Fish guide
Spinner Shark
Carcharhinus brevipinna. Also called Spinner.
Not a target here: FishOS has not checked the local shark fishing rules for GA yet. Release any shark caught by accident.
Showing the fish for Georgia coast, GA.
Season in Georgia
Peak months: Jun, Jul, Aug.
SCDNR MRRI arrival and departure temperatures placed on Fort Pulaski averages (NCEI). Florida Museum: spinners move inshore in spring and summer. (Our inference)
Season by region
| Myrtle Beach | JFMAMJJASOND |
|---|---|
| Charleston | JFMAMJJASOND |
| Georgia | JFMAMJJASOND |
| Northeast Florida | JFMAMJJASOND |
Where to find them
Past the breakers along the beach where bait schools are working.
Past the breakers; leaps and spins chasing schooling fish.
What to look for
Long pointed snout, small eyes; on fish over 2 ft the anal fin is black-tipped (a blacktip's anal fin is white).
Bait
Fresh cut mullet, Cut menhaden (bunker), Cut bluefish or other oily fish. Fish-finder rig cast just past the breakers: steel leader, non-offset, non-stainless circle hook (required in SC with natural bait), 50 to 80 lb braid on a 10 to 15 ft surf rod.
Leader
Steel leader; 8/0 to 12/0 non-offset circle hook.
Common mistakes
- Calling it a blacktip: check the black-tipped anal fin
- Keeping fights long
- Dragging the shark up the dry sand
Landing
Lead it into the shallow wash and keep it in the water there. Do not drag it up the dry sand or lift it by the tail.
Handling
- Teeth
- Abrasive skin
- Sudden thrashing
Keep it in the water: do not drag it up the beach and keep hands away from the mouth and gills. If the hook is deep or you would have to reach near the mouth, cut the leader as close to the hook as you can; carry a cutter that can cut the leader or hook. Prohibited sharks (sandbar, sand tiger, dusky and others) must be released without removing them from the water; treat any shark you cannot identify as prohibited.
Keep or release
Georgia shark rules apply; see the regulations file. Release any shark you cannot identify for certain.
Typical: 3 to 5 ft. Large: Up to 8 ft. SC record 173 lb 5 oz (Edisto, 2021).
Limits
FishOS has not checked the GA limits yet. Check the size, bag and season rules with the Georgia DNR Coastal Resources Division before you keep a fish.
Sources
- SCDNR Marine Resources Research Institute: shark research (estuary arrival and departure temperatures) (Official source)
- Florida Museum, Discover Fishes: spinner shark (Official source)
- NOAA NCEI Coastal Water Temperature Guide, all-stations monthly averages (Charleston Cooper River Entrance, Fort Pulaski, Gray's Reef, Fernandina Beach, Mayport, St. Augustine, Trident Pier Port Canaveral, Lake Worth Pier, Fowey Rocks, Virginia Key, Vaca Key, Key West) (Official source)
- SCDNR Marine Resources Division: Sharks of South Carolina (2004 field guide; limits in it are outdated, see R2) (Official source)
- SCDNR saltwater game fish records (Official source)