# Shark bite scalloping



## Padre (Jul 29, 2016)

Looks like a teen girl lost her leg to a shark while scalloping near Keaton Beach. https://www.yahoo.com/news/girl-loses-her-leg-shark-123632511.html


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## csnaspuck (Apr 2, 2013)

Damn. My friends make fun of me when i scallop with a dive knife but I seen and caught plenty of sharks in the nature coast area. I am sure with all the boats around CR scallop grounds that it scares most away but they are still out there. A knife isn't going to stop them from biting but it might save from losing a leg.


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## devrep (Feb 22, 2009)

I've fished some oyster bars near crystal river where I saw some pretty damn big bull sharks and I could turn around and see hundreds of scallop diving boats a couple miles out. yet never hear of a problem. same thing in kings bay. scores of people swimming around bothering the manatees and plenty of sharks in there too. never seen a bull over 5 feet in kings bay but if there are 5 footers there can be 10 footers.


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## tcov (Apr 7, 2018)

I was surprised to hear about it since I’ve never heard of a bite around here. Thousands of people swimming every year up with lots of sharks so I guess it would occur eventually. Sad for the girl and her family. Y’all don’t want to see the pictures. It’s bad bad.


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

What’s the story? There has to be a reason it bit her leg like that.


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## HeaveToo (11 mo ago)

Bull sharks are one of the more dangerous and aggressive sharks. They also don’t mind shallow water and brackish water. They have been caught in my area 30 miles up the Potomac River.

I feel horrible for her but at least she is still alive.


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## SS06 (Apr 6, 2021)

I've seen a 9ft Hammerhead in 5 feet of water off crystal river....kinda scarry


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## stoked (7 mo ago)

I had a spot in 10’ just off the Crystal River scallop grounds where I would catch cobia and kingfish. My problem was 10’ tiger and bull sharks. When they showed up I had to leave. I have also never seen a area that had so many reports of vibrio. When I fish that area I carry that hand sanitizer with alcohol in it. Over the years there seems to be larger sharks close in, there has always been the 5-6’ ones. I think the offshore red tide a few years back pushed them in. Maybe with clean water the last several years they will move out.


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## tcov (Apr 7, 2018)

Smackdaddy53 said:


> What’s the story? There has to be a reason it bit her leg like that.


I think just a case of shark got aggressive and thought she was lunch. I haven’t heard that anything other than normal scalloping was going on, happened during mid day too. Freak event.


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

tcov said:


> I think just a case of shark got aggressive and thought she was lunch. I haven’t heard that anything other than normal scalloping was going on, happened during mid day too. Freak event.


I’ve been around a lot of sharks, wade fish a lot, waded with fish on a stringer, swam around rigs 80 miles offshore, jetties, swam big shark baits out in the gulf surf at night and never had an issue. Pretty rare for a shark to take a limb off out of the blue.


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## tcov (Apr 7, 2018)

Oh yeah I agree. Think you have a better chance of being struck by lightning than shark bit.


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## m32825 (Jun 29, 2018)

stoked said:


> ... Crystal River ... never seen a area that had so many reports of vibrio.


What is your data source? What I've been able to find doesn't show CR as a hot spot...






Vibrio vulnificus | Florida Department of Health


Information about Vibrio vulnificus




www.floridahealth.gov





Click on "confirmed cases" for a table of data.


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## lemaymiami (Feb 9, 2007)

Florida is the shark “bite” capitol of the world… More bites here than anywhere else since there are more people in the water than anywhere else… Notice I did not say attack since most incidents are a single bite that’s not followed up at all. Of course that single bite on a hand or foot will put you in the hospital needing multiple stitches and serious wound care. In short, we’re simply not on the menu, the bite was a mistake and not the beginning of an attack - and usually by a smaller shark. We do get much more serious attacks around the state occasionally where someone is badly hurt or killed. In daylight the most likely attacker is a bull shark and it will keep coming until the victim is out of the water…. Very bad news- the bull is number three worldwide in attacks on people since it swims where people do… If an attack occurs at night - or no body is ever found, I’d suspect a big tiger shark instead. They get really big and do prowl inshore areas at night… 
Both species can be found world wide… As usual the early news accounts aren’t reliable at all so we’ll have to wait a bit to see an accurate account of what actually happened and whether she really lost that leg…


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## Redbelly (Jan 23, 2016)

She is still in the hospital to undergo another surgery today with the goal of saving her leg. From what I read the shark came at her several times attacking. Were it not for her brother jumping in to beat the shark off.....and he is an EMT. There were other scallopers nearby also. Someone has posted a video from last weekend in the same area of a 8-9 bullshark swimming, was it the same one?


