How To Catch Bonnethead Sharks On Artificial Shrimp
- By: Tony Acevedo
- on
When you think of catching sharks, what type of bait do you envision?
Bloody, smelly, oily fish, right?
Well, in this video, you’re going to learn how to catch bonnethead sharks on artificial lures.
It’s not always easy, but if you take the right steps to get them in a hungry mood, you can definitely make it happen.
Check out the video below to see some fun fish-catching footage, and learn how to catch sharks on artificial lures!
Catching Sharks On Artificials [VIDEO]
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We were down in the Keys hunting for barracuda when we stumbled upon a bunch of bonnethead sharks.
Now, we could’ve just started pitching lures to them, and we might have been successful, but to increase our odds of catching them, we first tossed out a bunch of dead shrimp to get them into a feeding frenzy.
After we did that, we tossed out a couple of dead shrimp on a hook and had some fun catching them that way.
Then, it was time for the test — will bonnetheads hit an artificial lure?
Yes!
I landed a nice bonnethead on the Power Prawn, and it was a blast hearing that drag scream as I wrangled in the feisty shark.
Now, if you want to catch sharks on artificial lures, keep this in mind — it can take a few tries.
I had some sharks ignore it, some chase it down then snub it, some hit it then spit it, and then, finally, I landed some.
Just like any other species, the more sharks you get your lure in front of, the better chance you have of catching them.
Conclusion
Live bait fishing is fun, but there’s just something about catching a fish on a little piece of plastic that’s so much more fun!
If you want to catch sharks on artificial lures, it’s best to chum and get them in a feeding frenzy first, then get your lure in front of as many sharks’ faces as possible.
You can get the Power Prawn, the shrimp lure I was using in this video, here:
And if you’re in the Keys and want to go out with Capt. Hollywood and his crew, you can find them at FloridaKeysFunFishing.com.
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Hi Salt strong fam,
Not trying to be a negative Nancy here, but not sure how I feel about the targeting of shark species from a conservation standpoint. Although there are no data on bonnetheads (there is a current ongoing study investigating post-catch survival for this species), most members of the hammerhead family have a >90% post-release mortality rate. Not so much from low oxygen from being out of the water, but more so from hyper-oxygenation from re-entering the water after a period of high stress that creates lethal concentrations of toxic reactive oxygen species or free radicals that their bodies can’t process. As you know, sharks are some of the most imperiled animals on the planet and are the cornerstones of healthy ecosystems. Shark encounters are obviously bound to happen when fishing, but by minimizing these encounters from what we can control, we ensure healthy ecosystems and fisheries for the future. Nothing but the utmost respect for what you guys do and especially all the awesome conservation education which I believe is making a huge difference and is truly amazing. Just simply adding my two cents in my humble opinion from someone who studies fish physiology. Thanks for hearing me out!
Hi Tony
I enjoyed talking to you about the one I caught in Ft Pierce that was about 5ft long! Thank you for all your amazing advise!
Thanks for the video Tony. I was wondering if you had any tips or considerations for getting the hook out of the sharks mouth. Anything different than any other toothy fish? Seems like the guide had a good system but I couldn’t see exactly what he was doing.
For the small sharks we just grab them right behind the head above the gills. It can definitely help to have a long de-hooker to keep the fingers away from the business end of the shark. For the larger species you would typically just cut the leader as close to their mouth as you safely can. Better to lose a rig than a finger!
That was fun to watch Tony! Thanks for taking the time to post this one. I just got my first pack of Power Prawns and I see Bonnethead’s all the time. Gotta keep some frozen shrimp handy and give this a try next time. Seriously looks like fun!
Thanks Guy! It was definitely a blast catching them!
Bonnethead sharks are very common in the keys when fishing from bridges in the keys. They put up a nice fight
Fun to catch for sure!
Tony, Did you clean and eat the Bonnethead sharks? We have caught them before with a local captain who knows how to clean them. They are actually good eating. Fun video. Thank you, Tom W.,, Naples, Fl.
Hey Tom!
We didn’t keep any but we caught probably 10 of them. I have heard they can be pretty good to eat.
Hell yeah Tony! Amazing catches! Love catching Bonnet Heads and they taste great too! I can vouch of how delicious those sharks meats are as long as you bleed and gut them after catching them. I put them up there as one of my favorite fish too eat. Can’t wait for Friday afternoon…I’ll be down there as well to catch some slammers!
Thanks Franklin! I’ll have to keep that in mind next time I have never eaten one before. Good luck on your trip down there!