Monster Fish Wrecked My Striper Surf Fishing On Quiet Swimming Beach!

This nasty creature showed up after I caught a few striped bass while surfcasting on a quiet beach where you would not expect a big predator to be. Supports my latest book, Fishing the Edge - Techniques and Tales from Surf, Boat, and Kayak: amzn.to/3TQtFvq.
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[@darcmushroom]

"Seems I'm getting sharked, so I switched to a steel leader" 😂 Love this guy

[@basshunter428]

Note: Gets creeped out by bats..... 6ft shark in waist deep water in the dark, not so much...... 🤔..... 🤣👍

[@isoplus3513]

Watched the video and realized I was huffing and puffing the whole time, lol. Awesome video as always, thank you John.

[@marcrobinson5498]

Nice Sandbar Shark. Of all the ones you could catch that's the one you want. I live south of you and we have a lot of them. The fight good but they are pretty safe to handle as you saw. The ones you have to watch out for are the dusky sharks and the black tips. They are aggressive and you have to be careful taking them off they will snap at you. We use long hook outs with the circle on the end to pop the hooks out. I'm glad you were able to get the hook out of him. Not many people do. Good video

[@SophiaMeyer-q9u]

Your videos are a true KZbin treasure. Thank you for your creativity and dedication!🌃🐺🌳

[@yeezlife]

This is the first time I've ever had a jump scare from a fishing video

[@moonpiespotlight4759]

"It would be helpful if this was a smaller one" 😄 I've said that many times John, right during the long winded run of a big shark.

[@JiggerzWithAttitude]

You truly are a legend John. This was just insane!

[@stevencohen6613]

So happy that u posted

[@josephgasperetti3972]

Thank you, Mr. Skinner. An epic fishing video. I would call it "Skinner and the Surf.' Not unlike Hemingway's "The Old Man and the Sea."

[@thefinalkayakboss]

As a beginner fisherman whos also from the east end it drives me crazy how good you are at obscuring exactly where you are. Great video as usual

[@FSCHW]

Your are in remarkable shape being able to balance and do the things you do on a wet slimy rock.

[@mikeknottscreek8183]

I nearly jumped out of my chair when the shark reached back for your hand!

[@ctfishhead5035]

Great video,John! Hell of a workout!

[@JohnSkinnerFishing]

I felt it in my thighs for 2 days.

[@jackbentley9530]

You are a madman! Great vid.

[@jeromewalton5553]

John. You were pretty close to getting snatched there buddy.

[@drewjames1104]

Awesome catch n release John. It’s amazing that sharks always know exactly which direction the fisherman hand is in. I’ve seen other videos where they try to bite the hands. Holy crap. That was close. I would carry one of those hook remover rods when eeling over there. Awesome catch!!

[@andrewhowe2868]

😂You were freaked out about the bats, but you're standing on a rock 50' out with friggin jaws on the other end! Hats off to you! Great vid!!!

[@JohnSkinnerFishing]

Ha! You're right. The bat scared me more than the shark.

[@ATREZ0123]

That's Stuff Legends are made of!!

[@seanhakakian8075]

Can you do a tutorial on how to cast so well

[@NoThankYouReally]

At 32:20 if it was me that shark would have become the proud owner of a possibly permanent lip piercing. Snip, vaya con dios amigo.

[@bobthompson9890]

Absolutely

[@mungobaggins8197]

With love: I think you need a longer hook remover. Fingers get lost faster than any person can think.

[@gregdorey3394]

Holy geesh John. Great video.

[@josephparisella806]

Keep them coming !

[@Chris-mf7ee]

Nice Sandbar John! very healthy fish.

[@joshuafigueroa6]

Just looking at the drag taken off like that reminds me about the time I was at breezy point fishing at night. Hooked up a giant bass, a shark, and a giant sting ray. 💯💪 Skinner

[@Izzy-en5dl]

Great redfish and spotted trout fishing lure!

[@joedoug3647]

Great video ! That fish was well fed

[@jp8950]

32:20 was a close one Master Skinner!

[@JohnSkinnerFishing]

It was. I didn't realize it until I was going through the video frame by frame. A lesson was learned the easy way there.