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## stoked (7 mo ago)

m32825 said:


> What is your data source? What I've been able to find doesn't show CR as a hot spot...
> 
> 
> 
> ...


The data only goes back two scallop seasons or to 2020, we just started a new one. I know people that had a family member that had to have part of a leg cut off from Cedar Key along with newspaper articles for over 25 years fishing that area. Yes it shows the last several years no case reports. Yes there have been some sad articles like a mom that lost her son because they did not post a warning sign at the boat ramp. Yes I hope it’s gone just like red tide down south.


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

stoked said:


> The data only goes back two scallop seasons or to 2020, we just started a new one. I know people that had a family member that had to have part of a leg cut off from Cedar Key along with newspaper articles for over 25 years fishing that area. Yes it shows the last several years no case reports. Yes there have been some sad articles like a mom that lost her son because they did not post a warning sign at the boat ramp. Yes I hope it’s gone just like red tide down south.


Vibrio has been around as long as man has been standing in water spearing fish. There are just more unhealthy folks in the water now and the internet has sensationalized everything.


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## lemaymiami (Feb 9, 2007)

I've been following sharks now since the early seventies (more than fifty years now...). My first jobs on charterboats as a mate out of Miami Beach were back when sharks of all kinds were our bread and butter... We killed every one we caught for the taxidermist (using a 12ga. bangstick at the boat after fighting them on 50lb loaded 6/0 reels.. Glad those days are gone..). Years and years later, about ten to fifteen years ago, working the Everglades full time, I was hired by folks at Mote Marine Labs to hunt both sawfish - and juvenile black tip sharks - all caught and very carefully released... 

The info I've provided is fairly accurate. Something to remember is that in some ways we've contributed to shark troubles in places where everyone hammers tarpon year after year in the same locations - then releases them in exhausted condition where sharks are waiting.. I'm talking about Boca Grande, the big bridges down in the Keys, and similar spots... Something to consider - and FYI, any place world-wide where an active commercial fishery for sharks gets started - in just a few years - they run out of sharks to catch since they reproduce very slowly...


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## lemaymiami (Feb 9, 2007)

PS… Tried to do a bit of research on this incident and found nothing beyond what we’ve read already…. Typical Florida- say nothing that might scare off the tourists..


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## Megalops (Oct 23, 2011)

Very sorry for this young lady! But does anyone have any additional info? Like were other boats shucking on the water? Fishing? Did the shark take the leg or did they have to amputate?


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## Mako 181 (May 1, 2020)

All I found was about a lady got bit in the leg while in the Keys maybe yesterday. 
Airlifted her to Jackson in Miami.


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## anytide (Jul 30, 2009)

1/100,000,000 chance, lot of people in the water.
If they only knew how many were there.
There'd be more scallops.


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## rovster (Aug 21, 2018)

Must be a different incident OP was in north Florida


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## redfish5 (Jun 28, 2011)

Hospital posted this…


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## Mako 181 (May 1, 2020)

Florida rescue crews: Juvenile bitten by 9-foot shark (wpbf.com)


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## Renegade (Aug 30, 2015)

Smackdaddy53 said:


> What’s the story? There has to be a reason it bit her leg like that.


That is really dirty water up there. Probably started as mistaken identity and then he was just "on" once he had some blood. 

I saw a big one last year on the deep edge of the Homosassa grounds (8'). Water was clean. He spooked out. First one I have ever seen here on scallop flat, with 1500 boats around me.


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## mro (Jan 24, 2018)

photo aerial view florida sharks - Google Search





lemaymiami said:


> More bites here than anywhere else since there are more people in the water than anywhere else…





anytide said:


> If they only knew how many were there.


I new there were sharks in Florida, but not how many till I got a boat.


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## 17376 (May 5, 2017)

My wife and I went out of steinhatchee one year and ran pass a big hammerhead in less than 5' of water. Needless to say I didn't go back in the water


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## m32825 (Jun 29, 2018)

Apocalypse Now: Never get out of the boat.


