How to Catch Shark in the Southeast Atlantic
The short answer
Shark in the Southeast Atlantic hold on the surf, nearshore reefs, inlets and passes. They peak Apr–Sep. Start with cut bait (bloody): Oily cut bait (mullet, bluefish, ladyfish) on a circle hook, on the bottom — blood in the water is the whole draw. Best on incoming/high pushes them onto the beach and into the inlets. Dusk into night, and any time the bait is thick.
When Shark bite in the Southeast Atlantic
Warm months, thick in the surf and inlets May–Sep
| January | February | March | April | May | June | July | August | September | October | November | December |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
off | off | around | peak | peak | peak | peak | peak | peak | around | around | off |
What to throw for Shark
Best first. The retrieve matters more than the lure, so each one says how to work it.
- Cut bait (bloody) — Oily cut bait (mullet, bluefish, ladyfish) on a circle hook, on the bottom — blood in the water is the whole draw.
- Whole fish — Half or whole fresh fish on a heavier rig for the bigger sharks.
Where to find them
Look for the surf, nearshore reefs, inlets and passes, piers and jetties.
Fresh, bloody cut bait on the bottom at dusk on an incoming tide finds sharks off the beach or in an inlet. Know your species before keeping — many are protected. Heavy gloves, long pliers, quick release.
Tide and timing
Incoming/high pushes them onto the beach and into the inlets
Dusk into night, and any time the bait is thick
Tackle
Heavy surf/conventional · 50–80 lb · wire or heavy-mono bite leader · circle hooks
Check the regulations
Size and bag limits change by state and by season, and they change more often than any article gets updated. Check your state agency before you keep anything.
Sounder links the right state agency for wherever you drop a pin, and flags a fish that’s out of slot as you log it.