Thread: sharks at Perdidio pass

Are you allowed to land a shark at the new Perdidio Pass sea wall?

No can't shark fish or land a shark in Orange Beach or Gulf Shores.

Originally Posted by Robert(Tato)Piteo

No can't shark fish or land a shark in Orange Beach or Gulf Shores.

Wrong.

You can't fish for sharks from anywhere in the Gulf State Park.
But if you were to hook a shark in your yak, you can legally land it on a Gulf State Park beach.
Just can't hook it from the beach.

Gulf State Park has made it a major No-No to do any shark fishing period.
Ever try to reason with, or get a bureaucracy to change it's rules/regs?
You'll have an easier time doing dental work on a free swimming 10' Tiger shark.

2.
Swimming, Fishing and Boating (220-5-.02)
................
(f) It shall be unlawful to fish for sharks
or use any type of shark fishing gear on
any Gulf State Park Public Beach or on
the Gulf State Park
Saltwater Fishing
Pier. It shall be unlawful to land or to
attempt to land any shark on any line
originally cast from said
State Park Pier or Beach.

Bama has made it highly frowned upon to openly fish sharks from land/pier, but not wholly illegal.
They wrote regulations that allow them to shut down ANY shore based fisherman at any time.
If you're obviously shark fishing, you better be far, far away from anyone in the water.

The key words/phrases here are,
"...throwing of bait or fish parts into the water to attract fish"
",,,chumming or bloodbaiting..."
"...any manner that presents an unsafe condition..."

“It shall be unlawful within three hundred feet of the shoreline, or on a public pier, or on a private pier where an unsafe condition is created, on or in waters of Alabama under the jurisdiction of the Marine Resources Division as provided by Rule 220-2-.42, to fish for or target sharks or any species by those methods commonly known as ‘chumming’ or ‘bloodbaiting.’

“For purposes of this regulation, ‘chumming’ shall be defined as the throwing of bait or fish parts into the water to attract fish.
“For purposes of this regulation, ‘bloodbaiting’ shall be defined as the use of blood, chemical or synthetic attractants, fish parts, chicken parts or other animal parts to attract fish or sharks.

“It shall be unlawful, on or adjacent to the waters of Alabama under the jurisdiction of the Marine Resources Division as provided by Rule 220-2-.42, for any person to surf fish for sharks, bow fish for sharks, or fish for or target sharks by any other means from any pier or beach in such a manner that presents an unsafe condition to any beach goers, sun bathers, swimmers, or any other person.”

My son wants to go shark fishing so I guess we may go out near Ft Morgan, if I can figure out where to park.

You can probably go out to Mobile Street. I've never shark fished but have heard of others going there. If I did would plan on walking down the beach away to get away from the crowd.

Originally Posted by grayman

My son wants to go shark fishing so I guess we may go out near Ft Morgan, if I can figure out where to park.

I park in the Fort's lot or by the boat ramp, and then haul gear in. Try to go as light as possible as it is a half a mile or more to good spots for sharking.
You can park on the road just before entering the Fort, but that road is washed out/rutted and has some deep sand on the edges, a pickup/4x4 is highly recommended.

I like to fish the highlighted areas, primarily the yellow but the red too sometimes.
The yellow starts about 100 yards South of the yellow buoy.

When fishing the bay side of the Point during heavy tidal flow, it can take several pounds of weight to hold a bait fast.
I've had large 2# spider weights with 12" legs fail to hold. Then you either fish very short 50 yard drops which are still in deep water, or move around the Point and fish the area of Dixie Bar.
Lots of Bull Reds and Big Uglies over there, and often Jacks too.

Warning! If you park in the Fort's lot, be out by closing or they will lock you in.
And the sheriffs dept has been known to laugh at people when called to open the gates.

Do you have to pay the park fee if you walk in from the launching ramp? Looks like a long walk. It also says that the beach closes at 5pm. If you walk in from the ramp can you stay on the beach past 5? Staying on west beach and want to make sure I have all my horses in a row before I drive out there. Thanks

Originally Posted by grayman

Do you have to pay the park fee if you walk in from the launching ramp? Looks like a long walk. It also says that the beach closes at 5pm. If you walk in from the ramp can you stay on the beach past 5? Staying on west beach and want to make sure I have all my horses in a row before I drive out there. Thanks

We've stayed past five, never had anyone run us off before/after posted hours.
Technically, there is a charge fro the ramp and parking, but there is seldom anyone at the entrance early early, so just park and walk in.
Yes, its a hike no matter what, but for Specks, Whiting, Flounder and other species you can fish from the ferry landing all the way South.
So pack light as possible for whatever you're doing, beach cart(s) are a must for coolers and stuff, or haul a yak to the beach and paddle down.

Back in the day you could fish all night if you wanted then they change the rules that said you had to be done fishing by sunset. I heard they were going to change it back does anybody know you if that is the case?