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## lemaymiami (Feb 9, 2007)

Thanks to the folks who posted additional information... Given what we know now it was a definite attack - not a random bite, and by a big shark (bulls do get bigger but a nine footer is a formidable animal...). This is also a classic bull shark attack (they will keep coming as long as the victim is in the water...). She's very fortunate to have a skilled EMT on board - many times a shark attack victim dies from shock and blood loss before any lifesaving measures can make a difference...

Hope she recovers well... I've personally handled bull sharks that size that one of my anglers has hooked and brought to my skiff (beat up old Maverick a bit less than 17' in length) and they're a handful but not too much trouble to un-hook - as long as you leave one in the water next to the boat. One bigger than nine feet is getting into the 'un-stoppable" category - you may have hooked one but after an hour or two it's a question of who's hooked who... Anyone that tries to bring a big shark (or even a medium sized shark into their boat is making a mistake as far as I'm concerned... More than one shark bite only happened after they brought the animal into the boat (or onto the shore...). Dangerous critters, period.


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## Mako 181 (May 1, 2020)

He can stay in the water.
He can have my hook or lure.

It is FREE for him.


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## lemaymiami (Feb 9, 2007)

I use an 18" long de-hooker (a long discontinued ARC de-hooker) and as long as you use J hooks it's not hard at all to remove the hook (as long as you never drop back to a shark - not ever... ). If we had a circle hook and hooked up a shark - the animal gets to keep the hook... By the way I've handled quite a few small sharks with multiple rust marks in the corners of their jaws to show where hooks were - but have rusted out... It never seems to bother the shark at all...


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## Skiff Junky (Oct 6, 2015)

Saw something about Bulls being spotted in the area several days before the attack.

From the girl's interview, this was an attack. Sounds like classic Bull.

The fact that she had the presence to fight the thing and her Brother being a EMT most likely saved her life. Just hope modern medicine can save the leg.


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## Bill Payne (May 22, 2018)

Padre said:


> Looks like a teen girl lost her leg to a shark while scalloping near Keaton Beach. https://www.yahoo.com/news/girl-loses-her-leg-shark-123632511.html


I was scalloping very near here on Tuesday. A lot of people were out in deeper water stirring up the muck to feel scallops they couldn’t see. It was kicking up a bunch of stuff and the baitfish were going nuts. We tried it for a few minutes but the difficulty and general murky water made me not want to do it. I wonder if so many people doing that got the bigger fish interested in the area.
I still agree it’s a one in a million chance though.


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## rovster (Aug 21, 2018)

Big sharks boat side keep whatever is in their mouth. It’s rare that I get one that close since I’m not fishing for them and have mono leaders but occasionally they get hooked just right.


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## fotofinish (Aug 31, 2020)

Megalops said:


> Very sorry for this young lady! But does anyone have any additional info? Like were other boats shucking on the water? Fishing? Did the shark take the leg or did they have to amputate?


The info redbelly posted is accurate and pretty current. WCTV.TV out of Tallahassee has been following and some info can also be found there.


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## tcov (Apr 7, 2018)

Attack did not deter scallopers this weekend. They were out just like normal. Me and my buddy found some in 4-6ft. Seen one shark when we went fishing later.


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## Skiff Junky (Oct 6, 2015)

anytide said:


> 1/100,000,000 chance, lot of people in the water.
> If they only knew how many were there.
> There'd be more scallops.


it's actually 1/3,000,000






Shark Bite Risk in Florida. Chances of being bitten by a shark.


Description.



www.beachhunter.net





Coming from someone who has windsurfed from the Skyway to Hudson, mostly from Fred Howard Park to Anclote Key. Anybody that knows the waters should be well aware of the numbers but in all the years I sailed, no one bit. Amazing how many sub 3' Black Tips swam under my paddle board in less than 3' of water.


