# Shark in Potomac



## FISHIN ROD (Feb 12, 2003)

I thought this was interesting but hard to believe. I guess it could happen but WTOP has a story about an 8 foot bull shark caught in the Potomac. here is the link http://wtop.com/?nid=598&sid=2043383

<img src="http://media.nbcwashington.com/images/410*307/shark21.jpg">


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## RuddeDogg (Mar 20, 2004)

See............ya just never know.


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## surfnsam (Apr 28, 2008)

true! check tidalfish. if you look close thats st jeromes creek buzzs marina. chrisy posted about it


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## G-Hype (Jul 8, 2010)

That's incredible!


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## runninglocal (Apr 20, 2009)

I've personally laid eyes on one in the Wye River chasing a ray and they've been caught under the Bay Bridge in dry years. I don;t know why it's so hard for people to believe-- this is an animal that can easily tolerate fresh water and have been caught as far up the Mississippi as St. Louis. There is no reason on earth why they wouldn't be present in fair numbers in a brackish body of water loaded with cow nose rays like the Chesapeake.


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## Fishbreath (Nov 11, 2004)

surfnsam said:


> true! check tidalfish. if you look close thats st jeromes creek buzzs marina. chrisy posted about it


Yep. If you had ever been to Scheible's Fishing Center down near PLO and gone into their restaurant, you would have seen pictures on the walls of even larger sharks caught in the river in earlier years. It is very possible and highly likely, in dry years especially.


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## rarod58 (Jun 24, 2010)

This one caught was an adult male too! Hmm, makes you wonder where the mrs. and junior might be hiding.


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## sand flea (Oct 24, 1999)

There have been bull sharks in the Chesapeake longer than anyone knows. Some poor bottom fisherman caught one all the way up at Gunpowder State Park several years back. Those nasty little suckers can go into pure freshwater if they feel like it. I remember seeing that they've been caught hundreds of miles up the Mississippi.


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## rarod58 (Jun 24, 2010)

sand flea said:


> There have been bull sharks in the Chesapeake longer than anyone knows. Some poor bottom fisherman caught one all the way up at Gunpowder State Park several years back. Those nasty little suckers can go into pure freshwater if they feel like it. I remember seeing that they've been caught hundreds of miles up the Mississippi.


I imagine there would also be a resident population of Bulls in the bay. It would be interesting to see what this Bull had in it's stomach - give us a good insight of what, when and where they prowl.

Imagine landing one of these on a summer weekend at SPSP 

I guess if someone tried to rig for shark fishing in the bay, a lot more would be reported :fishing:


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## MetroMan (Mar 7, 2009)

I heard they caught it on a 2/0 Khale circle hook with fishbite bloodworm.

j/k

That's incredible though...ya just never know!


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## 1fishinmusician (Jun 8, 2005)

Back in the 80's we found a dead 4ft bull shark under the Wilson Bridge @ Jones Point


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## SureFireSurf (Jul 6, 2010)

sand flea said:


> There have been bull sharks in the Chesapeake longer than anyone knows. Some poor bottom fisherman caught one all the way up at Gunpowder State Park several years back. Those nasty little suckers can go into pure freshwater if they feel like it. I remember seeing that they've been caught hundreds of miles up the Mississippi.


They showed the bull shark in St Louis on Shark Week. Do you think you can target sharks in the bay? or do you just have to get lucky? (or unlucky if your fishing by yak )


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## supercast (May 17, 2006)

*Here we go again*

Every year we have these stories the only thing missing it should be a 2 tons great white :redface:


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## Lipyourown (May 11, 2005)

I posted some better pics in the gallery a few days ago.

Pretty sad really. What the Bay needs more than anything is more filter feeders. The bulls come in every summer to eat the rays...who are feasting on the few remaining filter feeders we have left- oysters. It appears they could have released the shark- but I'm not positive, but pretty sure. They are basically cutting into their own bottom line being water men.

The finning industry has decimated the large shark populations, the ray and skate populations have exploded further stressing the shellfish populations who clean the bay (and making it a PITA to fish with bait). It's all connected...I bet that shark used to eat a dozen or more rays a day. Sadly, most of the local media is hyping this event as something out of a movie and not educating the public on the real story here.


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## slogg (Aug 7, 2010)

I saw one last year right off Aqualand (301 bridge from Colonial Beach, VA to MD side of Potomac). I was in my 14' canoe and was fishing the outflow of the power plant. Tons of dead shad/herring flowing out and twice I saw the beast surface. The first time I assumed I was crazy. The second time, I could see the lampreys attached to it's back. Only saw the dorsal fin and the tip of the tail, but that distance had to be at least 5' or so. Never saw the mouth, thank god, because it was only about 20' away from me, in about 8-9' of ROUGH water. I had a chincy 30lb thrust trolling motor propelling me so as soon as I saw that basterd the second time, I got the hell out of the water. And promptly tried to fish him from the shore line until a cop ordered me to leave...


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## MetroMan (Mar 7, 2009)

A second one was caught!


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## supercast (May 17, 2006)

*doubtful thomas*

I have to see one to believe it not in the potomac


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## runninglocal (Apr 20, 2009)

supercast said:


> I have to see one to believe it not in the potomac


Why? Cornfield Harbor is a great spot for catching flounder, a fish notably less happy in fresh water than is a bull shark.


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## surfnsam (Apr 28, 2008)

supercast said:


> I have to see one to believe it not in the potomac


check out the pics and report on tidalfish or if some one can attach it, no bull (sorry) they brought it to buzzs marina.

i had coffee cans full of shark teeth from the beach at north beach when i was a kid, they were fossils so sharks have been in the bay for millions of years


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## nylfish (Mar 30, 2009)

*I want to see this bull shark*

I heard this guy still has this shark in his freezer I will pay $20 for a picture taking by me


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