Fish for Inshore Sharks in Louisiana

Louisiana is home to a lot of sharks, we’re talking fish here, not politicians, but we have some of those, too.

Of the species that penetrate regularly into Louisiana’s inshore waters, the most common are bull sharks, black tips, spinners and hammerheads. Wanna catch sharks off the coast of Louisiana?

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The bull shark is an ugly, blunt-nosed creature that is commonly found throughout Louisiana, sometimes, even swimming into fresh water.

We have a lot of sharks in Louisiana’s waters because our lakes and bays are an important nursery ground for sharks, specifically blacktips. Nursery grounds are those areas where females bear their young and where the newborn sharks grow to be juveniles.

In fact, LSU fisheries scientists have helped people learn about sharks through ongoing research programs they conduct in Louisiana’s coastal waters.

Blacktip sharks are aggressive fighters. Unlike many other sharks blacktips actively attack artificial lures. Blacktips also are legendary for attacking hooked fish, at times becoming so determined that fishing for other species in their an area becomes difficult.

Their close relatives, the spinner shark, often feed on fish by attacking upward into a school. This upward momentum carries them thrashing into the air. While airborne, they typically spin in a corkscrew fashion three or four times before falling back into the water — hence the name.

Blacktips make nice table fare, but take proper care with them. Ideally, gut before icing, and clean them ASAP  once back at the dock.

MGFC captains and crew are experienced and cautious with all Sharks. When fishing for inshore sharks, you should know:

Blacktip sharks run from 5 – 30 pounds. Bull sharks are common to from 100 – 200 pounds, but many reach 300, and some are seen near 400. Hammerheads are a much longer and heavier species. These fish are common at 500 pounds, with some weighing almost 1,000.

Size alone make hammerheads a great angling challenge. Bull sharks are rugged fighters with a lot of strength, but blacktips can be some of the most fun. These sharks are scrappy creatures. They swim fast, and wage wild battles making for a good display. Spinner sharks are fun to watch for their twists and jumps, but are smaller in size.

Want to see some sharks on your next fishing trip? Give MGFC a call, we’re experienced with all species of sharks in the Gulf of Mexico, and recommend this style of fishing for a fun day on open water. Book a trip with MGFC now!