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## Tarponhead (Mar 18, 2018)

At Cape San Blas last week, sitting on the beach with my daughter ( one of the rare times Im on the beach ). A guy from the group next to us and asks me if I care if they shark fish, he said they come down every year to sit on the beach, drink beer, and shark fish. I guess I looked at him in disbelief, as he repeated how they shark fish every year while sitting on the beach. Of course I said I didnt think it was a good idea with all the people in the water. He walked back, and after 10 minutes of him and his buddies talking, he got his large dead fish for bait, and large 6” diameter treble hook, put them in his kayak and took the bait out past the sand bar, and dropped it in. Not a care in the world. Of course I told my daughter not to go in the water. 
Nothing came of it, and I dont believe they caught anything, but we did leave a few hours later. 
People are unbelievably stupid. Are shark bites rare? Absolutely. Im not overly concerned about them, but I do apply common sense to situations. Chumming up an area where swimmers are is not common sense. (Anyway, why not shark fish at night? Everyone knows they are more nocturnal) 
One last note, a few years back we were a few miles off the Cape bottom fishing. A Hammerhead swam by looking for throwbacks. We would smack the water with our hand to call him, he did a pass right beside the boat. We estimated he was 18’, as my boat is 24 LOA. Turns out that Hammerhead is well known by researchers.

Be careful out there, even when swimming in a relatively crowded area. Some idiot might be chumming up current.


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## fotofinish (Aug 31, 2020)

Tarponhead said:


> At Cape San Blas last week, sitting on the beach with my daughter ( one of the rare times Im on the beach ). A guy from the group next to us and asks me if I care if they shark fish, he said they come down every year to sit on the beach, drink beer, and shark fish. I guess I looked at him in disbelief, as he repeated how they shark fish every year while sitting on the beach. Of course I said I didnt think it was a good idea with all the people in the water. He walked back, and after 10 minutes of him and his buddies talking, he got his large dead fish for bait, and large 6” diameter treble hook, put them in his kayak and took the bait out past the sand bar, and dropped it in. Not a care in the world. Of course I told my daughter not to go in the water.
> Nothing came of it, and I dont believe they caught anything, but we did leave a few hours later.
> People are unbelievably stupid. Are shark bites rare? Absolutely. Im not overly concerned about them, but I do apply common sense to situations. Chumming up an area where swimmers are is not common sense. (Anyway, why not shark fish at night? Everyone knows they are more nocturnal)
> One last note, a few years back we were a few miles off the Cape bottom fishing. A Hammerhead swam by looking for throwbacks. We would smack the water with our hand to call him, he did a pass right beside the boat. We estimated he was 18’, as my boat is 24 LOA. Turns out that Hammerhead is well known by researchers.
> ...





fotofinish said:


> The info redbelly posted is accurate and pretty current. WCTV.TV out of Tallahassee has been following and some info can also be found there.


I heard a few minutes ago that an interview with the victim, Addison Bethea, will be broadcast at 11pm on WCTV Tallahassee.


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## JC Designs (Apr 5, 2020)

devrep said:


> I've fished some oyster bars near crystal river where I saw some pretty damn big bull sharks and I could turn around and see hundreds of scallop diving boats a couple miles out. yet never hear of a problem. same thing in kings bay. scores of people swimming around bothering the manatees and plenty of sharks in there too. never seen a bull over 5 feet in kings bay but if there are 5 footers there can be 10 footers.


I’ve seen some huge bulls out there. Tigers and hammer heads too! Had a hammerhead that was every penny of 16’ swim right by the boat actually brushing the boat several years back while looking east at hundreds of scallopers! Our area is a large pupping grounds for all three and several other species. They give birth and the young feed heavily on catfish fingerlings that are also very abundant this time of year.


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## MRichardson (May 27, 2010)

From the pic I saw, it kept what was in its mouth. Most if not all of her right quadriceps.


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## Manbird (Jan 8, 2022)

That's terrible. Wishing her a speedy recovery.


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## devrep (Feb 22, 2009)

a 16 ft shark bumping my 16 ft boat would have me out of there fast


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## lemaymiami (Feb 9, 2007)

I've seen critters bigger than that... Here's a true story about the area I work in (the backcountry and gulf coast of the Everglades - mostly between Lostman's and Cape Sable..). That day, over ten years ago, we caught and released a small great hammerhead just inside the entrance to the Little Shark river in the north cove where it's relatively sheltered. It was between five and six feet long, tall dorsal, and wide hammers - but still a juvenile, weighing between 50 and 60 lbs, long and lean... Released in good order, it swam off - and got blown up about 200 feet away still in the cove - by something nearly as big as my 17' skiff... My angler was astonished and asked what that was - and I replied - a really big shark... He asked again -even more excited.... "What kind?". Since I never saw the animal I replied "large and really hungry"... and so it goes... There are sharks and other things in the dark waters of the Everglades that are there regularly - but we rarely see them - or see any evidence of their presence... I figure that my greatest hazard occurs when I'm releasing a big snook or other tasty item at boat side so I always keep a really sharp eye when releasing any fish. Doubt I'm on the menu but try not to be careless... By the way, years and years ago I personally saw big sawfish along the gulf coast - one was clearly more than twenty feet long.. just cruising very slowly right at the surface coming into Lake Ingraham... from Middle Cape.


