# shark fishing



## kbgamecock (Oct 28, 2009)

I understand shark fishing in illegal in Horry County but is there anywhere to show the stipulations on how they determine whether you are shark fishing or not. I can understand if you were on the surf with a rod that is holding 400-500 yds of line and fishing with a half of a blue fish and kayaking out baits but how can they say you are shark fishing if you are just using your standard surf fishing gear with a chuck of cut bait and maybe using a 2-3 ft steel leader and your standard circle hook that you would use for redfish or for catching blues. If anyone has a link for the specifics on this rule I would like to see them. I do the majority of my fishing at night and I do use cut blue, mullet, crab or anything else I can get and have never been checked in the past ( knocking on wood) but was just wondering how they could prove it if they didnt actually see you reel in a shark. Ive never caught any huge sharks from the surf but it seems I have more luck catching them than anything else out there. Yes I do also fish for smaller fish on the two hook drop rig but I also like to have a chance of something really making the reell scream by using bigger pcs of cut bait. I dont have 100 lb braid or anything like that on any of my reels. I have 30 on most and 50lb on two of my Penns. Ive hooked some nices one that has either broke me off or bit through the line but Im not out there with equpment that could handle a shark that weighed 150-200lbs. Just wondering if anyone has the actual rules and if anyone has ever been given a ticket for targeting sharks.


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## piscesman (Apr 18, 2009)

They go by the size of the hook. If you have up to a 4/0 hook you're probably fine. Going to a larger hook with big reel and pole will attract their attention. Since South Carolina started the marine license they are checking the shores for them, licensed fisherman. I've never been asked to pull the line (don't fish for shark) but you never know. Usually "kids" that are checking and not someone with a lot of years. Good luck. BYW- Last year when then sun was going down I was ready to pack it up. Night draws sharks. More people came on the pier (not going to mention pier) and started fishing for sharks. Just had to see their set-up and you would know. Didn't bother me. Many straightened hooks and snapped lines. Good Luck but be careful....
Kim:fishing::beer:


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## oden (Jan 23, 2012)

I will find the rule and post it when I get back from my trip but it basically states that if you do catch a shark that at the moment you know it is a shark you have to cut your line. Don't know where this myth of fishing with large hooks will get you a ticket. That would never hold up in any court and it just isn't true.


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## kbgamecock (Oct 28, 2009)

Thanks for the replies. I was just curious as to where something was written in stone on the size hooks and all that stuff. Like yall said I wont be using any bigger hook than 4/0 or 5/0 and will be doing the majority of fishing at night after the kids go to sleep but I normally do catch a couple each year. Hopefully I will catch some in a couple weeks when Im down there as well. I never keep them but they do put a good fight. Im still waiting on a drum from the surf but I know those are few and far between. I will keep trying but I guess I will have to wait till my trip to Charleston to catch some inshore


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## arich_5 (Jul 1, 2011)

oden said:


> I will find the rule and post it when I get back from my trip but it basically states that if you do catch a shark that at the moment you know it is a shark you have to cut your line. Don't know where this myth of fishing with large hooks will get you a ticket. That would never hold up in any court and it just isn't true.


That's pretty messed up if true...so if I hook one at the pier I'm supposed to cut my line when I see it's a shark instead of just reeling it up, unhooking it and tossing it back?


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## BubbaHoTep (May 26, 2008)

arich_5 said:


> That's pretty messed up if true...so if I hook one at the pier I'm supposed to cut my line when I see it's a shark instead of just reeling it up, unhooking it and tossing it back?


Yes. That is what you are supposed to do in Horry County.


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## oden (Jan 23, 2012)

arich_5 said:


> That's pretty messed up if true...so if I hook one at the pier I'm supposed to cut my line when I see it's a shark instead of just reeling it up, unhooking it and tossing it back?


That is exactly what you have to do. Doesn't make much since but I don't understand a lot of laws.


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## fishfinder05 (Jun 25, 2011)

IMO it is to censor people toi what they are REALLY swimming with..


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## yerbyray (May 18, 2010)

CHAPTER 5, SECTIONS 5-1,HORRY COUNTY CODE OF ORDINANCES - HORRY COUNTY’S BEACH ORDINANCE
Sec 5-7. Fishing from Shore or Pier.
It shall be unlawful for any person involved in attempting to catch or take, or catch or take any
shark or other marine animals that may endanger the public from any fishing pier, or any beach
within the unincorporated limits of shore or any coastal waters where one may fish within this
County. Any person(s) who baits, fish for, or otherwise attract sharks or other marine animals
that may in danger the public within one mile of the beach or any coastal waters are in violation
of this ordinance. All fishermen shall release at time of recognition any and all fish or other
similar type animals that may pose any danger to any beach goers, sunbathers, swimmers or any
other person where the fish or animal is caught. This prohibition is in effect from March 1st to
November 30th each year.
A. Any person(s) who surf fishes or fishing of any type from a pier or beach, at any time of
the year, shall not fish in a manner that presents an unsafe condition to any beach goers,
sun bathers, swimmers, or any other person and shall keep a safe distance from the for
said.
B. County jurisdiction extends to one (1) mile in the Atlantic Ocean and includes all beaches
and Piers. SC 5-7-140 and 5-7-150


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## arich_5 (Jul 1, 2011)

fishfinder05 said:


> IMO it is to censor people toi what they are REALLY swimming with..


