Geared Up Publications

Hours of offshore cruising costs big bucks these days, which has caused many bluewater anglers to consider options closer to the inlet. One that has all the excitement and challenge die-hard anglers are searching for is sharking. From right now on through the fall, near-shore sharking can produce exciting battles with leaping spinner shark, fast black-tips, hammer heads, and duskies, toothy sand tigers, tasty thresher sharks, and even the famed makos.

“Though many anglers believe makos leave the popular fishing grounds along the 20 fathom line from Virginia to New Jersey in the heat of summer, as temperatures rise into the mid-70’s, this is a misconception. Makos don’t leave these areas, they’re simply not congregated along the 20-fathom line, and are therefore harder to target,” says Capt. Mark Sampson, a 30-year veteran sharker who’s guided his clients to 8 state and 17 IGFA world records. “Anyone who thinks 70-something water is too warm for mako might be interested to know these fish are regularly caught in the tropics.”

Of course, these open-water sharks are not usually caught within sight of shore—though Sampson says he has hooked them within five miles of the beach on occasion—and even a run to the 20-fathom line has significant fuel costs these days. Lucky for anglers up and down the coast, many other sport-sharks can be caught just a few miles from the beach, and several of these species also make great table fare. Spinners, blacktips, threshers, and Atlantic sharp nose sharks are all great on the grill, and can be found close to home.

“Spinner and blacktip sharks are found close to the coast, sometimes right in the surf or outside of an inlet,” Sampson explains in his new book, Modern Sharking. “Their feeding technique has them spinning and snapping as they charge through schools of their prey. Once hooked, they’ll use the same spinning motion both below the surface and when jumping into the air. They’re strong, fast, exciting fighters.”

If you want to learn how to target sharks like these spinners and blacktips, where and when to chum for them, which baits will catch more sharks, and more, check out Capt. Mark’s book, Modern Sharking. Inside it, you’ll find tips like this:

“The top five fish to be used for chum in the Mid Atlantic region include tuna, false albacore, bonito, mackerel, and bluefish, in that order. Maybe you noticed that menhaden didn’t even make my top five list. Because menhaden are a very strong and oily fish that’s caught in large numbers at a relatively low cost, it’s become a very popular chum. But you won’t find really outstanding results come from menhaden chum…”

Like all Geared Up books Modern Sharking costs just $19.95—less than you’ll spend on ice for some offshore adventures—and can be ordered by clicking here! Order today and your copy of Modern Sharking will ship within 24 hours. It covers every aspect of sharking, including rigging, tackle, chumming, baiting, landing, and even cooking sharks. Plus, there's a chapter that details how to mount the jaws of your catch. If you want to challenge one of the fastest, strongest, most exciting creatures on planet Earth—and save fuel costs while doing so—then Modern Sharking is for you!