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## JC Designs (Apr 5, 2020)

devrep said:


> a 16 ft shark bumping my 16 ft boat would have me out of there fast


It is a humbling experience.


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## Megalops (Oct 23, 2011)

MRichardson said:


> From the pic I saw, it kept what was in its mouth. Most if not all of her right quadriceps.


That is horrible! So it bit her upper thigh and she might lose her leg at the hip? Even worse. Hope she has a speedy recovery.


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## matt_baker_designs (Nov 27, 2012)

She sounds like a trooper and is already looking forward to getting back in the water. She has some stuffed sharks on her bed and apparently is hitting all this with humor and a great attitude. Glad her brother was there to help.


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## jonny (May 1, 2007)

Years ago in Charlotte Harbor a 14 year was killed by a bull while scalloping. It bite his leg off and he bleed out before he could get help. I’m surprised regularly by big bulls way back in the creeks. Between them the gators and the boars my ass is staying in the boat. I got chased down by a big gator wading in Mosquito lagoon years ago. I haven’t waded since.


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## stoked (7 mo ago)

jonny said:


> Years ago in Charlotte Harbor a 14 year was killed by a bull while scalloping. It bite his leg off and he bleed out before he could get help. I’m surprised regularly by big bulls way back in the creeks. Between them the gators and the boats my ass is staying in the boat. I got chased down by a big gator wading in Mosquito lagoon years ago. I haven’t waded since.


I agree where I fish I have seen gators up to 12’ slide off the bank. If I get out and walk the grass banks I am packing.


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## Halen (7 mo ago)

stoked said:


> I agree where I fish I have seen gators up to 12’ slide off the bank. If I get out and walk the grass banks I am packing.


Along with packing, I'm moving quickly to get loaded up and in the truck.


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## The Fin (Sep 28, 2021)

devrep said:


> a 16 ft shark bumping my 16 ft boat would have me out of there fast


Heck, I’ve had 5 footers brush the side of my kayak! Not large by any measure but pretty ass puckering when you’re seated at the waterline just inches away!😳


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## Bacon (Oct 18, 2016)

Kudos to the brother for intervening like he did. What a terrible accident. This stresses the importance of having a sober skipper to think clearly and react in emergency situations as it could happen to anyone.


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## Dave Neal (Nov 10, 2018)

mro said:


> photo aerial view florida sharks - Google Search
> 
> 
> 
> ...


You should see them from the air😳. Flew CG helicopters out of Clearwater many yeas ago. Can’t begin to tell you how many massive bull sharks we saw in 4’ of water behind Honeymoon island. Folks were scalloping within 50-100’ of bulls well over 300 lbs. used to give me the shivers.


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## Sailfish_WC (Mar 7, 2019)

devrep said:


> never seen a bull over 5 feet in kings bay but if there are 5 footers there can be 10 footers.


If you get a chance read the book Sharkman of Cortez 

people would be surprised to know what sharks patrol our beaches and the size of them


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## mt hwy (Mar 18, 2021)

I don’t think they can let go of what they bite, those teeth are a one-way non-reversible inward pointing set up. Horrifying yet fascinating - each tooth backed up by progressively smaller replacements. Micro-serrated razor sharp edges. This is from a 125 lb mako I caught 30 years ago off the NJ coast. 12 gauge buckshot in the head, and then he really got pissed. And yes, if people only knew how many are out there …


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## Finn Maccumhail (Apr 9, 2010)

Dave Neal said:


> You should see them from the air😳. Flew CG helicopters out of Clearwater many yeas ago. Can’t begin to tell you how many massive bull sharks we saw in 4’ of water behind Honeymoon island. Folks were scalloping within 50-100’ of bulls well over 300 lbs. used to give me the shivers.





mro said:


> photo aerial view florida sharks - Google Search
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Sucks for this poor girl but it's such a miniscule risk that I just don't think about it when I'm in the water. All those sharks in those pictures and so few bites. Of course, notice how all the captions are sensationalist and meant to be scary.

