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Try Gandy For Sharks

Posted Jul 11, 2007 by Frank Sargeant

Updated Jul 11, 2007 at 07:46 AM

Dear Frank: My family and I and a friend of the family have been fishing a lot at the Skyway Pier. Mostly the south pier. We have been trying for shark mainly, but go for whatever we can get. The problem we have been running into is the sharks haven’t been hitting like we want.  For baits I’ve been using mullet, bonita, jack and threadfins. I’ve tried chum blocks with no success. I’ve spoken to countless people at bait and tackle shops looking for advice. Some has been good and some has been bad. Do you have any suggestions for bait, chum, or a better place to go?  We mainly go at night on the weekends. Any suggestions or tips would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Tom in St. Pete

Tom: Give the Gandy Friendship Trail Bridge a try; that area has lots of bull sharks after dark, in there feeding on ladyfish attracted by the lights. Best bait is ladyfish, naturally, which you can catch on a small jig. It’s sometimes possible to actually see the sharks cruising the light line, and then pitch a cut ladyfish in front of them. Then, HANG ON! Tight lines. FS