Other Sharks (release): season, lures and limits

Release. Sand tiger and sandbar sharks, the common big surf sharks here, are prohibited species and must stay in the water.

Showing the fish for Virginia Beach and the Chesapeake Bay mouth, VA.

Fishing region

Season in Virginia Beach

JFMAMJJASOND

VSWFT shark citations in Virginia Beach and Bay-mouth areas: May 9, June 7, July 5, August 1, September 5, October 3 (2024 to 2025). May 2026: large sand tigers in the Virginia Beach and Sandbridge surf on cut spot and mullet (sand tigers must be released). (Our inference)

Season by region

Long Island	JFMAMJJASOND
North Jersey	JFMAMJJASOND
South Jersey	JFMAMJJASOND
Delmarva	JFMAMJJASOND
Virginia Beach	JFMAMJJASOND
Outer Banks	JFMAMJJASOND
Southeast Florida	JFMAMJJASOND
Florida Keys	JFMAMJJASOND
Southwest Florida	JFMAMJJASOND
Tampa Bay	JFMAMJJASOND
Big Bend	JFMAMJJASOND
Panhandle	JFMAMJJASOND
Alabama	JFMAMJJASOND
Mississippi	JFMAMJJASOND
Louisiana	JFMAMJJASOND
Upper Texas	JFMAMJJASOND
Middle Texas	JFMAMJJASOND
Lower Texas	JFMAMJJASOND

Handling

Teeth
Abrasive skin
Sudden thrashing

Keep it in the water. Do not drag it up the beach. If the hook is deep, or you would have to put a hand near the mouth, cut the leader as close to the hook as you can and let it go. A lure is never worth a bite. Sand tiger and sandbar sharks are prohibited species and must be released without removing them from the water.

Keep or release

Release. Prohibited species must stay in the water.

Limits

FishOS has not checked the VA limits yet. Check the size, bag and season rules with the Virginia Marine Resources Commission before you keep a fish.

Sources

All the fish of Virginia Beach