TBO.com - Live in the moment

Sharks Surprise Tampa Bay Anglers

By FRANK SARGEANT The Tampa Tribune

Published: May 23, 2007

An unusual number of shark sightings inside Tampa Bay has caught the attention of many anglers over the last several weeks.

Greg Clarkson and his son, Jon, were wadefishing off Interbay Peninsula, which separates Hillsborough Bay and Old Tampa Bay, when they ran into some targets a whole lot bigger than the usual reds and snook.

"There was a multitude of bull sharks out there. ... One monster I saw was easily 10-feet long," Greg Clarkson said. "Two eight-footers came within 12 feet of me, with one close enough I could have touched it with my rod tip while wading in water less than two-feet deep."

A Davis Island homeowner, who asked not to be named, reported seeing sharks spinning and jumping along the west shore.

"One of these sharks was over eight-feet long, and it jumped repeatedly," said the homeowner. "I think it was a bull, but I couldn't say for sure. … We also saw several smaller ones jump."

Internationally-known shark expert George Burgess, director of shark research at the Florida Museum of Natural History, says it's likely the showing of big sharks so far up the bay at this time of year is probably a birthing migration.

"Bull shark pupping in the Gulf occurs in April, May and June after the young grow in mom for about 11 months," Burgess told the Tribune. "Pupping occurs in low salinity estuarine areas. Dads are found elsewhere during this time, thereby keeping the pups away from potential predation by larger males. The females are thought to stop feeding at the time of birthing. The upper reaches of Tampa Bay where there is fresh water inflow would be attractive for pupping."

Bull sharks, like many shark species, birth fully-formed pups, rather than releasing eggs like the bony fishes. The relatively large pups have a good chance of survival because they are ready to swim and eat the moment they leave the womb, but each mother delivers relatively few young compared to the millions of eggs distributed by fish species.

Burgess said the presence of plenty of tarpon in the Davis Island area at this time of year could also be a factor.

"Bulls, like hammerheads, consider tarpon to be tasty meals," Burgess said. "Particularly where there's a lot of tarpon fishing, the sharks sort of team with the human anglers, as in 'you hook 'em, we'll eat 'em.'"

Actually, there's a fairly well-known migration of sharks into lower Tampa Bay each spring, but seeing a number of big ones all the way into the north end is somewhat unusual - and should warrant a slight caution for those who like to swim off their docks.

Though shark attacks are far rarer than injuries from lightning strikes, they do happen on occasion. A few years ago a St. Petersburg homeowner was killed by a shark, apparently a bull, when he jumped off his dock for an evening swim.

Historically, there was a shark fishery in and around the Garrison Channel commercial shipping area, with some intrepid anglers using 10-pound black drum as bait to lure bulls that often weighed well into the 400-pound class. That fishery fell off more than 20 years ago, probably because of the overall decline in shark numbers, but years of protection may be bringing some species back these days.

There are also plenty of sharks around the Gandy Bridge after sundown. Anglers who tie up to the pilings to fish for tarpon eating the ladyfish and catfish that swarm here after dark often see eight-footers cruising right behind the silver kings. The abundance of food drawn by the bridge lights also draws the sharks.

A bull over 10-feet long, estimated at 400 pounds, was caught under the Gandy last summer.

Bottom line is, for the next few weeks, both wade-fishermen and swimmers may want to exercise a bit of extra caution until these big predators complete their cycle and move back down the bay to their more common feeding areas.

SPEAKING OF SHARKS: The "Grande Bite" Shark Tournament is scheduled for June 6-8 at Boca Grande Pass. Organizers say the event will hopefully make the giant predators feel a bit less welcome in the tarpon fishery there, where huge hammerheads and bulls have been taking a heavy toll on silver kings in recent seasons. Entry fee is $2,500 per boat, top prize $50,000. Leave the ultra-lights at home; sharks in excess of 12-feet long are common in the pass during tarpon season. For details, visit www. grandebite.com or call (941) 935-8454.

OFFSHORE SEMINAR: Bruce and Randy Dickens present a free offshore seminar tonight at 7 p.m. at Golden Triangle Fishing Club, meeting at Bill Currie Ford, North Dale Mabry in Tampa. Members of the public are welcome. For more information call (813) 935-3293.