Sharks & Rays

Spinner shark

Tiburón girador

Carcharhinus brevipinna

Saltwater

At a glance

Typical size

4–6 ft.

Depth

Surf to 100 ft.

Best time

Dusk and night are prime.

Found in

9 areas

Spot it, size it up and learn its habits.

Identification: Slender gray shark with a pointed snout and black tips on most fins (the anal fin tip is black, unlike a blacktip's). Famous for spinning leaps.
Typical size: 4–6 ft.
Maximum size: About 9 ft.
Diet: Fish, rays, crabs and squid.
Behavior: Cruises beaches, passes, flats and reefs, often following bait and the smell of chum.

Where, when and how deep to look.

Where to find it: Found from Florida Atlantic Coast, Florida Gulf Coast, South Florida & Keys, Northern Gulf (AL–TX), Mexico Gulf Coast, Bahamas & Turks and Caicos, Cuba, Georgia & South Carolina and North Carolina. Beaches and nearshore water, often following mullet and menhaden runs.
Habitat: Beaches and nearshore water, often following mullet and menhaden runs.
Depth: Surf to 100 ft.
Fishing depth: From waist-deep surf to reef edges and channels.
Best season: All year in South Florida; spring and summer are busiest along the Gulf.
Best time: Dusk and night are prime.
Best tides: Moving water in passes and along beaches.
Best weather / conditions: Fishable in most conditions you can handle safely.

What to tie on and what to throw.

Best bait: Cut or live mullet, menhaden and bonito.
Best artificial lures: Will hit big spoons and plugs in bait schools.
Tackle setup: Heavy spinning or conventional, 50–80 lb class.
Hook size: 10/0–16/0 non-stainless, non-offset circle hooks (required when shark fishing in Florida and federal waters with natural bait).
Line: 50–80 lb braid or mono.
Leader: Wire or heavy cable leader longer than the shark.

The rod, reel, line and lures BigJoe would use.

As an Amazon Associate, BigJoe earns from qualifying purchases. It costs you nothing extra and helps keep this guide free.

Step by step, from first cast to landing.

Go where it lives: Beaches and nearshore water, often following mullet and menhaden runs.
Rig up: Heavy spinning or conventional, 50–80 lb class. Wire or heavy cable leader longer than the shark.
Pick your bait: Cut or live mullet, menhaden and bonito. Lures: Will hit big spoons and plugs in bait schools.
Fish it: Fish chunks in the surf or near bait schools; expect jumps.
Time it: Dusk and night are prime. Moving water in passes and along beaches.

Fishing techniques: Fish chunks in the surf or near bait schools; expect jumps.
BigJoe's tip: Learn to tell spinners and blacktips apart — the rules can differ.
Catch and release: Catch and release: wet your hands, keep the fish in the water when you can, and release it quickly. Use circle hooks and a dehooker.

Is it good to eat, and how to prepare it.

Edibility: Good eating when fresh.
Cleaning: Bleed and ice it right away. Fillet, then remove the skin and any dark bloodline.
Cooking suggestions: Cook fish to 145°F (63°C) — the flesh turns opaque and flakes easily. Fry, grill, bake or blacken.

Safety, rules and taking care of the fishery.

Safety warnings: Never pull a shark onto the sand by the tail or bring large sharks aboard. Cut the leader close to the hook if you can't remove it safely.
Regulations: Florida and federal shark rules set size and bag limits; a federal HMS shark endorsement is needed in federal waters, and a Florida shore-based shark fishing permit is required from the beach. A Florida fishing license is required unless you are exempt; Florida rules are set by FWC (myfwc.com). Federal waters fall under NOAA Fisheries. Other states and countries set their own limits — check before you keep fish.
Conservation: Keep only what you'll eat, release the rest quickly, and follow size and bag limits.

Tap an area to open its fishing map.

Sources & photo credits