For several million years sharks have been swimming the seas of the world, and we have them in our waterways. There is a lot of misinformation about this creature. Sharks are fish with skeletons of cartilage, not bone.

We often read about shark attacks this time of the year. Don’t fish in the late evening or early morning as they come ashore to feed at those times. Most are huge, so be on the lookout before entering the water.

There are deep water sharks, dangerous sharks, unusual sharks, small and medium size sharks. The blacktip shark is edible and many have been caught in this area. Soak fillets in milk (use a wet batter of flour, milk and egg) and deep fry.

A Nicaraguan Shark has a gray heavy body with stubby nose, long pectorals; is a bottom dweller and is very dangerous.

There is a River Shark that is at home in salt water as well as fresh water. It can be found in all warm seas, averaging five feet, with a wide head and slender gray body;      can inflict a terrible wound.

The Nurse Shark averages six feet; small ones have spots and the older one are a brownish color. Some are in our waterways, but are known largely in the Florida Keys. They will fight back if provoked.

Of all the many sharks around, it is not often that we hear of a shark attack. With the many different types of shark in our area, we seldom see the big ones and they are not often caught by anglers.

One of the most interesting things about a shark is its teeth. They have five, six or seven rows of extra teeth that lie in both jaws, one behind the other. When they lose one, the others move forward into the gap.

For some reason, the only place in this area that has a beach full of sharks’ teeth is in Venice. Teeth of all sizes wash ashore and people of all ages and walks of life go there to gather up the teeth. Venice is between Sarasota and Naples.

Be sure you don’t go shark fishing alone; always have someone aboard that knows what tackle to use and a heavy duty pole. You will need help to boat a shark. You cannot be too careful. More barbed-wire fences on our waterway -- I wonder if it is the one I wrote about and someone replaced it after it was cut. Be on the lookout when going up the Little Manatee. At one time years ago we had a similar situation with Lykes property and barbed-wire fences. Many will remember that one.
Cobia are still in the swim and thrilling some anglers with their positive attitude of “you can’t catch me,” but some anglers have weathered the fight and boated a couple this week.

Trout are abundant, in the flats, playing hard to catch. Redfish are yielding to live shrimp in the ­canals of Simmons Park and at Piney Point. Others are boating them in the Alafia and Manatee Rivers.

Permit are swimming with ease around the ship channels and one or two have been ­boated by lucky anglers who were fishing at night.

Sheepshead are schooling around pilings on piers, bridges and in artificial reefs. Some have spent all day feeding them; others who know how to set a hook in their bony mouth have had a great feast of a white lean-meated fish.

Snook are out of season, so be ever careful on your catch and ­release so as not to injure them.

Reports around the bait shops are that black sea bass catches have been great. They are a small fish with a great taste and good in a sandwich. You’ll find it as good as grouper.

Still the complaints about gas prices and they can’t take their boats out. Talk about the barbed-wire and how some of them have been cutting it.

Some are just hanging out, “­cause it is too hot to go fishing.” Others are ‘just waiting’ to see if anyone comes in with a catch.

At Williams Park, boats are still parked in a safe zone and not many weekend anglers are trailering their boats.

Reports are coming in about fishing areas in Apollo Beach ­being fenced off and some are telling me that they had fished there for years. Phone calls are coming in about dug up seagrass in the shallows.

Complaints about no place to park if you fish Cockroach Bay and cars parked along each side of the road have been burglarized. One big topic is that Cockroach Bay has so many signs that you can’t see the great outdoors when fishing there.

Our Florida sun is hot -- wear light colored clothes, protect your eyes with a Polaroid lens.

 -- Aleta Jonie Maschek is a ­member of Florida Outdoor Press­.

© Copyright 2008 by The Observer News Publications and M&M Printing Company, Inc.

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