Just a heads up...

[Latimeria]

For you guys who are looking to catch or target certain species of shark from the surf, please make sure they are not any protected species.  It has come to my attention that wardens are aware of the recent activity and has given warnings to people who appear to be targeting species other than Sevengill and Soupfin shark.

You, the angler, are responsible for your fishing activities and you, the angler, will have to pay the consequences if you break any fish and game laws.  I just wanted you to be aware of this as it has just come to my attention and Prehistoric Soul is just a platform to share your stories, tackle, techniques and have a good group of people to big game fish from the surf.

Thanks for understanding and I hope for a great 2018 fishing season for everyone on the boards!

[Chris]

Good looking out.

It certainly does not help when you have a dozen people congregate in one area in plain view. We got checked twice Thursday night and we're laying low.

[1morecast]

I can only speak for myself and I only target species that are not protected. According to Chip my gear couldn't handle anything else. 

[BackBayMan]

I can only speak for myself and I only target species that are not protected. According to Chip my gear couldn't handle anything else. 

You're safe Binh

[Eric H]

 

[BackBayMan]

For you guys who are looking to catch or target certain species of shark from the surf, please make sure they are not any protected species.  It has come to my attention that wardens are aware of the recent activity and has given warnings to people who appear to be targeting species other than Sevengill and Soupfin shark.

Can you provide any details about what the wardens consider to be evidence of targeting?

[LONGCAST JOE]

As the guy that had a face to face with a DFW warden late Friday night, here's some of what I came w away with...The targeting part is not the thing they can pin on someone although if you have prior knowledge of it being a spot where whites have been landed it doesn't bode well for you. The letter of the law that could be your detriment is the one that was that states that "once you have knowledge that it is a white on your line you must immediatly cut your line". This means immediatly without doing anything in between. This means pausing to take any pictures! The only pictures that could be OK would be have to be taken by a third party of a release being performed and they couldn't be of the shark being dragged back down from anywhere but already in the water as that would indicate the line was not cut immediatly but dragged out of the water after it was identified as a white. PM me with questions about the encounter as opposed to out here.

[BackBayMan]

I know everybody has the same unanswered questions and wants to respect the rules and regulations. That's why I just sent this email to the Director of the DFW asking for answers and clarifications to our questions. Hopefully we'll get an answers soon

Hi,

My name is Chip Dorman and recent developments have created a number of questions for myself and fellow shark/ray fishermen.

Lately, a number of us have hooked up with Great White Sharks while fishing for 7 Gills, Soupfins, Makos, Threashers, and Rays. We all know that Great Whites are a protected species. We all know that it is illegal to target them, and we all know that you are supposed to release them immediately once you have identified them.

Given the number of Great Whites that have been caught recently from Orange County all up the coast to LA and Ventura and the increased presence of DFW wardens warning shark anglers about targeting Great Whites, many of us are unsure of what we are supposed to do.

Specifically:

1. Are there any restrictions beyond normal DFW regulations as to the size or type of fishing equipment and leaders that would constitute targeting?
2. Are there any restriction beyond normal DFW regulations as to the size or type of baits used that would constitute targeting?
3. Since we are fishing from shore, mostly at night, it's virtually impossible to identify a fish until you have it in very shallow water or on the sand. If we identify a fish as being a Great White in this situation, are we supposed to cut the lines immediately and then have no further contact with the fish?
4. Wouldn't it be better for the health of the fish to remove the hook and leader from its mouth or untangle the leader from around the fish since many times sharks will turn and twist and get the line wrapped all around them?
5. If we land a Great White and remove the hook and leader, or if we cut the line close to shore, what do we do if we can see the fish is struggling? We've all caught fish that put up great fights, but required assistance in the surf for a couple of minutes to recuperate before they could swim off on their own. Are we allowed to assist the fish or are we supposed to watch a fish possibly die because we are legally prevented from touching the fish?
6. The vast majority of us practice CPR. Catch, Photo, Release. The usual photo is a picture of the person who caught the fish kneeling next to it. Would we be in violation of not releasing the fish immediately if we posed for a photo or are we limited to just a photo taken while we are removing the hook and leader?
7. Kayaking out big baits with higher capacity reels and short boat style rods is another question. A number of shark fishermen will do this to target larger/pelagic sharks like Mako and Thresher that don't ordinarily come into shallow water that aren't reachable by hand casing. Is using this type of equipment or technique evidence of targeting?
8. Finally, what about recent activity? Is fishing in a spot where Great Whites have been caught recently evidence of targeting? Even with all of its vast resources, California really has a relatively small number of surf fishing locations that aren't crowded, especially during the warmer summer months. Most of us fish the same spots because they hold fish and because we can fish them without having to deal with swimmers and surfers. We're not fishing a spot because Great Whites have been caught there, it's because the spot has structure or a food source that attracts all sharks.

[LONGCAST JOE]

Very good Chip! Hopefully you get more than a cookie cutter response that avoids your very legitimate  detailed questions. My guess is they will just send you the code as it is written and not stick their neck out doing any further interpretation of it...hopefully I'm proven wrong 😉🦈

[Pinoyfisher]

I know everybody has the same unanswered questions and wants to respect the rules and regulations. That's why I just sent this email to the Director of the DFW asking for answers and clarifications to our questions. Hopefully we'll get an answers soon

Hi,

My name is Chip Dorman and recent developments have created a number of questions for myself and fellow shark/ray fishermen.

