# How far do you need to cast out to catch sharks and rays



## huntin4sharks (Aug 5, 2009)

ist it 30+ yards


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## jvn11 (Apr 17, 2009)

Not too far at all. Sharks will come right up to the beach, especially this time of year. Plenty of them in the 4-6 foot range will be 50 yards and in. Rays, they can be just as close. I've seen some that are well over 100 pounds literally a few feet from shore.


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## fairwxflyer (Jan 25, 2009)

jvn11 said:


> Not too far at all. Sharks will come right up to the beach, especially this time of year. Plenty of them in the 4-6 foot range will be 50 yards and in. Rays, they can be just as close. I've seen some that are well over 100 pounds literally a few feet from shore.


Absolutely! My favorite shark setup is with a Fin Nor 9500 spinner and that reel is so damn heavy that it is very hard to cast 50 yards. If im not letting live bait take it out, Ive had no trouble hooking up with the toothy critters from a range of 15 yards to about 50 on a cast. Its all about the bait when you're targeting the 4-6' range.


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## Blloyd (Oct 26, 2004)

Been watching Shark Week on Discovery and apparently Bull Sharks will come in to around 2 ft of water. Something I didn't know was that they also travel into fresh water as well. I love Shark Week, but don't think I'll be hopping in the water for another week or two after.


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## joe l. (Jul 31, 2004)

Perfect timing for me on this thread, thanks for posting it huntin4sharks! I'll be in Corolla 1st week of Sept, and will also be looking for some toothy critters. 

Blloyd - if you really want to scare yourself from getting back in the water, take a plane ride over the coast. A few years back my wife and I took an airplane tour out of Billy Mitchell field, flew up and down the coastline of pretty much the whole OBX. Saw enormous rays, dolphin, seas turtle and some BIG sharks... and if bathers had any clue how close some of the sharks were, they'd run from the water screamin'. It was an eye opener, to be sure! Good thing that except for rare instances, they don't really show much interest in people.


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## fairwxflyer (Jan 25, 2009)

joe l. said:


> Perfect timing for me on this thread, thanks for posting it huntin4sharks! I'll be in Corolla 1st week of Sept, and will also be looking for some toothy critters.
> 
> Blloyd - if you really want to scare yourself from getting back in the water, take a plane ride over the coast. A few years back my wife and I took an airplane tour out of Billy Mitchell field, flew up and down the coastline of pretty much the whole OBX. Saw enormous rays, dolphin, seas turtle and some BIG sharks... and if bathers had any clue how close some of the sharks were, they'd run from the water screamin'. It was an eye opener, to be sure! Good thing that except for rare instances, they don't really show much interest in people.


Another Pittsburgh boy on here.............


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## joe l. (Jul 31, 2004)

fairwxflyer said:


> Another Pittsburgh boy on here.............


Yup, Ross Township here. Which part you from, fairwxflyer?

I'd certainly imagine the Banks draws folks from all over, but it particularly seems to be a Pittsburgh favorite. This Pittsburgh boy gets excited every sumer at the prospect of trading in the trout flyrod for the surf rods.


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## mdelletro (Jun 22, 2007)

Same here North Hills going down in Sept5 . Gonna target some big sharks!!


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## fairwxflyer (Jan 25, 2009)

joe l. said:


> Yup, Ross Township here. Which part you from, fairwxflyer?
> 
> I'd certainly imagine the Banks draws folks from all over, but it particularly seems to be a Pittsburgh favorite. This Pittsburgh boy gets excited every sumer at the prospect of trading in the trout flyrod for the surf rods.


Bethel Park. Absolutely agree with trading the trout rods for the surf rods. I played a joke on one of my buddies on opening trout day this year by giving him my 12' heaver for the stream! Most guys around me never seen rods that big. Glad to have some fellow YINZERS here!!!!


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## fairwxflyer (Jan 25, 2009)

mdelletro said:


> Same here North Hills going down in Sept5 . Gonna target some big sharks!!


Ill let ya know how I do with them. Heading down next Saturday to Avon. I seen the winds finally turned around, so hoping for a good week.


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## mdelletro (Jun 22, 2007)

Good luck!!! We are staying close by so leave some for us. Let Me know how it goes. 
Me and my buddy are gonna take a shark rigs up to Erie for steelhead , just to see the look on peoples faces!! If you go on fish erie I'm sure you will hear about it.


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## bluefish1928 (Jun 9, 2007)

seem them in like 2 foot of water. blacktips get within 10 yards of shore. imo beyond the breakers so ur bait will stay is good enough.


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## fairwxflyer (Jan 25, 2009)

mdelletro said:


> Good luck!!! We are staying close by so leave some for us. Let Me know how it goes.
> Me and my buddy are gonna take a shark rigs up to Erie for steelhead , just to see the look on peoples faces!! If you go on fish erie I'm sure you will hear about it.


Thats awesome. I actually did use one of my 480# 49strand cable rig in the Mon for shovelheads one night last month. I just took the 12/0 Owner off and crimped a KingKat 6/0 to it. Worked very good!


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## RuddeDogg (Mar 20, 2004)

jvn11 said:


> Not too far at all. Sharks will come right up to the beach, especially this time of year. Plenty of them in the 4-6 foot range will be 50 yards and in. Rays, they can be just as close. I've seen some that are well over 100 pounds literally a few feet from shore.


You can catch nice sized sand bar shark in Cape May Point by the cement ship. It's only about 40 yards off the beach.


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## mdelletro (Jun 22, 2007)

fairwxflyer. I would like to hear how it went..


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## Tracker16 (Feb 16, 2009)

I've caught 70lbs sharks in a foot and a half of water not 20ft from shore. They were in plane sight and I was able to chose the one I wanted to catch. Just dropped some fresh caught fish in front of their nose and hung on !!

Just remember ONE RULE...there are no rules


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## NcRon (Dec 15, 2007)

Tracker16 said:


> I've caught 70lbs sharks in a foot and a half of water not 20ft from shore. They were in plane sight and I was able to chose the one I wanted to catch. Just dropped some fresh caught fish in front of their nose and hung on !!
> 
> Just remember ONE RULE...there are no rules


Very Very good point:beer:


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## atoybbacs (Jun 29, 2009)

I've seen and caught blacktips in knee deep water. Needless to say I don't get in the water anymore. Hoping for me a big one in September.


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## fbiprez (Jul 6, 2009)

My thinking is that once you set foot in the ocean you are no longer at the top food chain, you are part of it. That being said I'm sure getting struck by lightning is more common and I have no worries about an attack but I don't swim very well and respect ( fear ? ) the water so knee deep long enough to cast my line out suits me !!!

Joe


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