When possible I always release my fish into the Mangroves. The sharks are just getting too aggressive. it didn't used to be this bad. Also the Dolphins are doing the same thing. Released fish are just not making to an area where they can recover. I release them right at the base of the mangroves. IT's the only way. Thanks for taking me along. I enjoyed the video. I subbed.

@retheisen

6 ай бұрын

Dolphins will follow your fish up and gently dehook it for you before it makes it to the boat

Hey best advice make sure you keep them in the live well for a minute to get there strength then release them. Learned that from a guide in the keys

The real issue is loss of habitat and fishing pressure. Same thing happened in Japan with decreasing tuna; they blame seals and dolphins, not the fishing pressure or larger environmental issues. The fact is that Florida's ballooning population is killing habitat through development, killing fish, and then the millions of recreational fishermen and sharks have to fight over the scraps.

@telecatsermaster

Ай бұрын

Thank you. To call a native species “a problem” is ignorant

You are correct. Those big bull sharks re no joke! I was fishing in the Indian River in Vero a few years back and giant ones were following my topwater walking bait back to the dock and veering off right at the dock. BIG ones.

@TheBoundlessNexus

9 ай бұрын

AND, what happens when they get more confident and keep getting pushed further near people...

@johnm.3279

Ай бұрын

@@TheBoundlessNexus No, they've learned to steal our catch for a free meal.

Lost a bonefish to a big lemon shark a couple months ago. Broke my heart. They really are everywhere.

@MonkeySauce-tu5jm

9 ай бұрын

I caught 5 sharks in 5 drops my uncle caught way more every drop was a shark 170 feet of water

@garybauer124

9 ай бұрын

Recently moved to Florida (retired). Started shore fishing 2 years ago. I’ve also been shared reeling in a catch. I knew there was a possibility of it happening. It’s like gators, I guess you have to assume they are everywhere.

@futuremainiac6351

9 ай бұрын

Lost snook to them, too

@adspur

7 ай бұрын

That’s probably what they think about us

seen something interesting the other day on a offshore video, sharks were a problem and they took out the big rod and baited it up and shortly hooked a shark, they let it run and went back to catching fish, a few minutes latter they popped the hook and reeled in the line, shark left. Great Video.

@stevieg2755

9 ай бұрын

Yeah saw that vid also

Maybe if you used a net to land the fish, you could speed up the process, exhaust the fish a bit less, and give the fish a better jumpstart returning to its routine.

@GMT439

6 ай бұрын

Exactly.. Well Said. Way to many U.S. Channels fail to use landing nets. It's a bad example, especially to children who don't know any better.

@billyswampwater4515

Ай бұрын

Get that fish in the water asap. Posing for pictures like an idiot.

Since you asked … Always use a loop knot … fly will dangle freely. As for the shark problem, land them as quickly as possible. On the fly rod play them off the 2nd stripping guide, which makes a 10-weight into a boat rod. Really enjoyed the episode.

@NickBrown-zl2zj

8 ай бұрын

Smart fishing...

I’ve been saying this for years especially in my home waters of the Everglades in flamingo. I can’t fish anywhere without getting sharked. Every spot we have to worry about sharks literally waiting to eat any and all fish. Lost 40inch snook to a shake last week in the park and that was heart breaking and countless fish got chased into the boat by sharks.

@Overlandjon

9 ай бұрын

Same here man. Lost a slot snook mid air to a bull or a lemon last trip. Almost lost my hand also trying to pull a jack out of the water. I think its time to harvest them

@nycoolj3

9 ай бұрын

@@Overlandjonlet the Chinese make some shark fin soup out of them, they’ll clean the population right up

@paterpeter1985

9 ай бұрын

Sharks are smart animals and learned to link Fishing boats with food. It is just an easy meal for them. We created our own problem, same in australia

@TheMubby

9 ай бұрын

@@Overlandjon you really lost your hand on a fishing trip? Are you serious?