[@FishNassau]

@@JohnSkinnerFishing I will remember this video and if I am ever in a remotely similar situation, the hook is getting cut off. That looked WAY too close!

[@jp8950]

@@JohnSkinnerFishing I was unhooking an 8 foot black tip while alone on my boat a few years ago. While I was reaching in to get that circle hook out of the corner, she decided to hit me full force with her tail into my upper arm. It felt like Mike Tyson open hand slapped me, and I realized being out there by myself, if it had hit me in the head, I would’ve been out for the count. Hell hath no fury like nature unhinged. BTW, absolutely love your work, and I can attest to a group of youth who verbalize your mantras verbatim., that you indeed inspire the next generation of John Skinners.

[@PooRadley]

What an idiot

[@joshrussell9460]

Man what I feeling I bet that was getting in the water knowing you've got a big shark on the line . Thats a big ass shark. Thank God for circle hooks !

[@coxgaspoweredtether]

More teeth than a Shinnecock Bay doormat lol nice John! 🐟 🐠

[@Mikedi52]

she almost got you John!

[@wardenporter]

Ho-lee-crap. There was a chill in the house when I started the video, now I'm sweating.

[@timmare4793]

Just caught my first Brown shark about that size on Friday on a bunker chunk. Great fight!

[@Shopweasel]

14:14 the roast scene in jaws...🍖29:21 Timothy Treadwell's moment. Beautiful shark.his eyes always looking down.pure ambush predator.

[@TheRwd2]

The Blair Witch of fishing videos!!! I hooked into a shark outside of Greenwich last week while I was fluking. It broke the swivel but fought just like that and I never got to see it. Now I'm sure it was a shark.

[@HOLLYWOOD-nd2pe]

Even the big old tax man has to get released properly into the water.Nice work john👊🏾🤙🏾

[@JB31278]

Great stuff, just a tip John if you just put your leg near the shark he will use it at leverage and push himself out just keep your leg next to it and it will push off your leg. Great video 👍🏼

[@johnnyhiett]

Get you a LONG DEHOOKER man. That one shark flip can take all your fingers off.

[@v.hillegass4351]

Nice fishing but that was a close one at 32:20!! Real close!!

[@KP11520]

Yowsa! I was wondering what test you had onboard for Stripers? Then I saw the thicker green and then thought getting it in was a possibility. I think these things are also watching your videos (cause everybody can get the internet now) to know chafing the line on all the rocks between you and him, might work breaking the line! Guess you're going to have to install an emergency speaker on the plugs so you can tell them just come in and you'll be on your way faster!...... I promise! LOL. Sometimes these LED lights just overheat when on HIGH, and eventually the circuitry resets after cooling a little. Good thing you know those waters so well after all these years. Great experience to share and show how to do it right!

[@michaelsimko7694]

It's been very slow here in southwestern CT too John. The water temperatures at the local buoy run by NOAA's NDBC has gotten no lower than 73.9 even with the calm 53 degree nights we've been having. Strong sun, daytime temperatures in the upper 70s/lower 80s, and dry weather have recently caused the water temperature to top 77.5! Lots of small bait around with snappers and harbor blues occasionally feeding, but only hitting smaller spoons and rubber shads with a very low hits-per-cast ratio. We're due for a traditional early fall rain and wind event, which is what would probably cause the water temperatures to finally get down to around 70, get the fish to hit better, and get the fish to start blitzing.

[@JohnSkinnerFishing]

Great info. I really see it in the sound right now with my usual jigging spot quiet as of 2 days ago.

[@ryansnoook]

A night battle with a shark AND bats is tuff

[@RobertMcCandless-nr7cv]

Good job buddy!

[@garygallo571]

John this is out of context but you’re mention of wine colored bucktails including your book fishing the bucktail was the bucktail itself wine colored or the jig head also wine colored and what about the trailer I’m very interested to know thanks

[@JohnSkinnerFishing]

I dyed them myself, so the white paint absorbed the dye resulting in an all wine-red lure. That said, the paint would chip off on the jetty rocks and the plain lead head color was fine. I used a red trailer.

