the times.....

But also fishing all day I have pondered my feet becoming shark food...especailly when i look at the mullet scales/juice that is running through my scuppers....at times I feel like a floating green chum bucket.

SO hanging your feet over the boat is not the brightest thing in the world. Especailly if you are fishing in an area where seals are present..that is what we'd look like from below...perhaps too much shark week.

But given the fact that there are a shortage of seals and nobody is walking around with a wooden peg yet, i will still dangle my feet in the water attracting sharks.

[Late Bloomer]

It seems that there have been several sharks going after the bull reds when they have been hooked. If memory serves me correct there were 2 sharks seen following the hook fish this past Saturday and bigfost saw one BR that a shark got a hold of that was floating. Me personally I like to hang both feet over the side and I generally use my legs to help land big fish (with the exception of sharks of course), I also use them to catch the anchor rope when I am fighting a fish that goes under the anchor line. My fear is that when fighting a fish and trying to land it using my legs then have the shark mistake my leg for food. I try to be mindful to pay attention to what is going on around me in the water but sometimes it is easy to get caught up in other things.

Does anyone else think about stuff like this or am I just is it that I am still traumatized from dad taking me to see jaws at 8 years old? Do you even think it could happen or should I just not worry about it?

I was a SCUBA diver when Jaws came out and I refused to go see it for a long time. But when I did, it changed my attitude toward diving. Just wasn't as enjoyable any more. I have to deal with that fear of deep water even today.

[northpaw]

After watching a hooked gafftop get bisected on sunday by a blacktip it does give me second thoughts. With a hooked fish alongside I try and keep my tootsies dry. Those vibrations a fighting fish get bigger predators excited and aggressive.

[4x4kayak2112]

shark around...im on the ground!!!! J/K but i dont hang my feet overboard when fishing

[AyJay]

Wooden peglegs don't work too well on sandy beaches..

I wouldn't be too worried about it. Just keep your legs in when pulling the fish in. FWIW, a great big kayak shadow is probably intimidating to most sharks.

[Jolly Roger]

. FWIW, a great big kayak shadow is probably intimidating to most sharks.

Do not count on that. Sharks have no fear of kayaks or boats.

[AyJay]

You're going to ruin my mental safety blanket!

[Jolly Roger]

You're going to ruin my mental safety blanket!

hahahaha, sorry about that.

[Mythman]

Many of the sharks I have caught this summer, got under the kayak and I had to work to get them out. Apparently they think they have some type of refuge there.

This was the first year I noticed this trait to such extremes.

[bigfost]

A couple of years ago, I had a bull red bitten in half just as I got it up to the yak. I have seen more than one red floating with their tail bitten off, and this year, I looked down to find a blacktip sniffing my toes. However, while I certainly acknowledge that there is always the possibility of a bite from mistaken identity, I believe that sharks can easily distinguish between what is fish and what is leg and foot. If that weren't the case, with as many legs and feets as dangle out there, someone would have had a bad encounter by now.

Many of the sharks I have caught this summer, got under the kayak and I had to work to get them out. Apparently they think they have some type of refuge there.

I've had several this year that acted like they didn't want to get away from the yak, too.

[mrkm1010]

Sounds like a job for MYTHBUSTERS on the discovery channel. From what I saw the sharks won on Shark Week this year.

[FRISKY KOMODO]

This whole sharks attacking thing...this fear...this...maybe it could happen...


That's why I strap on a SOG!!! Don't judge me!

[peterpan]

Like others, above, I always fish with my legs in the water and even leave them in when pulling a BR in (they often help me while pulling him in the yak). If the sharks keep being thick and attacking hooked BRs, I may have to at least keep them in the yak, when a fish gets close to the yak.

A couple of years ago, I had my legs out and was awaiting a bite when this 3 ft shark came cruising by about 2 ft from my foot and it seemed to be sizing things up. I kept my feet in for the rest of the day.

LOL, exactly the same scene happened to me! It was a black tip about 3-4 ft cruising and that day I kept my leg all day long inside! I must have happened to more people as well...