@Overlandjon

9 ай бұрын

@@TheMubby almost! Literally like a week before that video of the dude getting dragged into the water by that bull in flamingo I had the same thing happen but the bull missed my hand by maybe an inch. I went and grabbed the leader tight to the jack and went to pull up and boom like a 6ft bull was right there and grabbed it. I have net only policy on my boat from now on when fishing down there.

In Louisiana we have the same problem with sharks… We had a commercial shark season up until three years ago… At this point in time the sharks are out of control… Really a crying shame because the commercial shark season helped keep the sharks in check and also provided a good income for the commercial guy…

Good to see you out there brother with the fly. You always bring back great peaceful memories even though some of us cant get out there anymore. Thanks Bro

Crying about the red getting cut in half but you wore it out fighting it with that tiny set up. Didn’t have enough strength to swim off strong.

Yea sharks are a major problem in FL. Offshore its ridiculous, many spots and areas its 99.9% certain to have shark trouble on a larger fish.

@telecatsermaster

2 ай бұрын

Shark trouble? Problem? Are they not a native species?

I was lucky enough to spend three weeks in Florida at Bonita springs this summer. My house was directly on the river and had a boat deck. In addition to dolphins and manatees, I was able to see a 7-foot bull shark pass within inches of my deck. I saw its dorsal fin and tail a little further away several nights in a row.

@mikejordan6036

9 ай бұрын

Bullshark

@bullshot9715

9 ай бұрын

@@mikejordan6036 you are 100% right thank you.

@duclair8797

9 ай бұрын

that is around the area im from and i have had the same issues with sharks stealing my fish

Don’t exhaust them more than necessary and safely release towards mangroves

Fish are smart so we have to be smarter. Release near mangrove or other cover. Short story, biggest brown trout I ever caught was following the boat I was in as we floated a flooded river. We had a thick chain dragging from the bow to keep us straight and it was dislodging crayfish as it bounced along the rocky bottom. I looked up and saw this brown that looked like a tailing red fish cutting around in our wake, put a cast in front of him and when I pulled him out he had crawdads sticking out of his gills. I’m guessing he’d done that before and our chain banging along the bottom sounded like the dinner bell! 😂

been fishing florida for 25 years im a clearwater local, and have fished every hole from jacksonville all the way to keywest and back up to sebastian and the problem has gotten significantly worse over the past 6 or 7 years and its not that we have to many sharks its that they are getting low on food and are alwasy hungry when we hook a good one it just sets em into overdrive for an easy meal. theres a reason all of our restrictions and seasons get tighter and tighter every year its not sustainable as we thought it would be too many people take advantage of the water and keep way over their limit. fwc has its hands tied due to underfunding and rarely make the rounds in the places they should be to curb illegal and over catch.

@TheMubby

9 ай бұрын

Do you think that commercial fishing is the main issue?

@calebbellizio4985

9 ай бұрын

Thank you this is a reasonable and rational response

@cawbaird5711

9 ай бұрын

Is the dolphins in Tampa

@brianfitch5469

9 ай бұрын

Sports fishermen are not a issue as why there are more sharks. Sports fisherman could keep everything and not be a problem. Its commercial fishing. We have lots of sharks here in Mississippi as well. We can harvest them though as long as they are a certain size.

You were waving the fish around in the water. I know you have to do this to revive them, but unnatural movement and rapid movement attracts sharks not so much blood. I spearfish In the keys so I’m used to being around them. Had a bull chase after me while I had a live fish in my hands. Kept the fish on my chest, remained calm and swam slow, poked the shark with my spear when he got too close Then he kept his distance.

Yeah, sharks in FL are at a level where harvest limits needs to be increased. It’s pretty much guaranteed that a shark will take a fish from you

@calebbellizio4985

9 ай бұрын

No it’s that good isn’t as easy to come by so they’re being forced to use other means. As someone who spends time on the water this is just common sense based off what’s going on the past few years. Not to many sharks but far too many people

@Florida_man420

9 ай бұрын

@@calebbellizio4985 no, it’s that the sharks have learned to associate boats with an easy meal. You should stop responding to everyone’s comments when you’re ignorant to the truth.

