Bullshark fishing tips

[Restyle]

I'd like to catch a bullshark, been bitten off by them plenty of times by them, so I want to catch one, bigger the better.
I have the gear, wire and some fresh whole mullet for bait. Kayak the bait out and place it on a drop off.

I read they enjoy warmer water temps of around 21c, river should be getting there now.

Plan on fishing the George's river

Anyone else have any more info that might be handy tonight?

[dirvin21]

A long leader fairly heavy the sharks abrasive skin with rub through lighter line and braid 

[James Clain]

Only big ones in Sydney (2m plus). So you need big gear, heavy wire trace leader and lots of line capacity. 

[Restyle]

1 hour ago, dirvin21 said:

A long leader fairly heavy the sharks abrasive skin with rub through lighter line and braid 

yup, got 4 meters of leader 

 

16 minutes ago, James Clain said:

Only big ones in Sydney (2m plus). So you need big gear, heavy wire trace leader and lots of line capacity. 

100lb leader n wire, 70lb main line. 900 meters spooled. 

[Rebel]

Good luck. Armour for your hands.

[Pickles]

I’ve hooked Bull sharks in Sydney Harbour quite a few times, but only ever got one to the side of the boat because it was (circle) hooked in the mouth. As James said, they are usually over 1.5 m in Sydney (no little ones come down from up North where they are said to breed - apparently at Great Barrier Reef). I’d use the biggest gear you’ve got, with biggest lb braid with a reel that holds the most braid. If you do hook one hold on.

[JonD]

We get a fair few sharks from the beach, mostly whalers (which bull sharks are also part of the same family). You might be surprised on just how big a shark you can land on light gear by out smarting them. From the beach where I get sharks Im hooking most of them within 40m of the sand, they will follow that churned up messy bit of water where the sand churns up as a wave rolls back down the beach. Thats the area bream, whiting and many other small fish target anything they can find in that churned water. If you mush up old fish frames and let it wash in that shore break big sharks and rays will soon find it.

Once we hook something we apply pressure side on to the shark, so its it heading straight offshore we quickly walk in either direction so the pressure from us is side on to the shark. If its heading in either direction along the beach, getting ahead of it and keeping the pressure on normally encourages toward the shore. If it turns and heads in the opposite direction we quickly get ahead of it and stay ahead even when the shark is almost on the beach. The waves normally assist in dumping them on the sand.

The time the sharks hit the sand to put back in the water would be around 30 seconds. My very small gaff is used to remove the circle from the corner of the mouth but you can also simply straighten the hook to remove it if you don't like getting your hands close to the mouth. I slide the gaff a down the trace pulling the trace in the opposite direction to the gaff which normally pops straight out.

The fact we can knock them over quickly means we get away with lighter traces and wire. Also the fact we try to stay side on means the trace rarely contacts the shark other than the short wire biting trace. My wire is 90 or 120lb attached to some 110 mono and I don't bother with crimps. It might not work for you but it has for me on all kings of sharks. Just make sure you have a quick release plan and have everything on you when you land the shark, cutters incase you can't remove the hook, camera ready for a quick shot and then get them back in.

I tried making a video of the rigs but it was difficult holding the line for my phone in a way I wouldn't normally tie the trace but you should get the gist from this.

 

[Restyle]

15 hours ago, JonD said:

We get a fair few sharks from the beach, mostly whalers (which bull sharks are also part of the same family). You might be surprised on just how big a shark you can land on light gear by out smarting them. From the beach where I get sharks Im hooking most of them within 40m of the sand, they will follow that churned up messy bit of water where the sand churns up as a wave rolls back down the beach. Thats the area bream, whiting and many other small fish target anything they can find in that churned water. If you mush up old fish frames and let it wash in that shore break big sharks and rays will soon find it.

Once we hook something we apply pressure side on to the shark, so its it heading straight offshore we quickly walk in either direction so the pressure from us is side on to the shark. If its heading in either direction along the beach, getting ahead of it and keeping the pressure on normally encourages toward the shore. If it turns and heads in the opposite direction we quickly get ahead of it and stay ahead even when the shark is almost on the beach. The waves normally assist in dumping them on the sand.

The time the sharks hit the sand to put back in the water would be around 30 seconds. My very small gaff is used to remove the circle from the corner of the mouth but you can also simply straighten the hook to remove it if you don't like getting your hands close to the mouth. I slide the gaff a down the trace pulling the trace in the opposite direction to the gaff which normally pops straight out.

The fact we can knock them over quickly means we get away with lighter traces and wire. Also the fact we try to stay side on means the trace rarely contacts the shark other than the short wire biting trace. My wire is 90 or 120lb attached to some 110 mono and I don't bother with crimps. It might not work for you but it has for me on all kings of sharks. Just make sure you have a quick release plan and have everything on you when you land the shark, cutters incase you can't remove the hook, camera ready for a quick shot and then get them back in.

I tried making a video of the rigs but it was difficult holding the line for my phone in a way I wouldn't normally tie the trace but you should get the gist from this.

 

A release plan is awesome advice & is probably one of the most over looked part of landing larger fish. Our release plan was to throw a tail rope on, drag into shallower water attempt to remove hook while other measures fish, take photo and release. very broad and a lot can go wrong. especially when nether of use has caught one before. 
Very helpful video, ill be using those knots instead of swaging the wire 

Unfortunately, not bull last night. Water temp 22.5c 

 

 

2 hours ago, motiondave said:

Ive caught heaps of bronze whalers, from the boat, anchor up near Dobroyd point, 5-10m off rock shoreline,  Middle harbour, get some Burley going and toss unweighted baits out and sit back. Usually about the 1m long mark there. I've got them to the boat on 30 and 50lb braid, on mono or fluorocarbon leader, but not via wire travel as I've not used it, yet.

I took my bro out last time late March and we could have boated 5 easy in less than an hour.

Personally, I hook them for entertainment, do I use mono or fluro leader, and they go hard and are good fun, I can usually get them alongside before I cut the line or just let it break. 

bronzies are mad fun, get them bycatch of the beach alot. nothing huge but they still pull drag.

[Larkin]

There have been a few caught around picnic point. Just google bull shark picnic point.

a 3.5m one caught a few years back.

I always wonder what happens to all the fish carcasses that are left at boat ramps. Must attract all sorts of critters at night.