Happy this girl had her brother there to save her life. Heard about this over here in Texas and had to look up where Keaton Beach was located. Location and description of the attack is classic bull shark. Those buggers are so aggressive.


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## MRichardson (May 27, 2010)

How can such a rare event be classic?


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## Finn Maccumhail (Apr 9, 2010)

MRichardson said:


> How can such a rare event be classic?


Meaning bull shark behavior. It's characteristic of when they attack anything.


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## crboggs (Mar 30, 2015)

stoked said:


> I agree where I fish I have seen gators up to 12’ slide off the bank. If I get out and walk the grass banks I am packing.


I am way, way, way, way more sketched out by gators than I am by sharks.


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## crboggs (Mar 30, 2015)

Bacon said:


> Kudos to the brother for intervening like he did. What a terrible accident. This stresses the importance of having a sober skipper to think clearly and react in emergency situations as it could happen to anyone.


Last time we scalloped we always had someone on the boat performing an over watch to keep an eye on everyone. Everyone also had whistles. Can't be too careful with kids in the water.


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## Redbelly (Jan 23, 2016)

My daughter was here visiting from NYC and wanted to go scalloping. We would have gone to Grassy in the vicinity of this attack. The day before we were to go it happened.......my daughter decided we could go do something on land.....


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## jonterr (Mar 24, 2013)

The Fin said:


> Heck, I’ve had 5 footers brush the side of my kayak! Not large by any measure but pretty ass puckering when you’re seated at the waterline just inches away!😳


U like it?


Redbelly said:


> My daughter was here visiting from NYC and wanted to go scalloping. We would have gone to Grassy in the vicinity of this attack. The day before we were to go it happened.......my daughter decided we could go do something on land.....


So
I heard she lost her leg
True, or no?


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## fatman (Nov 23, 2012)

jonterr said:


> U like it?
> 
> So
> I heard she lost her leg
> True, or no?


I read a report this evening that they were to amputate today below the knee. She'll be able to use a prosthesis.


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

I’m more concerned with


Redbelly said:


> My daughter was here visiting from NYC and wanted to go scalloping. We would have gone to Grassy in the vicinity of this attack. The day before we were to go it happened.......my daughter decided we could go do something on land.....


You have a better chance of dying in an auto accident than getting your leg bitten off by a shark. You better get her a bicycle.


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## Loganaire (May 14, 2018)

Fished and lived in Florida my entire life. We dive, scallop, lobster, offshore fish, wade fish, you name it! For the most part, I am fairly comfortable being in the water with sharks. Where I am least comfortable is near shore, shallow water and with Bulls. Several experiences with fish releases and very "curious" teenage bulls have made me much more aware. That being said, I am much more concerned about getting hit by a drunk idiot not paying attention than a shark bite. I also know several people who have contracted Vibrio but also other forms of bacterial infections in the water. My old boss spent months undergoing treatment after wade fishing the mud flats with a cut on his leg. Just be careful and be aware that being in the water means you assume those risks. I feel very sorry for the girl and her family but am very glad it was not a fatal attack.


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## Sailfish_WC (Mar 7, 2019)

Loganaire said:


> Fished and lived in Florida my entire life. We dive, scallop, lobster, offshore fish, wade fish, you name it! For the most part, I am fairly comfortable being in the water with sharks. Where I am least comfortable is near shore, shallow water and with Bulls. Several experiences with fish releases and very "curious" teenage bulls have made me much more aware. assume those risks. I


Down in the keys we’ve had encounters in the backcountry snorkeling with the juvenile bulls (aggressive lil effers) and the last few years black tips. Big blacktips wanted what we speared. And made their intentions clear 
couple times we’ve had big hammers swim near us but just kept moving. One even swam between two of us but we weren’t what she was
looking for


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## Loganaire (May 14, 2018)

Sailfish_WC said:


> Down in the keys we’ve had encounters in the backcountry snorkeling with the juvenile bulls (aggressive lil effers) and the last few years black tips. Big blacktips wanted what we speared. And made their intentions clear
> couple times we’ve had big hammers swim near us but just kept moving. One even swam between two of us but we weren’t what she was
> looking for


Funny you say that, the big "man eaters" that everyone always talks about seem to be much less aggressive than the teenage reef and bull sharks. The bridges are where we normally encounter the larger sharks and they tend to stay just out of sight. Big silhouettes in the distance. Do you think that its becoming more common to see the little more curious sharks than years past?