@user-qx2db1sr8k

9 ай бұрын

FWC management iv lost alot of tackle and redfish from bull sharks

A sharks job is to clean out over populated, injur/sick fish. When we hook fish it’s a huge shark magnet. It’s never a good idea to kill apex predators and why they are so heavily protected.

@calebbellizio4985

9 ай бұрын

Don’t say that. That level of understanding and rational thought isn’t looked on nicely in the fishing community

@pbcfisher3206

2 ай бұрын

You're both wrong. The sharks being protected has made the population multiply infinitely. Think before you speak.

@jcallen21

Ай бұрын

​@@pbcfisher3206Commercial fishing is the biggest problem y'all are having with sharks.

@jhova6542

Ай бұрын

Sharks are looking for food, you take out their food they move into other parts to feed. It’s common sense ppl. But baby sharks have been in the mangroves for ever. They breed there.

@arronherndon9874

Ай бұрын

​@@calebbellizio4985 I love just how easily your point was proven. 😂

Love the fly fishing brother. Would love to see more of it. I have the best luck with my fly when the fish are picky

Old school Lawson, love it! Awesome vid papa!!!

Awesome video!!! That eat by the boat was amazing. To fix the tails getting wrapped in the hook of the fly, either use a smaller tail, or tie in a mono loop towards the tail that it can rest on

I fish the Everglades. The shark (mostly lemon) issue is pretty bad. I've resorted to landing fish that can not be flip over with a net. If its a good fish I drive the boat to the nearest protected area to release them. Lemons are protected here. At some places they follow the boat and have biten my trolling motor a few times.

You're fortunate that shark didn't hit while you were reviving the fish.

Glad To See You Out On The Water My Dog !!

@auto_5

9 ай бұрын

You mean your DAWG! Lol

I was fishing the same area a couple weeks ago and had about a 6-8 ft bull shark chase my red which was only about 24 inches all the way up to the boat. Never knew a shark that big could get into 3 ft of water without even showing a dorsal. It's getting very bad in our area and only seems to be getting worse unfortunately

I think you did a good job here today. Your video in a long time. You sound all grown up and very experienced. Great job chucking the fly!

Prolly gonna start releasing fish as close to structure as I can when I can from now on to make sure they get the best chance. Thanks for sharing

You should have released it closer to the mangroves not the middle of the Chanel. Also news flash, sharks live in the ocean, and eat fish in distress. The only problem is fisherman think they the only ones allowed to catch and eat fish, over a natural predator that lives in the same ecosystem.

@skatevans1215

9 ай бұрын

Exactly - what do you expect when you’re fishing their domain? What’s the solution? Start hunting sharks?? Lol

@michaelpinder5923

9 ай бұрын

Go to McDonald’s and get your fillet of fish

@PgLangGang

9 ай бұрын

Was looking for this comment, like wtf do you expect? You're in their backyard. 😂

Amazing video Lawson!!

Regarding flys fouling, with big EP’s, rabbits, toads, dragon tails etc. a hook guard can make a huge difference. Tying a loop of hard mason at the bend of the hook can really help solve your problem.

Best Gd KZread angler out there so underrated keep up the great work bro

Glad to see you've broken into fly fishing, it's a fun way to fish and has a completely different feel to it than conventional. That being said, Florida does NOT have a shark problem. Having a large shark population is an indicator of a healthy fish stocks. If anything, sharks are learning (like dolphins) that being around boats means an easy meal. Either land your fish faster or release them in a different manner. Also, that guy was bitten by a four-five foot bull. If it was an 'giant' eight foot bull he wouldn't have a hand. I'd rather deal with getting sharked than not have a fishery to begin with because everyone wants to keep what they catch.

@Gloopyfishing

9 ай бұрын

Exactly 😂

@chewielewis4002

9 ай бұрын

That mangrove snapper also got its ribs broken, guts crushed and rearranged by his one handed hold like that

@deanmarten

9 ай бұрын

Disagree. Florida has an alligator problem and a shark problem. In the same way feral hogs need to be culled, wild deer has a healthy number and a number that's considered over populated. Sharks and Alligators can be too much of a good thing. I've lived in Florida my whole life and have never seen so many Gators and Sharks. What the correct number is I don't know. With Gators it's likely under a million. We're at about a million and a half. Sharks is unknown.

