Every July, it seems like sharks take over the conversation. Turn on the television and you’ll find documentaries running around the clock. Open social media and your feed is filled with drone footage, beach sightings and photos of anglers holding sharks of every shape and size. It’s become a tradition that gets millions of people talking about the ocean, and honestly, that’s not a bad thing.
For those of us who fish, though, Shark Week isn’t just another television event. It’s a reminder of how much our local fishery has changed over the last decade.
Not all that long ago, seeing a shark from the beach or inside one of Long Island’s inlets was a fairly uncommon occurrence. Today it’s almost expected once the water warms. Brown sharks patrol the surf after dark, blacktips show up around schools of bunker, and anglers targeting fluke, striped bass or bluefish occasionally find themselves connected to something with a lot more horsepower than they bargained for. Plenty of fishermen have also watched a nice fluke come back to the boat with only half the fish remaining.
I’ve heard those stories more times than I can count this summer.
Every week while putting together fishing reports, another tackle shop mentions sharks moving into the surf. Another charter captain talks about seeing them around bait schools. Another angler sends in a photo after an unexpected battle that left them with a memory they’ll never forget. Whether you’re fishing the South Shore beaches, Montauk or the back bays, sharks have become part of the summer fishing scene.
For many people, that’s a reason to worry. I tend to look at it a little differently.
Sharks are predators, and predators follow food. Over the last several years we’ve seen incredible schools of bunker return to Long Island waters. Those bunker have attracted whales, dolphins, tuna, striped bass and, naturally, sharks. While nobody wants to accidentally hook one when they’re fluking, their presence is another reminder that our waters continue to support an incredible amount of marine life during the summer months.
That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t respect them.
Every season there seems to be a viral photo of someone dragging a large shark high onto the beach or keeping it out of the water far longer than necessary for pictures. Beyond the obvious safety concerns, that’s simply not good for the fish. Regulations surrounding sharks have become increasingly strict, and many species are fully protected. Even those that may legally be targeted deserve to be handled responsibly.
If you’re intentionally fishing for sharks, do your homework before you ever make the first cast. Know which species are legal, use tackle heavy enough to land the fish quickly, carry the proper release tools and keep handling to an absolute minimum. A successful trip shouldn’t be measured by how long the fight lasted or how many photos ended up on your phone. It should be measured by watching that shark swim away in good condition.
The other thing Shark Week reminds me of is just how fascinating these animals really are. Every year we learn more about migration patterns, nursery areas and the role sharks play in keeping marine ecosystems healthy. Species once thought to be rare in our area are now documented more frequently, while tagging programs continue to provide valuable information about where these fish travel throughout the year.
For anglers, that’s part of what makes fishing so interesting. The ocean is constantly changing. Every season brings new opportunities, new challenges and sometimes a few surprises. Sharks are simply another chapter in that story.
So enjoy Shark Week. Watch the specials, introduce your kids or grandkids to these incredible fish and maybe even learn something new. Then, when you head back to the water, remember that sharks deserve the same respect we give every other gamefish we pursue.
After all, they were swimming these waters long before any of us picked up a fishing rod, and with responsible management and ethical angling, they’ll hopefully be here long after we’re gone.