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## Sailfish_WC (Mar 7, 2019)

Loganaire said:


> Funny you say that, the big "man eaters" that everyone always talks about seem to be much less aggressive than the teenage reef and bull sharks. The bridges are where we normally encounter the larger sharks and they tend to stay just out of sight. Big silhouettes in the distance. Do you think that its becoming more common to see the little more curious sharks than years past?


I recall little encounters in the keys a decade + ago. Now…your speargun goes off and their there in minutes.
yes to your question


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## Loganaire (May 14, 2018)

Sailfish_WC said:


> I recall little encounters in the keys a decade + ago. Now…your speargun goes off and their there in minutes.
> yes to your question


Same here. I think they are being trained that the sound of the gun means there might be a semi-easy meal. We have also seen a huge increase in the number of sharks offshore taking our larger fish. I think the sharks where always there but maybe are keying in on certain sounds or activity in these locations. I actually love seeing sharks but hate seeing them interacting with humans so much, especially when they take everything but the head of a 20lb grouper.


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## Zaraspook (Aug 3, 2017)

lemaymiami said:


> I've seen critters bigger than that... Here's a true story about the area I work in (the backcountry and gulf coast of the Everglades - mostly between Lostman's and Cape Sable..). That day, over ten years ago, we caught and released a small great hammerhead just inside the entrance to the Little Shark river in the north cove where it's relatively sheltered. It was between five and six feet long, tall dorsal, and wide hammers - but still a juvenile, weighing between 50 and 60 lbs, long and lean... Released in good order, it swam off - and got blown up about 200 feet away still in the cove - by something nearly as big as my 17' skiff... My angler was astonished and asked what that was - and I replied - a really big shark... He asked again -even more excited.... "What kind?". Since I never saw the animal I replied "large and really hungry"... and so it goes... There are sharks and other things in the dark waters of the Everglades that are there regularly - but we rarely see them - or see any evidence of their presence... I figure that my greatest hazard occurs when I'm releasing a big snook or other tasty item at boat side so I always keep a really sharp eye when releasing any fish. Doubt I'm on the menu but try not to be careless... By the way, years and years ago I personally saw big sawfish along the gulf coast - one was clearly more than twenty feet long.. just cruising very slowly right at the surface coming into Lake Ingraham... from Middle Cape.


Bob I to used to see large sawfish in the same area back in the 70’s and 80’s. I had a friend hooked up on a 100 plus lb tarpon off of Christmas Point. Just as it was getting ready to be released a huge hammerhead came in and picked the tarpon up like it was a toy, lifted it completely out of the water and shook it. Just about then the line touches the sharks back and game over.


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## lemaymiami (Feb 9, 2007)

Today we were in nice sized snook In one of the Harney river mouths on leadheads and every hookup had a shark going after it immediately… We had to really bear down on each fish to get it to the boat in one piece- but we managed. The coast of the ‘glades in summer is just covered with hungry, really hungry critters. We’ll be fighting them off again tomorrow…


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## EasyRunaway (7 mo ago)

Loganaire said:


> Fished and lived in Florida my entire life. We dive, scallop, lobster, offshore fish, wade fish, you name it! For the most part, I am fairly comfortable being in the water with sharks. Where I am least comfortable is near shore, shallow water and with Bulls. Several experiences with fish releases and very "curious" teenage bulls have made me much more aware. That being said, I am much more concerned about getting hit by a drunk idiot not paying attention than a shark bite. I also know several people who have contracted Vibrio but also other forms of bacterial infections in the water. My old boss spent months undergoing treatment after wade fishing the mud flats with a cut on his leg. Just be careful and be aware that being in the water means you assume those risks. I feel very sorry for the girl and her family but am very glad it was not a fatal attack.