@halfmoonflyfishing

9 ай бұрын

@@deanmarten It’s ironic that we as humans pushed further into the Everglades, developed it, built shopping plazas and high rises, and now the wildlife that live there are suddenly a cause for concern from everyone.

@deanmarten

9 ай бұрын

@halfmoonflyfishing is there or isn't there healthy populations of deers? Healthy populations of wolves? Healthy populations of apex predators is scientific. We cull animals when they become over populated. Well, they seem to be over populated. In 54 years I've never seen anything like it. I love animals and practice catch and release.

Thanks my dawg another great video!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well, this just proves you're new to Florida. Not to worry - shark bite catches have been going on for eternity; in fact they are fewer now since the since the tornados have been sweeping the sharks up. Never let your gas tank get less than half full and chart those hurricanes with the grocery bag tracking maps - the hurricanes have a bite too.

@jacksonporterfield3127

9 ай бұрын

😂

Nice catch great video thanks

Whaddup Dawwwg! Yea man I fish a lot down in Sanibel/Captiva area and the sharks are just as bad down there too! This past July I hooked a big 38” snook and the same thing happened after I revived her and released it. I heard a big splash under the mangroves and 5 mins later the head came floating up next to my boat. I felt awful but thought I properly revived the snook as it swam off good. Those damn bull sharks are vicious as hell and thank GOD he didnt come up as I was reviving the snook next to the boat!🦈🦈🦈

i only manage to land a spec from the gills up sometimes in marsh

Any real fisherman can appreciate the "actual last cast"😂😂😂😂

You probably won’t see this comment but in the warmer months when I know I have sharks near by I will hook in the fish grippers tie her off to a cleat and cruise with the TM to get out of the area and to revive her. Loved this video bro. If you ever want to bring that fly rod to Savannah, Ive got an FX17 skiff and a juicy Redfish creek I’ll guide you into. On the house ;)

Any tackle other than flyfishing would tire out fish less making bigger chance for released ones to survive.

Lets go! Fly fishing is so much fun and I barely even catch fish lol. Urban is where I spend my time but nothing like ripping flies around fishy looking areas. Another rad video!

I made a 9 foot Fenwick medium action blank into a fishing rod with a 6 inch cork handle that you could use for fighting big trout.

I understand it being frustrating with the sharks. We are in their territory complaining about them being a nuisance? And there are 15 harvestable species of sharks in Florida. I doubt a lot of the people complaining actively harvest sharks to help.

Definitely a problem a haulover canal in Titusville loads of big bull sharks. Gotta run heavy cause you gotta yeet all your catches before your sharked.

Same way in the gulf of Mexico We went out from East point Florida Shark city

I agree. The scale has tipped the other way - too many sharks, and they are causing problems.

I have another input on bunching up the streamer while casting. Wait on the back-cast. Turn around and watch your line straighten out all the way before the front-cast.

I personally think that we have more than we need in Savannah Georgia as well, especially this year , 2023.

we may have a small bullshark problem

I had that happen to me. One time when I was Wade fishing

Just another Tuesday in Florida. I've had dozens of 40 inch redfish bit in half here in PCB. Where I fish if it happens the trip is over. Of course I'm fishing at night so that might be an issue. 😂

Bringing a net and landing the fish much earlier in the fight helps.

a EP style fly will almost always foul up eventually just a nature of the material. best thing is to get a EP finger brush and bring it in the boat. any time fly fouls up just brush it out.

My biggest mangrove snapper is 21 inches it was bought at fort Pierce south bridge

Fishing that southwest fork right past river road, the number of bullsharks that went under my kayak was a little unnerving. You can tell they're being fed by people somewhere. No fear.

You asked a question at 10:04. Well, tie a deceiver correctly so that the feathers start right at the turn of the hook. Everything forward is body and collar made of bucktail etc. Then the feathers don't get tangled.