I believe you're right...
Here's a funny story from last year when I was fishing at the Cherry Grove Pier:

If you've pier fished enough, you know it's not unusual to see a few 6 or 7 foot sharks just cruising around a few feet under the water where they're clearly visible looking down from the pier. Well I'd seen 4 or 5 of these sharks throughout the morning...don't know if I saw the same shark multiple times but I did see two big ones together one time. There were swimmers in the area, maybe 3 or 400 hundred yards from the shark...no big deal to me cause I've seen it before and I'm sure it happens all the time. Later in the day 2 similar looking sharks are cruising by the pier and a foreign guy on the pier sees them, he sounded Mexican, and he starts running up and down the pier yelling at the swimmers shark! shark! they big sharks in the water! Everyone get out of the water! Well of course some of the swimmers, who were prob 300 yards from the sharks, started freaking out running to get out of the water, some stayed. A fat guy in his 40's was a little further out than the rest of the people and he was just kinda looking around. One shark turned swimming more in the general direction of the swimmers but was still a long ways away and I seriously doubt it was going for the swimmers. Well the guy on the pier saw this and started freaking out and yelled and pointed to the fat guy in the water and said "hey they's a big shark in the water And he's coming! he's coming for YOU!!" Well hearing that, the fat man wigged out and started moving faster than I thought a fat man could move and got out of the water. I died laughing...the shark was still nowhere near him but he didn't know that.


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## yerbyray (May 18, 2010)

arich_5 said:


> I believe you're right...
> Here's a funny story from last year when I was fishing at the Cherry Grove Pier:
> 
> If you've pier fished enough, you know it's not unusual to see a few 6 or 7 foot sharks just cruising around a few feet under the water where they're clearly visible looking down from the pier. Well I'd seen 4 or 5 of these sharks throughout the morning...don't know if I saw the same shark multiple times but I did see two big ones together one time. There were swimmers in the area, maybe 3 or 400 hundred yards from the shark...no big deal to me cause I've seen it before and I'm sure it happens all the time. Later in the day 2 similar looking sharks are cruising by the pier and a foreign guy on the pier sees them, he sounded Mexican, and he starts running up and down the pier yelling at the swimmers shark! shark! they big sharks in the water! Everyone get out of the water! Well of course some of the swimmers, who were prob 300 yards from the sharks, started freaking out running to get out of the water, some stayed. A fat guy in his 40's was a little further out than the rest of the people and he was just kinda looking around. One shark turned swimming more in the general direction of the swimmers but was still a long ways away and I seriously doubt it was going for the swimmers. Well the guy on the pier saw this and started freaking out and yelled and pointed to the fat guy in the water and said "hey they's a big shark in the water And he's coming! he's coming for YOU!!" Well hearing that, the fat man wigged out and started moving faster than I thought a fat man could move and got out of the water. I died laughing...the shark was still nowhere near him but he didn't know that.


The moral of that story is don't under-estimate the speed of us fat guys. 

I too see them from the piers cruising within an uncomfortable distance to swimmers and have never raised an alarm. I miss the days when I really didn't think about them and could swim in peace.


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## ChuckFinley (Jun 26, 2009)

yerbyray said:


> The moral of that story is don't under-estimate the speed of us fat guys.
> 
> I too see them from the piers cruising within an uncomfortable distance to swimmers and have never raised an alarm. I miss the days when I really didn't think about them and could swim in peace.


I'm right there with you..I was at Apache Pier fishing a few years back with my kids--they were enjoying seeing the spinner sharks under the pier leaping and jumping, I think they might have been 5-6' feet long. And,there were people in the water probably not more than 100-150 yards on both sides. The sharks didn't care--the free meal was at the pier, since that one had fish cleaning stations and I watched several people dumping fish 'parts' in the water after cleaning and filleting their catch. 

I just saw in the Myrtle beach paper there have been 3-4 'bite' incidents that are being 'likely attributed' to black tip sharks over the last week or so. And, I've watched sharks cruising offshore from my resort rooms fairly close to swimmers in the water. Most of the time, they ignore you. If you're in the ocean, that's their world and you're the 'unregistered immigrant'.  (sorry, couldn't resist that one..)


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## rabbitdog2 (Aug 20, 2011)

Shark fishing should be illegal on the piers. People pay $9 - $10 for a pier pass, another $10 - $15 for bait and rigs, some rent equipment from the tackle shop and then some guy comes along and hooks a shark that he has no paryer of landing and lets the shark tangle up all the lines of people who paid their money just to fish. Then they have to cut their line and loose a $5 rig. Pretty inconsiderant. If you want to shark fish charter a boat.


