Juno Pier Shark Fishing

[Goat]

Sounds like a recent incident with some people shark fishing on the Juno Pier that were chumming and messing with the surfers got some attention. They have now posted max reel size allowed on the pier is a 4/0 on the sign next to where it says no shark fishing. I spoke to the attendant and they realize sharks can still be caught on 4/0 but they are tightening down with the recent incident. I asked if they were enforcing the rule and he said absolutely. Went out on the pier and was talking with one guy who said they booted him off earlier in the week for having a 6/0. He said he tried to come back a different time with the same reel and they stopped him at the gate.

[Goat]

Here is the link to the incident that was reported and got all the attention.

http://www.2ndlight.com/fusetalk/forum/ ... erthread=y

[JunoChris]

First, no one has ever chummed for sharks or anything else at the Pier. The county decided it would listen to the complaining of the surfers but it they continue to ignore how close the surfers get to the pier. We have brought pictures to Juno Beach town hall, and to county commission meeting and they dont care. Surfers are regularly within 50 ft of the T when there is waves. If you hook a decent jack it swims right through them. I have called the cops over and over again about surfers passing under the pier or cutting people's lines and they always say its someone else's problem.

Don never had a problem with sharks being caught at Juno he just does what the county tells him too. Honestly it was only a matter of time, there arent many piers in the state where shark fishing isnt against the rules.

[Goat]

Found this video that was posted April 21, 2009. Video might have been taken the same day the incident was reported. They never had an issue with us shark fishing the pier although they could stop it but worked with us to look the other way. Unfortunately (and I ran into this 28 years ago) once the public starts to complain they start to shut it down. Took us many years to be able to shark fish the beach again but only at night. The incident with sharks and lines pulled into the surfers, etc, resulted in their complaining and has resulted in the restrictions.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0v-w0Cvf8ck

[Goat]

One last note. This thread is just info and I do not support the no shark fishing regulation.

Because of the battles that were going on between the fisher people and the surfers and danger of someone getting hurt, there was a big meeting several years ago with county officials and they passed an agreement where the surfers can surf close to the pier on which ever side the break is coming from and going away from the pier. On an North swell they can surf next to the pier on the South side and the fisher people are supposed to move to the other side of the pier. The surfers actually have the right of way due to that agreement.

Most people do not know this and the pier attendants have not posted it so I can understand how people would not know the regulation. The surfers know it though and that is why we see them next to the pier like in that video I found posted. That is the argument I suspect that they used. Around 1:25 into the video if you turn it up you can hear someone saying something like they want something where it is and not somewhere else because there are not surfers in the other place. That taunting the surfers who actually have the right of way that day and the sharks in there may have set this whole think off (Just my opinion and again I support shark fishing). That is one reason we did it at night when the pier was open at night so these incidents would not happen.

[JunoChris]

I'm the second person hooked up with a tip in that video. Are you supposed to ignore the tips when they are that thick? You wont catch anything else. I dont care what law they came up with a few years ago, the cops dont know it, the lifeguards dont know it, and the surfers dont really know it. The surfers just dont care what the law says one way or the other, I have never heard one them quote it or even bring it up. The local pier angler continues to be and always will be a distant fourth behind surfers, turtles, and boat fisherman in the city of Juno.

[Goat]

I found one of the old articles on the regulations in place and posted below. I do not agree witht he paddle out zone or allowing surfers withing 100' of the pier but this is what the regulations are. If they are coming under the pier near the T then they are in violation. Boats are still held to the 500' limit.
------------------------------------------------------------------
-No surfing within 100' of the pier. The surfing area will be designated
with a black and white checkered flag.
-Paddle out zone NEXT to the pilings during swells is permitted
-Paddle out zone is immediately NEXT to the pilings, on the downdrift
side.
-No paddling out or surfing under the pier.
-Paddle out zone can change, at any time, and will be decided by the
beach patrol.
-When paddling out, surfers must begin to move away from the pier as they
get to the first shelter.
-Green arrows will be placed on the pier, under the railing, where the
paddling surfer will be able to easily see where to start moving away from the pier.
-After paddling out, surfers must stay 100' from the pier.
-The beach patrol will decide where surfing is allowed. North, south,
inside and outside.
-All surfers must adhere to the rules decided by the beach patrol, or
face being banned from the park.

[Goat]

I agree 4th in line. Seems at least a 6/0 should be allowed and since a lot of us pitched in money and worked the petitions to get the pier built we should have some say in it.

Oh well. I was just breaking the tippers necks with a 50W anyway so I'm re-spooling my TLD 25 and will be fun putting more sport into it. I'll just hit the inlet on the outgoing tide if I want to go bigger.

Hope you all catch a bunch in the tournament. Looking forward to the pictures.

[Oldguy]

Are you allowed to shark fish off the beach between the pier and Jupiter inlet?