I have lost a handful of good size snooks at the inlet by the tax-fish... It sucks a lot especially trying to catch a slot.

ah man thats heartbreaking

i tie loop knots and dont tent to have issues unless im trying to load the rod to soon on false casts

Sharks are way over protected around Florida. This wasn't a problem back in the 80's when people culled sharks on a regular basis. There's also a problem with too many big Goliath groupers that eat everything around reefs, bridges and piers.

@jaceunderwood7942

9 ай бұрын

You think the issue is the animals and not the extremely advanced humans taking too many? These fish have lived together for thousands of years. I really doubt they’re the issue and not us.

@Florida_man420

9 ай бұрын

@@jaceunderwood7942confidently ignorant. Yes humans are a problem. But the issue here (sharks and Goliath grouper) is that we have such strict regulations on these animals while other species decline.

@jimmyfumbanks6081

9 ай бұрын

Culled Sharks? You mean they allowed commercial fishing for Shark and the PETA / Liberals / democrats/ Communist cut all commercial Shark fishing in US waters about 5 years ago and they have exploded

@calebbellizio4985

9 ай бұрын

@@Florida_man420and why are they protected? I’d suggesting thinking before calling someone else over confident

@toshow237

9 ай бұрын

@@Florida_man420 Wow its almost like populations have rebounded to healthier levels. You can take one per day of most of the common shark species yet hardly anybody does it I doubt deregulating would change much.

My experience when going offshore is that when you hook a fish you gotta reel it in like a madman to lower the chances of it getting sharked or flippered on the way up. And of course, that rapid decompression is hell on fish and I'm willing to bet that most won't survive the trip back down. Then the pencil pushers at FWC has set all these ridiculous seasons and catch limits, which actually results in more fish being effectively taken due to depredation. Seems the smart thing to do would be to simply set a reduced aggregate limit on all reef fish, include triggers and red snappers in the list, eliminate seasons, and when the boat is full, no more fishing.

@brianfitch5469

9 ай бұрын

Instead of sending back down filet some on the boat while offshore. Bring a little propane stove cook it up right there.

It's everywhere! I had a shark chase a rat red all the way to the boat and almost came into the boat as I yanked the fish out of the water. I fish in deep South Texas, by the way. We've always had them around, but they have gotten bad in some areas. The porpoise are almost as bad in some areas. At least they won't usually grab a fish that's hooked. But they will definitely mess up a good bite. I'm sure the sharks have just figured out that these fish are easy meals and when people routinely fish certain areas, the sharks congregate there. It has been really bad offshore, especially during snapper season. There were areas that simply couldn't be fished because every snapper got sharked.

Dang son 😢 I know this too well happened to a trophy trout I caught and I fought it pretty quickly was able to get a quick pic and it kicked out of my hand before I was actually releasing it and 2 minutes passed and he was floating

In Australia we can harvest them as long as they are shorter then 1.5m or 5ft

It’s like that everywhere. The amount of trash left behind is ridiculous too

@davidgoldsen8504

9 ай бұрын

@Text-Lawson I am six years old sir what did I win

Use to seeing snappers and stuff sharked but a nice red is painful

Could you put the red in the livewell until he really got his feet underneath him so to speak and then release it?

People I know talk about it all the time, especially when it comes to bottom fishing east coast of Florida. The real problem nobody talks about is the bureaucracy that's destroying everything about our fishing in Florida.

20 years ago I would get sharked fishing off the Destin bridge. I would reel in half a red fish all the time.

Great video. First time I've run across your content. You seem quite accomplished and I do not intend to leave a comment that seems aimed to start a fight or negative discussion; just my .02 cents. It seems to me having sharks around indicates a healthy population of game fish. If the opposite were true, predator fish wouldn't be around and we wouldn't be catching game fish. It certainly is frustrating to lose a nice fish, however, it is equally frustrating to encounter Cudas and Bottlenose Dolphins, but, hey, it's the ocean, right? Anyway, cool video! Keep it up, 'eh.

Nice to see you in my neck of the woods! Gotta bring the jon boat out there

Sharks are huge problem down at flamingo. Seems like the sharks have been conditioned to follow the flats boats. Last time I was down there it seems like most of the fish that we released were eaten by sharks.