Lately, a number of us have hooked up with Great White Sharks while fishing for 7 Gills, Soupfins, Makos, Threashers, and Rays. We all know that Great Whites are a protected species. We all know that it is illegal to target them, and we all know that you are supposed to release them immediately once you have identified them.

Given the number of Great Whites that have been caught recently from Orange County all up the coast to LA and Ventura and the increased presence of DFW wardens warning shark anglers about targeting Great Whites, many of us are unsure of what we are supposed to do.

Specifically:

1. Are there any restrictions beyond normal DFW regulations as to the size or type of fishing equipment and leaders that would constitute targeting?
2. Are there any restriction beyond normal DFW regulations as to the size or type of baits used that would constitute targeting?
3. Since we are fishing from shore, mostly at night, it's virtually impossible to identify a fish until you have it in very shallow water or on the sand. If we identify a fish as being a Great White in this situation, are we supposed to cut the lines immediately and then have no further contact with the fish?
4. Wouldn't it be better for the health of the fish to remove the hook and leader from its mouth or untangle the leader from around the fish since many times sharks will turn and twist and get the line wrapped all around them?
5. If we land a Great White and remove the hook and leader, or if we cut the line close to shore, what do we do if we can see the fish is struggling? We've all caught fish that put up great fights, but required assistance in the surf for a couple of minutes to recuperate before they could swim off on their own. Are we allowed to assist the fish or are we supposed to watch a fish possibly die because we are legally prevented from touching the fish?
6. The vast majority of us practice CPR. Catch, Photo, Release. The usual photo is a picture of the person who caught the fish kneeling next to it. Would we be in violation of not releasing the fish immediately if we posed for a photo or are we limited to just a photo taken while we are removing the hook and leader?
7. Kayaking out big baits with higher capacity reels and short boat style rods is another question. A number of shark fishermen will do this to target larger/pelagic sharks like Mako and Thresher that don't ordinarily come into shallow water that aren't reachable by hand casing. Is using this type of equipment or technique evidence of targeting?
8. Finally, what about recent activity? Is fishing in a spot where Great Whites have been caught recently evidence of targeting? Even with all of its vast resources, California really has a relatively small number of surf fishing locations that aren't crowded, especially during the warmer summer months. Most of us fish the same spots because they hold fish and because we can fish them without having to deal with swimmers and surfers. We're not fishing a spot because Great Whites have been caught there, it's because the spot has structure or a food source that attracts all sharks.

They'll tell you to go fish a different beach. Just like if you're pulling rockfish incidentally when they are offseason, they tell you to fish a different spot where you're likely to not hook any.

[WheresMyBeer]

As I said when the initial drone catch posts went around ... only a matter of time until questions come up, and maybe peeps get in trouble.

We all should talk about targeting the legal fish, and we do of course, and I know it's exciting unintentional by-catch, but let's tone down the hype.

Also, seems pretty clear to me before Chips note. If you see what it is, cut the line immediately. The same punitive actions can be taken with BSBs as well ... though we all know pics are taken. Just saying, there's no gray area ... if you have time to pose with a pic, then you had time to cut the line right away. The law will always side with that ruling. Honestly don't know the extent penalties have been dealt for the 'quick pics', but the slack line with tighten the more we show playing with beached beauties. JMHO and $.02 ...

Hopefully Chips note doesn't backfire and the dumbasses in office scratch their heads saying 'gee, didn't think about that ... let's just MLPA that beach and forbid Kayaking baits to save the sharks' ...

[vdisney]

We all should talk about targeting the legal fish, and we do of course, and I know it's exciting unintentional by-catch, but let's tone down the hype.

I was going to stay out of this, but what the hell....................    Comments like "IRS Office", "Taxman Approved Gear", "Landing One of these Beasts", etc. won't help convince anyone they're not being targeted.  I don't know about PS, but the wardens up here read SCSF.  Had a warden several weeks ago come up to me and say "I see you've had some 50+ fish days this year".  Maybe I should remove my picture   

Honestly don't know the extent penalties have been dealt for the 'quick pics', but the slack line with tighten the more we show playing with beached beauties.

I got a ticket for 'chumming' back in the early 90's (corn) at Crowley Lake.  The fine was $550.00, and said he could have confiscated our gear. That was 25 years ago and I doubt if the fines have gone down 

[Latimeria]

Hopefully Chips note doesn't backfire

This is Chip we're talking about...  Odds are good.

[WheresMyBeer]

Zactly Verne ...

[LONGCAST JOE]

[quote author=vdisney link=topic=2765.msg22243#msg22243 date=1514982161

I got a ticket for 'chumming' back in the early 90's (corn) at Crowley Lake.  The fine was $550.00, and said he could have confiscated our gear. That was 25 years ago and I doubt if the fines have gone down 
[/quote]
From chumming with corn to snubbing using bait when you light rod?...you've come a long way my man 😉😂