Large Sharks in Moreton Bay

[macca721]

Has any one else come across quite a few large sharks lately... the last few trips I have seen 10+ft hammerhead out near the Rainbow Channel, and an equally large Tiger Shark between Green Island and Harries, a couple of others I couldn't identify but probably Bull Sharks 8ish ft long on the inside of Moreton.... Do they come in chasing Spotted Mackerel, or am I just noticing more now that I fish from a jetski now?

[scottar]

8ft - babies. If you ever want to make yourself real nervous about coming off the ski - follow the pro crabbers around as they re-bait their pots around the bay. 112044 Biggest animal I have personally had under the boat was a Hammerhead that would have been 3.5 - 4 metres - puts things in perspective a bit.

[Still_Dreamin]

Vic Hislop wrote an article back in late 80's early 90s about unstoppables in the bay. He has the shark display up in Hervey Bay. Pretty scary read for young fisherman at the time

[Moonlighter]

There was a big tiger shark lived around Peel Island cucumber point for many years. It came up beside my old Quintrex 14 footer many years ago, was longer than the boat. We didnt hang around to see what it was going to do.

There are shiploads of sharks in the Bay. Always have been. We regularly have them at the back of the boat when checking our crab pots and tossing the small crabs and old bait over. Not scared of the boat, come right to the transom.

Bob Dyer had a world record tiger caught off Horseshoe Bay at one stage in the early days.

The whales are coming back, and with them, the big tigers and whites. Be very afraid!

[kingcray]

there was a big shark hanging around one of the 4 beacons on monday. Never attacked any of our fish luckily enough!
it looked to me like a tiger .. but couldnt see any stripes. A heap of dolphins turned up for a play and it took off.

[ben_460]

I was near mud island at the back of the boat reloading the Burely bucket when a decent sized one turned up for a sniff, it came in close enough to just see it in the water then faded back down. Don't know about length but it had decent girth. Real arse puckering moment in a small boat

[scottar]

There was a big tiger shark lived around Peel Island cucumber point for many years. It came up beside my old Quintrex 14 footer many years ago, was longer than the boat. We didnt hang around to see what it was going to do.



Many moons ago while talking to a long time Moreton Bay pro netter about fishing waste deep at Point Halloran, he recounted a story to do with this big Tiger. They used to have a "pontoon" of sorts that they would store the bins of mullet on between net shots - think it was up in the Lazaret. They came back one time to retrieve the baskets of mullet to find said shark pushing the pontoon until a basket would fall off so it could cruise around eating the mullet. Seem to recall it was about that time I gave Point Halloran a miss.

[macca721]

shark pushing the pontoon until a basket would fall off.

How I read this ... "shark pushing jetski until rider/food would fall off"...ha

[pegasus]

I had about a 10 foot shark have a quick chew on my bow mount minn kota a few year backs -inside of Moreton ( Shark spit). I was standing on the casting platform reeling in a mack- still 60 metres out. The minn kota jumped upward through the collet- what the hell-looking down this shark had come up- teethed the lower portion and decide not eatable- turned and already commenced it s downward journey- in the space of a few seconds. Minn kota to its credit just few scratches.

[sandbank pete]

How I read this ... "shark pushing jetski until rider/food would fall off"...ha

need a bigger boat Macca ;D

[Watto79]

I quite often chuckle to myself when I see jet ski's and small boats out and about in the bay and wonder if they are unaware, naïve or just plain stupid!

Lots and lots of big sharks all over Moreton bay, always has been and probably always will be!

Can remember my old man and his mate catching some in his 14 foot tinny back in the 80's when I was just a young fella (plain stupid or maybe even crazy sorry old boy)..

Think the biggest they got was a tiger just over 13 foot, but quite a few between 10 - 12 foot and that was just out front of Nudgee inside the compass adjustment buoy..

No jet ski for me! hahahaha

[brlin113]

I was flicking plastics near hutchies 2 weeks back. My mate says " Oi did you see that, think it was a fin" the rest of us look that way and about 2 seconds later an 3m+ model catapulted about 2m clean out of the water, whilst throwing in 4 barrel rolls for good measure. I only scored it a 6/10 for the landing. haha. It was pretty amazing to see only 20m out the back of the boat.