[@Peter-zg3em]

i haven't had a season where pencils outperformed spooks in any capacity since '22 when the fish and the bunker were giant and the i had the best season of my life from shore. spooks are the better topwater plug at the moment unless you really need distance or the bait or water is giant. you can vary your cadence, you can pause, you can steer them a little bit. it's a better plug for working smaller strike zones, closer to your feet, and in any situation where you need some finesse. i have also found that calling the fish to the dinner table with a pencil and then whacking them on a spook isn't just a coincidence, it's a phenomenon you can repeat if the fish are on smaller bait or need more finesse.

[@mattbobsong680]

Wow Peter great insight, thank you very much for this info. I will be sure to use this tactic. Phenomenal. It must have taken lots of trial and error to figure this out. How big of fish were you catching in 2022 on the pencil popper? I wasn’t aware that fish were honed in on pencils in 2022. I wish they still worked nowadays. Do you think the fish have possibly wised up and are now aware that the pencil popper is just a lure and therefore will not eat it? Just a theory, I’d be curious to know your thoughts. Again, thanks for sharing your insights.

[@ATREZ0123]

No way!

[@MrNick-]

Sharks, bats, is it Halloween already?

[@seanhakakian8075]

If you are fishing from a bay with a ton of bait fish and striped bass what are good things to use like specific lures or bait (the bait fish in the water are minnows/spearos)

[@JohnSkinnerFishing]

I'd always try small bucktails first.

[@johnmonaco9804]

Super lucky. Got stitches just like that.

[@johndrx165]

That will get your heart pumping!

[@pyrielrising4338]

Halloween video a little early...especially when the light quit.😮

[@EmilyKlannnn]

Your videos instill trust with their objectivity and clarity of presented information.🍏 ; 😚,

[@comfortablynumb9342]

Man sharks can be fun but they're also a pain in the a$$ sometimes. I haven't seen as many little ones in the Chesapeake Bay this year as last year. The babies were eating people's bottom rigs for croakers and spots but they were too small to keep. So they just screwed stuff up. And they weren't big enough to be fun or to want to catch. At least you caught a fighter.

[@matthewfeldman9161]

John, we get it, you’re a Florida resident now!

[@JohnSkinnerFishing]

Only 5 months of the year.

[@thomase6787]

What a beast, speaks loads to the gear you’re using. Also, was that sandbar? I’m working on my shark identification.

[@JohnSkinnerFishing]

Yes - Sandbar, AKA Brown.

[@pierregiannelli5350]

Awesome video !!!

[@andrewpartington7274]

Man what a slab of muscle that thing was

[@redtobertshateshandles]

Sharks are always fun. Especially when they take half of your line on a run and then bite you off. I can't be bothered battling a sluggish monster for ages, no wire for me.

[@BrendonHallstein]

Love your videos skinner , what kind of shark was that ?

[@JohnSkinnerFishing]

Brown, AKA Sandbar.

[@stephenburg315]

Can you show how you hold the rod and the retrieve speed you use with the spook in a future video my biggest problem with using the spook is getting my surf rod to a comfortable spot to work it because of the length of the rod.

[@captainmo3064]

Sandbar shark. Very common.

[@hyenaforefinger2238]

remarkable

[@leafinitup1]

Great catch. I'd be hesitant to jump in belly deep with that monster. What type of shark was it?

[@JohnSkinnerFishing]

Brown.

[@tomtripptree5079]

What do you do if you know if the fish is in the rocks. Will you change your line regardless

[@JohnSkinnerFishing]

I'll inspect it and replace if needed.

[@AOMilvado]

Great video!! I was tense watching that. Quick question because you have the experience. A topwater popper with treble hooks vs switching it for a single hook for bluefish and stripers. what you recommend and why (in one of two sentences, if possible)?

[@AOMilvado]

In regard to hook up ratio, as well as hook safety. Did I miss anything else?

[@JohnSkinnerFishing]

My opinion - you're probably fine in replacing the rear treble with an inline single. I'd leave the belly treble as in my experience you'll alter the plug action and miss/lose more fish with a single belly hook.

[@AOMilvado]

Excellent. Thank you!