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## cocky (Jun 21, 2010)

Ive caught plenty of sharks from GC Peir. As long as they're under 3 feet (I think) you can bring them up. I brought a 3 footer on the peir last year and released it and nothing was said. You wont get anything much bigger than 3 feet up to the peir anyways, unless you're using some pretty big equipment.


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## rabbitdog2 (Aug 20, 2011)

Read verbyrar post of the ordinance it says "any Shark" not less than 3'


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## BubbaHoTep (May 26, 2008)

There isn't a 3' rule or anything like that in Horry County. What yerbyray posted is the rule.


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## solid7 (Dec 31, 2010)

rabbitdog2 was sayin' the same thing.

What he meant to write was:



rabbitdog2 said:


> Read yerbray's post of the ordinance. It says "any Shark" - not "any shark less than 3' ".


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## cocky (Jun 21, 2010)

well maybe that's just something they came up with. The lady that works there was out there when I brought it up and she didnt say anything. Glad the po po wasnt there. haha


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## rickyble (Apr 28, 2011)

Yea I see people do u-turns in no u-turns posted areas, park beside hydrants, liter, drink alcohol in their cars all the time and nobody does or says anything. Doesn't mean its legal or right. Not criticizing just saying doing doesn't mean its legal or right. If you want to catch them legally just don't do it in Horry county.  I fish HBSP all the time and last year I must have caught a hundred of those black tip pups and up in size for a couple of months. I didn't try to catch them nor did I try not to catch them, but at least on a slow day it was fun to reel them in. Somedays a fish is a fish is a fish. They eat anything when they are that size and are hungry....Walmart, squid shrimp, cut bait you name it.


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## arich_5 (Jul 1, 2011)

From what I've seen, the game wardens aren't real strict about enforcing it, not on the piers anyway. Everytime I've been to Cherry Grove I've seen peo


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## arich_5 (Jul 1, 2011)

From what I've seen, the game wardens aren't real strict about enforcing it, not on the piers anyway. Everytime I've been to Cherry Grove I've seen people reel up small sharks, take em off the hook and throw them back and no one said anything. I've seen game wardens walking around on the pier too...not necessarily watching people reel up sharks but I've never seen the wardens say anything to someone reeling one up. I think they just target people who are obviously trying to catch sharks and leave the others alone.


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## CarolinaGuy1986 (Jun 17, 2010)

If you want to shark fish from the surf, you can always try it in Georgetown or Charleston counties if you wanted to.


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## Beezer (Jun 21, 2012)

arich, you'll never see a GW bother with you about shark fishing in Horry County. They have no concern of local or county statutes at all. They'll ask for your license but that's about it. You could pull one in in front of them and clean it in the middle of MB and the only thing they'll bother with is the size. Their concern is only with the laws set forth by DNR and the state legislature that apply to the Game Zone you are standing in when you landed it.


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## zooqi (Apr 4, 2009)

Newest one from the website in the bottom of this page. 
http://www.dnr.sc.gov/regs/saltwaterfish.html
Federal Highly Migratory Species Permit required in federal waters. Recreational anglers may only take sharks with rod and reel or handline. All sharks must be landed with fins, head and tail naturally attached. Check current federal regulations by visiting https://hmspermits.noaa.gov/. 

Dogfish (spiny & smooth) 
Atlantic Sharpnose 1 per person per day 
Bonnethead 1 per person per day 

Blacknose, Blacktip, Blue, Bull, Finetooth, Great Hammerhead, Scalloped Hammerhead, Smooth Hammerhead, Lemon, Shortfin Mako, Nurse, Porbeagle, Spinner, Thresher, Tiger and Oceanic Whitetip Sharks 1 shark per vessel per day from this group 54-inch FL 
Atlantic Angel, Basking, Bignose, Dusky, Galapagos, Longfin Mako, Narrowtooth, Night, Caribbean Reef, Sandbar, Sevengill, Caribbean Sharpnose, Silky, Bigeye Sixgill, Sixgill, Smalltail, Bigeye Thresher, Bigeye Sand Tiger, Sand Tiger, Whale and White Sharks


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## arich_5 (Jul 1, 2011)

Beezer said:


> arich, you'll never see a GW bother with you about shark fishing in Horry County. They have no concern of local or county statutes at all. They'll ask for your license but that's about it. You could pull one in in front of them and clean it in the middle of MB and the only thing they'll bother with is the size. Their concern is only with the laws set forth by DNR and the state legislature that apply to the Game Zone you are standing in when you landed it.


Oh...so the police are the ones that enforce the shark law?? I just assumed it was something Horry County and DNR worked together on.


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## MBsandflea (Jun 27, 2004)

Only the County Police will enforce the law and they don't bother unless it's necessary to make a point. 

And yes, people have actually been taken to jail over it. Several were arrested years ago at one of the piers under the law.


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