[Darren Mc]

I was flicking plastics near hutchies 2 weeks back. My mate says " Oi did you see that, think it was a fin" the rest of us look that way and about 2 seconds later an 3m+ model catapulted about 2m clean out of the water, whilst throwing in 4 barrel rolls for good measure. I only scored it a 6/10 for the landing. haha. It was pretty amazing to see only 20m out the back of the boat.

Saw a bull shark do that off the Southern end of Macleay Island. It was about 1.5-2m.

[Richo1]

Lost a big Snapper at Mud a couple of years ago to a big Bull Shark. Grabbed the fish and went completely airborne.

[Dignity]

Many years ago when running from Scarborough to Moreton Island we would pass over large numbers of sharks. When dillies were used for sandies many a net was lost to the toothie critters in Lazaret Gutter, you'd be fishing nearby and see your float go past, pull it in and only the top half would be left, just a snack of crabs for them. There was a big white pointer that visited that gutter regularly. Some years you see lots of sharks other years there not as bothersome, but if they are around it seems they follow the boat even though you move miles and at great speed. I fish for flatties in the yak and in Pumistone Passage you see quite a few up to 4 ft in water barely deep enough for them and have seen them jump, like brlin score 6/10 as they need to lose some weight.

[tunaticer]

Sharks are seasonal and cyclic.
Different times of the year will see different species and different locations and habits.
Every November for the past dozen years there has been a largish tiger shark come into the Redcliffe waters. He is about 4m long and patiently waits to prune a snapper before moving off.
Have seen the same shark most seasons in the past dozen years from my kayak.
This one is placid and will sit under the kayak for 10 minutes close enough to reach down and touch it's dorsal fin.
Generally do not see him later than 40 mins after the sun has broken the horizon.

Most others I come across are generally whalers or bullies or leopard sharks up to about 1.5m.

Sharks do not worry me, i like seeing them.
If I get eaten that's ok, it is nature.

[Crunchy]

Might have to retire the kids tow toy!

[TREVELLY]

Brent you would be safer in clear water near Tangas not in open dirty water and not near shipping channels. Never a guarantee but I would feel safe near Tangas and at risk most other places :)

I reckon a ski is as safe as a kayak - only needs one cranky critter and your a meal

[scottar]

Brent you would be safer in clear water near Tangas not in open dirty water and not near shipping channels. Never a guarantee but I would feel safe near Tangas and at risk most other places :)

I reckon a ski is as safe as a kayak - only needs one cranky critter and your a meal

Have heard of one story of a young girl getting onto a ski to paddle to the beach at Tangas only to be shadowed by what the bloke thought was a big tiger that swam out from under the yacht she got off. He didn't know whether to shout and warn her just in case she panicked and fell off. All ended well apparently.

[Triple]

Brent you would be safer in clear water near Tangas not in open dirty water and not near shipping channels. Never a guarantee but I would feel safe near Tangas and at risk most other places :)


Biggest tiger, hammer and bronzie I've ever seen have been just near tangas.. shark spit down further is called that for a reason. But your right, the clearer waters are a safer option and the swarm of tourists splashing closer to the wrecks would be an easier meal. ;)

[Seppo BNE]

Has there been any known shark attacks in the bay/rivers ? - The ones I can remember were on beaches.
Don't want to try my luck with cranky critters in any case !

[chris69]

Yes theres been many attacks in the brissy river by bull sharks,mud island was a known big shark area and when the whaleing station was at tangalooma the big sharks were plentiful.

[TREVELLY]

The shipping channel off Tangas does scare me but staying within the shallows near the beach 50-100m looks reasonable - nothing in life is guaranteed but I would target clear shallow water and others using water as a safer option than murky or deeper water.

[GBC]

Has there been any known shark attacks in the bay/rivers ? - The ones I can remember were on beaches.
Don't want to try my luck with cranky critters in any case !

Theres been a couple of hits at Amity in the last 10 years. The girl died.

[TREVELLY]

I think they have signs up at waters edge at Amity near the shop - that is a sharky looking place - deep fast water very close to small steep sandy shore - dardum dardum