[fishstick]

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[Parrothead]

I remember a report from the EC board. Some guy went out in a Malibu II and had a 40lb king bit in half! And then another guy caught a smaller king, put it in the boat and the blood dripping from the scuppers attracted "someone" from down below to come up and "bump" his yak!

The worst thing that ever happened to me was I caught an especially mad 7' blacktip that wacked the yak with his tail and knocked a locked hatch off the front of my FnD!

[davewave12]

Maybe not exactly on the topic but similar, I just returned from a surf trip to Troncones, Mexico. 30 minutes north of Ixtapa. Areal nice quality break with big swell and virtually no one out. Turns out they have had two fatal attacks in the last year and a half a dozen other attacks from minor to life threatening. A number of attacks at Playa Linda as well, 10 minutes north of Ixtapa.

[Marsh Arab]

Like others, above, I always fish with my legs in the water and even leave them in when pulling a BR in (they often help me while pulling him in the yak). If the sharks keep being thick and attacking hooked BRs, I may have to at least keep them in the yak, when a fish gets close to the yak.

A couple of years ago, I had my legs out and was awaiting a bite when this 3 ft shark came cruising by about 2 ft from my foot and it seemed to be sizing things up. I kept my feet in for the rest of the day.

LOL, exactly the same scene happened to me! It was a black tip about 3-4 ft cruising and that day I kept my leg all day long inside! I must have happened to more people as well...

Normally, our water up here is so muddy that you can't even see your feet when dangling them over the side. One trip this year I was marveling at how clear the water was - I could actually see my feet down there. A few minutes later, I also saw that three foot shark checking out my feet.

[scrubtech454]

Wooden peglegs don't work too well on sandy beaches..

I wouldn't be too worried about it. Just keep your legs in when pulling the fish in. FWIW, a great big kayak shadow is probably intimidating to most sharks.

I wouldn't bank on that last statement. The last big shark I caught was about a month ago. I was reeling in a small sharpnose, about a foot or so, when a 7' blacktip comes out from underneath my yak (I guess it was enjoying the shade) and eats the damn thing whole and drags me from about 400 yards out to almost 2 miles out. I wouldn't mind except my partner had just paddled back in a few minutes earlier. I was making my last cast when all this took place so I got to go for a looong ride by myself...wasn't too keen on the "by myself" part. Amen for cable cutters.

[castnblast]

I fish side saddle quite a bit, but I get the feet in when fighting a fish. I free dove a rig last week, and noticed lots of jack fish (not sure what type) circling the rig very tight. I figured there might be a shark near, but It didn't really bother me. I told late start not to chum, & I felt like I'd be o.k. That being said, a friend of mine Josh stated that he and his wife were fishing in a tandem off big shell. He said a 10ft+ tiger approached their yak, swam off, came back, bumped them, circled a bit, then left, then came back, & finally left. That gives me the heebie jeebies. That is somewhat agressive behavior. Really makes me think about investing in a bang stick. This guy is not full of it, and I consider the story 100% legit.

[T-Bart]

I wouldn't get too worried. I don't wade fish the surf because I'm always worried about getting slammed by a bull shark, but out past the breakers, the threat of getting hit by a shark is probably minimal, especially in green water. I don't doubt that sharks may be attracted to kayaks because small fish might use the kayak as structure, and the shark might use it as an ambush point. Also, sharks are pretty curious, I've heard a lot of people compare them to dogs, they use their mouths to investigate. Dangling your feet overboard is probably safe, I think if sharks wanted to bite your feet off, so many of you wouldn't even have the opportunity to see these sharks sniffing around your feet, they'd just be gone all the sudden! Think about it, how many shark attack stories begin with the victim saying, "I saw the shark sniffing around me...". I wouldn't tempt fate by dangling my feet overboard when I have a fish on though. Trust me, I'm a marine biologist, .

The only reported attacks on kayaks have been from adult great white sharks mistaking the kayak for a seal or whale. Sharks stealing hooked fish is nothing new, though. In Pensacola, I saw a fat dolphin steal a 30" king mackeral and the little boy who caught it reeled in a head! Poor kid.