Before You Go
What to Expect
You do not need gear, experience, or any idea what you are doing. You need shoes you can get wet and the willingness to stay up late. Here is exactly how the night runs.
- 4–6 hours, after dark
- No experience needed
- Max 4 rods
- All gear provided
What You Bring
Four things, and that is it
Shoes you can get wet
You'll be standing in the shallows at some point. Old sneakers or sandals with a back strap; waves pull flip-flops right off.
A layer for after midnight
South Florida gets cooler on the sand than people expect, especially with wind and spray. A hoodie is usually enough.
Water and food
Four to six hours is a long time. Bring water and whatever you want to eat; there is nowhere to buy anything at 2 a.m. Leave the alcohol at home. It's banned on most of these beaches.
Your permit and license
Everyone 16 and up who fishes needs a Florida saltwater license (free shoreline license for residents, $17 for three days for visitors) and the free shark permit, which lasts a year. We send the links and walk you through it. Allow 30 to 45 minutes.
What We Bring
Everything between you and the shark
- Rods, reels, and every rig
- Bait and the kayak
- Fighting harness and belt
- Red lights, chairs, and cutters
Common Questions
Things people ask quietly
Is it physical?
The harness carries the weight, not your arms. If you can stand up for a while, you can do this. A big fish can take twenty minutes or more. We keep fights as short as we can, because a shorter fight means a stronger release, and you can hand the rod off any time.
Do I have to touch the shark?
No. Your guide handles every leader, hook and release. You'll be ankle-deep in the shallows at times, but never near the head.
Can kids come?
Yes. Kids under 16 don't need a license or permit as long as they fish right beside a permit holder, and your guide always is one. Whether a child takes the rod on a big shark is your guide's call on the night.
What if nothing bites?
That happens, and nobody can promise otherwise. You still get a night on a dark beach with heavy rods out.
Do I get photos?
Of bulls and blacktips, yes: quick ones in the shallows while the shark stays wet. Hammerheads, tigers and other protected sharks go straight back, by law, with no photo stop.
The Night
How it actually goes
We meet at a legal public beach around sunset and rig up together. Baits go out past the sandbar by kayak once it is dark. Then the rods sit in the sand spikes, the reel clickers go on, and we wait, which turns out to be a good part of the night.
When a clicker screams, you clip into the harness and it is your fish. Everything after that is coaching, and then a release in the shallow wash.
Now you know the night.
Tell us the dates you have in mind and how many are coming. $450 a night for the whole group, no deposit, and you'll hear back the same day with open nights.