Shark fishing season near St. Pete Beach is here! With summer in full swing, we’ve been helping people from near and far to catch these beasts!
Sharks are some of the most stunning and unique species on earth. They provide a true bucket list experience! Here are some of our top tips and St. Pete Shark fishing spots:
How Can I Go Shark Fishing in Florida?
If you want to go shark fishing in St. Pete Beach, then contact YACHTFISH today! Fill out our online form now or call (727) 433-4200.
Advance booking is highly recommended as our remaining spaces are going fast! Our private charter boats are perfect for friends and families. It’s just you and our Captains, no one else!
Is Shark Fishing Right For Me?
The word ‘Shark’ often invokes fear. It sounds scary, right? While Sharks are far less dangerous than their stereotype suggests, they are not for the faint-hearted!
If you can say yes to some of the following, then a private Shark fishing charter in St. Pete Beach will be perfect for you:
- You want to experience a true adrenaline rush.
- You want to see a Shark in the wild, surface with ferocity.
- You want to feel your heart pound as you reel it in!
- You want to fight one of nature’s truly powerful beasts.
- You want to get a memorable photo that will last a lifetime.
- You want to create memories with your friends or family in this unique bonding experience.
- You want to catch a trophy fish!
When Is Shark Fishing Season in St. Pete Beach?
Shark fishing season near St. Pete Beach, and Florida in general, is the summer! From July forward when the water is hot – which Sharks love!
Once the water gets colder again later in the year, they’re harder to find.. So now is the time to book a St. Pete Shark fishing charter.
We offer both day and night Shark fishing charters in St. Pete Beach.
What Sharks Can You Catch in Florida?
There are over 500 different species of sharks in the world. Many of those are found in Florida:
- Blacktip Shark: Timid, 5-6ft with an iconic shark look
- Bonnethead Shark: Perfect for kids, unique heads. Around 2-4ft
- Bull Sharks: Aggressive predators! 6-8 ft. Be brave!
- Shortfin Mako Sharks: Deep-sea sharks, extremely fast swimmers. Up to 12ft long!
- Fine Tooth Sharks: Challenging and iconic. 5-6ft.
- Thresher Sharks: Truly stunning appearance. Big purple eyes. 10-15ft!
- Sharp Nose: Cute, baby-sized sharks perfect for kids
- Spinner Sharks: Jumping, feisty beasts!
Want to hunt for a specific Shark? Let us know in advance and we’ll head to the known hotspots to lure in a legend!
How Does Shark Fishing Work?
Our St. Pete Shark fishing charters are 4-6 hour trips, on private YACHTFISH boats. This is not a tourist-heavy party boat. You won’t be onboard with 50-100 other people. It’s just you and your small group of friends and family! And our expert Captains.
We’ll head out into deep-sea or inshore fishing areas, depending on what’s been biting where. On the way, we’ll see tons of wildlife and other marine species. We’ll also catch live bait before the main event.
Once we reach our Shark hotspot, we’ll play the waiting game. These are great times to bond with your buddies or family until you feel a tug on your line. Then it’s action time for the fight of your life!
Think you’ve got the endurance? You’re going to need it.
Once that Shark surfaces, we guarantee your heart will be pounding. There’s nothing like seeing a real wild Shark rise up from the deep blue to come face to face with you.
We might even get our hands on some Grouper or Snapper. Who knows? But we guarantee you’ll make a catch!
Can You Keep Your Shark Catch?
The FWC allows you to keep 1 Shark catch per person and 2 per vessel. The Sharks you can bag are:
- Atlantic Sharpnose
- Blacknose
- Blacktip
- Bonnethead
- Finetooth
- Smooth dogfish
- Florida smoothhound
- Gulf smoothhound
- Bull
- Nurse
- Spinner
- Blue
- Oceanic whitetip
- Porbeagle
- Thresher (common)
- Shortfin mako
If we hook a prohibited fish, we can’t bag it, but you can still come face-to-face with it!
The FWC requires that prohibited Shark species remain in the water with their gills submerged. Our Captains know how to follow these regulations to keep the Sharks safe and ready to swim freely again.
St. Pete Beach Shark Fishing Tips
Best Places to Go Shark Fishing on the west coast of Florida
- St. Pete Beach
- Clearwater
- St. Petersburg
- Tampa Bay
Best Rod for Shark Fishing
Rods between 6-8 feet are great for catching Sharks. It must be heavy with the backbone and strength to handle these big predators.
On a YACHTFISH fishing charter, we can provide you with the right equipment for the job!
Best Reel for Shark Fishing
Sharks are often heavy and strong. You need a reel with lots of drag power. We recommend at least 25-50 pounds of drag power. The reel should also have a large line capacity. But large spinning reels also can work and are fun with smaller Sharks.
Best Bait for Shark Fishing
Sharks are predators. They’re hungry and will come looking for anything! We’ll use live bait, fish scraps and fish carcasses to lure them in.
Shore Fishing vs Charter Fishing for Sharks
Many people ask about the difference between shore fishing and charter boat fishing.
While Florida is great for catching fish from inshore, piers and beaches, it’s a totally different experience. If no Sharks are biting that day, you can’t really move to a better spot.
But on our boats, we’ll cover miles and miles of water to get to the Shark fishing hotspots.
Plus, being on a luxury boat with a Captain gives peace of mind that you’re in safe hands and with expert advice. These beasts can be hard to tame, but we’ve got the experience to make your day out on the water one to remember forever!
Book a Shark Fishing Charter from St. Pete Beach This Summer
If you’re interested in going Shark fishing from St. Pete Beach this summer, contact YACHTFISH.
With over 30 years of experience, our Captains will be happy to give you an unforgettable day. Let’s have the adventure of a lifetime! We guarantee a catch!