[@xcel5]

I see a penn reel. Good man

[@jrod1077]

Hi John - really enjoyed this video and hope you won't mind a question. I'll be out there visiting my dad this week (week of 9/16) and was hoping to get some time in on the beaches between Mattituck and Orient. It's looking like several days of NE winds, so based on your experience on the Sound, I wanted to ask if these conditions can be favorable for stripers, blues, or albies. I do recall a day in late October a couple of years ago where I was the only one fishing a popular stretch of water, had a strong N wind right in my face, and the albie fishing was incredible. Have I answered my own question or are there a couple of other insights you might be able to add? Thanks, John!!

[@JohnSkinnerFishing]

A month from now would be good on those conditions. It's pretty quiet right now.

[@jrod1077]

Thanks - I’ll consider this week a warmup for better things to come next month!

[@charlesmurray1220]

I've been fishing Jones Inlet for weeks now. A few blue fish but no strippers. And some others were catching bonito. But no strippers... Darters, similar to the one in your vid, Deadly Dicks, Kast Masters, paddle tails, lips, top waters... Hmmm...

[@miguelvillamil4373]

Oh my god, that shark almost bit you.

[@EJROCKER1]

John, how far do you generally get out with your casts?

[@JohnSkinnerFishing]

I think about 270 feet with a decent casting plug.

[@Redcrown48]

Looked like the same Shark from last year, that one was hooked on the right side of the mouth, but seemed more challenging. The night camera featured in that video looked pretty good, never saw it again. How much do eels go for now?

[@JohnSkinnerFishing]

Eels are sold by the pound. About $3 each for casting eels.

[@mulletoutdooradventures6286]

I was out sharking earlier this year and i jumped up on the bow and was just tossing a giant popper and on my 3rd cast i has about an 6ft sandbar destroy my plug. Luckily it was on my tuna popping outfit and was able to get it to the boat. Unfortunately i donated the plug to the shark. I wasn't messing around with that thing

[@Stripe12]

So you had baits out for shark and one hit the popper?!

[@mulletoutdooradventures6286]

@Stripe12 yup. Honestly I don't drift allot of dead bait anymore. I've been using allot of live spot and kingfish. Especially from the kite. The only dead bait I'll use is false albie filets

[@Stripe12]

@@mulletoutdooradventures6286 that’s cool and pretty weird!

[@SD-ft6gs]

I keep trying to identify the type of shark, but I can't definitively figure it out, but it seems to be a Dusky Shark: Carcharhinus obscurus. It's definitely not a bull because of it's weird mouth configuration and longer nose.and the eyes are in the wrong place for a bull, but a lot of the pictures of dusky shark have a longer nose. what do you all think? also dusky shark are endangered, so that would have been quite a catch if it was one. (i.e. very rare catch)... remember folks most shark are vulnerable please don't needlessly kill them. Update, perhaps this is a sandbar shark: Carcharhinus plumbeus...(Brown Shark) nose is closer on that one. so is general body shape. also endangered... wow either way you caught something rare there John.

[@JohnSkinnerFishing]

Brown, AKA SandBar. Despite their classification, they are extremely common over a wide range.

[@JoshRoberts7777]

At what point would you have cut the line? Were you close? Lots of bend in rod and a lot of line. I get nervous and probably cut and run too quickly.

[@JohnSkinnerFishing]

I've never cut a line with a fish on it in my life.

[@jclynch12]

Don’t EVER endanger my future fluke videos like that again!

[@im4gine_wag0ns21]

Where do you get eels?

[@JohnSkinnerFishing]

WEGO B&T Southold.

[@_N4te_]

Crazy how you got a shark but just curious do you use mono backing with your braid?

[@JohnSkinnerFishing]

No mono.

[@chuckkavigian1045]

I flinched so hard when it turned it's head and snapped I fumbled the remote! I know you were trying to do the right thing but woooo, not worth it!

[@JohnSkinnerFishing]

I just wasn't prepared for such a beast. I think I'll add a longer dehooker if there's even a remote chance of dealing with a shark in the future.

[@chuckkavigian1045]

@@JohnSkinnerFishing Glad it worked out for you and the shark in the end. Great video as always, Skinner

[@MartinVSmith6334]

Great adventurous video John Skinner but maybe you should keep in mind that it is easier to fish with two hands! At least start carrying a long handled hook disgorger please.