Mustache comb/small flea comb on your lanyard. Brush out the fibers if they get wonky

I had this exact thing happen to me a month ago caught a nice red revived it it kicked off and in the time it took me to reset ok the spot I turned around and saw it floating cut in half sharks are everywhere

It’s horrible fishing offshore of port Canaveral, like literally some days you’re lucky to get anything to the boat. There needs to be culling of the sharks.

I had 2 catch and release this month where a shark ate the fish after I release it. 😢

I have a flyrod, never used it. How does that get all tangled and what is the advantage over just using a 9 ft light spinning rod?

It’s the same thing here in North Queensland here in Australia. Sharks eating barramundi while trying to get them to the boat an nearly impossible to get a reef fish up to the boat aswell! It’s An absolute joke!!

Honestly as much of a massive conservationist/shark fan I am; Florida could probably do with a few less Lemons and Bull Sharks. They’re like the perfect types of sharks to overbreed without tags being issued for their harvest. They thrive in the estuaries and brackish rivers at the coastline so everyone fishing from their dock off the back of their house all the way to out in the bay have to worry about a 5-8 foot Bull/Lemon coming and snagging their catch.

Would it be better to release the redfish close to the mangrooves so it has structure to hide in while it rejuvenates?

You just having fish constantly blowing up all around you. Thats awesome to see!

In Florida waters, both on the Atlantic side and on the west coast (Gulf waters), it's a non-stop shark party. They are all over the place, lots to eat.

3:13 Anyone else see the fish in the background jump straight up out of the water? The timing was great. "Fly rod, fly rod, how sweet thou are."

Ever though about trying fly wax or fly dressing to address the fly tangle issue? Great vid bud.

You need to slow down, hold your rod tip higher and open up your casts with wider loops. You're not waiting on the back cast...

I live/fish in SW FL. I've had Bull Sharks take my top water plugs and even bobbers. Gators will too, in fresh water. Be careful releasing.

Enjoyed the fly fishing.

I’m up in the Panhandle and have been diving around here since the ‘70s. There are more sharks than I’ve ever seen. I can’t go diving or fishing without seeing big sharks. Between the sharks and dolphins, it does no good to throw back shorts or release fish. Most just feed the sharks and dolphins.

Even though it's catch-and-release only could you have put the redfish in your Live Well to revive him and then release him before you left or take him a little deeper inside the Mangrove canal?

@patrickfox9470

9 ай бұрын

That's a thoughtful thing to do. But if DNR rolls up and you have that red in the livewell, it's gonna be an expensive day. He said that they were catch and release only in the area he was fishing. I wouldn't take a chance on an understanding wildlife officer

Learning to double haul on a windy day makes a big difference

When making a fly, make sure to start your body near the bend of the hook. This well limit your tail rap. Also, keep your cast loops tight and wait till the pull before you go back the other direction. Last synthetic material is much easier to tie, cast then bucktail . But bucktail has a better tapper and little more life like action. More finesse subtle action. When fishing is slow this might be the difference in hook up or not. Let the condition dictate your fly selection. Plow the water like a framer. Rip them lips.

In the past year, the shark population has exploded down in Flamingo/Everglades. You fish for about twenty minutes and you'll get sharks drawn to the fishing and they'll attack anything near the boat.

I'm 33. Fished florida all of my life. Fished in otherstates. Never fly fished.

Get you the tfo axiom 2 x cam penetrate the wind like crazy of the blitz

Coul you put him in the live well to rest and revive him . Even if reds are not open? If you relase him after 10 minutes?

It's hard to bottom fish for anything big from here because of all the sand sharks

Your fly messes up probably because you’re throwing some tailing loops in the cast. Just need to clean up the loops in you back cast to fix.

Reducing how often flies foul up usually comes down to the design and tying process. You can make it less likely to happen by smearing some silicone or uv resin onto a toothpick or similar, and running it along the fibres on the bottom and sides of the fly, just until you are a little past the bend of the hook. That will help a fair bit. No need for a thick coat. Shouldn't look appreciably different once done.