The bacteria thing seems worse to me but maybe we just hear about it more. We now carry rubbing alcohol and/or a bleach solution on the boat for the bacteria or when we get spined. It's always there and never leaves, my brother two summers ago was in the hospital for three days when he got spined in the foot, his mate was in for 2 weeks same trip with hand surgery for the same reason. Both had bacterial infections turn real bad in 24 hours. They were in the keys.


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## Loganaire (May 14, 2018)

EasyRunaway said:


> The bacteria thing seems worse to me but maybe we just hear about it more. We now carry rubbing alcohol and/or a bleach solution on the boat for the bacteria or when we get spined. It's always there and never leaves, my brother two summers ago was in the hospital for three days when he got spined in the foot, his mate was in for 2 weeks same trip with hand surgery for the same reason. Both had bacterial infections turn real bad in 24 hours. They were in the keys.


I feel ya! Glad your brother is okay. I can't remember ever hearing very much about it until the last 10 years. There is no way that the increase in people, water temps and run off has not contributed to the bacteria issue and imagine if will most likely get worse. Also, the more people in the water, the more people are going to have issues with it.


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## Naturecoastfly (Mar 26, 2019)

So sad. We know the family personally and my family has lived at Keaton/Steinhatchee for 5 generations. 
The stretch of water between grassy and 9 mile is known to have giant sharks. But I never would have guessed a scalloper would have been the victim compared to so many people spear fishing in the area.


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## Padre (Jul 29, 2016)

Smackdaddy53 said:


> I’m more concerned with
> 
> You have a better chance of dying in an auto accident than getting your leg bitten off by a shark. You better get her a bicycle.


You have a better story though with the shark attack. Come to think of it, if I lost my leg in an auto accident I would still probably say it was a shark attack.


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

EasyRunaway said:


> The bacteria thing seems worse to me but maybe we just hear about it more. We now carry rubbing alcohol and/or a bleach solution on the boat for the bacteria or when we get spined. It's always there and never leaves, my brother two summers ago was in the hospital for three days when he got spined in the foot, his mate was in for 2 weeks same trip with hand surgery for the same reason. Both had bacterial infections turn real bad in 24 hours. They were in the keys.


Water temperatures?


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## MRichardson (May 27, 2010)

I dunno. I'd think the chances of a car accident while scalloping in 5 feet of water is virtually nil.


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## CapnK (Jul 6, 2011)

I lived on Oahu back in the 90's, making boards at Raging Isle in Haleiwa. A surfer got taken by a shark, and it seemed like the island shut down for the next day or two. People from all over went shark fishing, it was a concerted effort until they caught the guilty bull _(based on stomach contents)_.
Don't mess with the kama'aina.


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## Zika (Aug 6, 2015)

Glad to hear the young lady is doing better and in good spirits. Recall an article saying bulls are among the top three species with the highest levels of testosterone. They've also been documented miles up freshwater rivers. 

The Keaton incident was also discussed at length on another fishing forum I frequent. Big difference in the attitudes there and on MS regarding sharks.


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## LowReynolds# (Mar 23, 2021)

lemaymiami said:


> Today we were in nice sized snook In one of the Harney river mouths on leadheads and every hookup had a shark going after it immediately… We had to really bear down on each fish to get it to the boat in one piece- but we managed. The coast of the ‘glades in summer is just covered with hungry, really hungry critters. We’ll be fighting them off again tomorrow…


Same thing happened to me a few weeks ago south of Choko. Broke my Loomis trying to get a snook away from a shark. This is the second time this has happened to me in the last few years. Seems like the sharks just appear out of nowhere, even in the skinny water. Like others have mentioned, after poling many miles of shoreline you notice that there are lots of sharks around and they usually don't bother people. It seems like they follow your push pole mud to the boat sometimes...maybe they think the noise and mud is feeding ray..not sure. I will say having fished out of Cedar Key for 3 years in the late 90's, that place was loaded with sharks and it became difficult to get away from them.


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## skifflabs (Apr 18, 2021)

She didnt lose her leg. The story was edited/fixed.


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## skinny_fishing (Aug 30, 2021)

Someone else mentioned they didn't realize how many sharks were around until they got a boat......Ain't that the truth. I think the second time we took ours out into Ft Desoto, the area we were fishing was FULL of large bonnet heads, like I didn't realize they could get that big but they were everywhere and the fish were not biting at all lol.


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