[@ruvimvb9395]

32:18 had me spooked

[@webmoss]

There’s a bunch of 8ft brown sharks taxing trophy cows at BI. I lost 5 fish 1 night and called it quits because fishing was impossible.

[@Stripe12]

Should’ve left after 2nd cow got taxed. Waste

[@webmoss]

@@Stripe12 gas money and eels aren’t cheap.

[@soarz3731]

looking for surf set up.. Lis10mhs rod with a penn slammer 6500. anyone think that’s good or have better recommendations?

[@JohnSkinnerFishing]

Describe the application. What environment - ocean sand beach, bay, jetty...?

[@milstuff4530]

Looked like a bull shark.

[@OliviaByrne-c6b]

Your style is simply enchanting. I eagerly anticipate what you'll bring us next.🖕🖕🖕 1 🐰'

[@hettro-cv6082]

AWESOME! I fouled hooked a small muskie on the top of its head with a 3/8th oz bass crank bait and it was the hardest fight I have had so far! The lure was not in its mouth. The muskie was 30" not legal in my state. Great video!

[@comfortablynumb9342]

Would you keep a musky? Are they good to eat? I'm a FL man so I don't know. I thought people let them go because they are bony and because they're kind of rare.

[@hettro-cv6082]

@@comfortablynumb9342 NO! they take many years to grow to at least legal size. Yes I here they are good to eat but better to enjoy the fight and release it. if it is a trophy have a graphic reproduction made from your photo! also they are the top predator so there will be fewer of them in a system than other fish. Happy fishing!

[@Stripe12]

Gosh, your hand should never be lateral and as close as you put it a few times. Deceivingly quick when they look worn out

[@JohnSkinnerFishing]

You've got that right about it being much quicker than it seemed it could be. Lesson learned cheaply.

[@iknowgood2403]

Almost lost your hand bro.

[@The93ssfd]

What type of shark was that?

[@JohnSkinnerFishing]

Brown, AKA SandBar.

[@The93ssfd]

@@JohnSkinnerFishing thank you.

[@eviljinsi]

just cut the leader, you almost lost a hand there.

[@erasamus1057]

don't fish if you can't deal with the catch..... get longer pliers

[@ethanflorio9948]

@@erasamus1057facts!!!!

[@Gabez_N_Jacobz_VR]

@@erasamus1057fr

[@stevencohen6613]

That was a chunky shark

[@robertlosasso4222]

Just one fish between 28 and 31 inches.

[@markanderson9373]

Was that a porbeagle shark?

[@JohnSkinnerFishing]

Brown, AKA sandbar.

[@lostyank]

Dang! 😂

[@Jbennyho]

Bull shark?

[@JohnSkinnerFishing]

Brown, AKA SandBar.

[@joemar123]

what kind of shark was that

[@JohnSkinnerFishing]

Brown I think.

[@bobcalifornia9622]

Too close for comfort while getting that hook out. Would be hard to fish after an injury like that.

[@JohnSkinnerFishing]

Correct. Lesson learned.

[@charlesmurray1220]

If we ever meet in person Mr. Skinner, I'll tell you a funny story about a bat. Do you speak any german?

[@JohnSkinnerFishing]

Nein.

[@charlesmurray1220]

@@JohnSkinnerFishing Yiddish?

[@charlesmurray1220]

@@JohnSkinnerFishing BTW, I gotta say, a 6'2" shark, in the pitch dark, and in belly-deep water... You got a set on you boy! Honestly, I probably would have cut the line and ran home to my wife. LOL!

[@Michael-ep7lx]

Why wouldn't you expect a shark to be in that part of the ocean? All of that water belongs to them.

[@JohnSkinnerFishing]

Long Island Sound. Not the ocean.

[@brianscan1495]

Looks like a brown

[@jamesps7515]

Sandbar and browns are the same shark

[@obxkoastie8170]

John...Great job landing that shark. On the video with you landing stripers I noticed you standing on the slime-covered rocks. Do your waders have studs or do you wear Korkers? Just curious as that looked very unsafe. Stay safe!

[@JohnSkinnerFishing]

Korkers spiked felt soles. The boots don't come with them. I have to buy them extra.

[@RudyGardea]

Looks like a female shark.