Great hammerhead sharks are found in coastal waters throughout the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean. The best methods for catching great hammerhead include chumming, surf casting, still fishing and drift fishing using squid or chunks of cut fish for bait.
Habitat: Ocean, Bay, Coastal Waters
How to identify Great Hammerhead Shark
The great hammerhead is the largest of all hammerhead shark species. It can reach up to 20 feet long when fully grown. Great hammerheads have grayish-greenish brown coloring on their backs and off-white abdomens. They have serrated, triangle-shaped teeth. Their head shape, which is smooth, sets them apart from the scalloped hammerhead, which have indentations on their heads.
Where to catch Great Hammerhead Shark
This shark is found in warm waters of the Atlantic from Uruguay to the Gulf of Mexico, the Caribbean, and on up to North Carolina. They are also found in the Pacific and the outer region of the Indian Ocean. They inhabit waters as shallow as 3 feet deep, or as deep as 260 feet and anything in between. They prefer to hang out in lagoons, near islands, and along continental shelves/terraces. They’ll also sometimes be found in deep water near land.
The following are habitats where you can catch Great Hammerhead Shark:
How to catch Great Hammerhead Shark
Anglers who are targeting the great hammerhead shark start by chumming at about 15 feet down with oily fish while trolling or at anchor. The chum hook should be a #8 or #10 circle with a small weight. Reeling in these large sharks will require heavy tackle, such as 400-500 yards of 50-80 lb. test. Effective techniques for catching great hammerhead include bait casting, drift fishing, still fishing, trolling and surf casting.
The following are effective fishing methods and techniques for catching Great Hammerhead Shark:
Best Lures, Bait & Tackle to catch Great Hammerhead Shark
When fishing for the great hammerhead shark, start by chumming with oily fish, such as anchovies, sardines, pilchard, flatfish. Then, once they are close to the boat, lure them with squid or oily cut bait.
The following are fishing lures, bait and tackle that can be used to catch Great Hammerhead Shark:
