So You Feel Safe In a Kayak

[Rivverrat]

 Bull shark repeatedly and violently attacks Florida fisherman's boat

https://www.foxnews.com/video/6332104684112

 
 Personally I've no desire at all to fish the salt from a kayak

                Jeff, From Kansas

[Keta]

Crunchy on the outside soft in the center.

[JasonGotaProblem]

I've had a bull shark hit my yak when I was a kid. Scared the living he'll outta me.

[Swami805]

Couple kayakers gets picked off every now and then up around point conception.  They find a kayak with a bunch of teeth marks in it. They think it's the same white shark, a really big one.

[philaroman]

...Personally I've no desire at all to fish the salt from a kayak

                Jeff, From Kansas

bull sharks can store salt & hang out in FW for months
they have been known to go WAAAY upriver
...but, probably not as far as Kansas 
 

[Rivverrat]

  Yes !  They are a very cool, unique fish. Most times things go well when they are round. However I do fish from a kayak but not while I'm in the salt   Thanx 4 replying.  ...Jeff, From Kansas

[Gfish]

Aggressive, shallow water sharks.
Where I go out there's usually surfers in scattered groups after the Sun comes-up, much easier targets than me. It's those 4 - 7Am reef trolling times that can be maybe dangerous. They come around me(prolly Galapagos and/or Tiger sharks) but I never see 'em. Only know from splashes in the dark or the shallow water alarm goes off in say 50' of water, or they hang around 'till I put out live bait and take it. Most bite through the leader, some, hooked shallow, can't be stopped and I cut 'em off to save braid.
Never heard of Bull sharks here, though.

[Keta]

In the mid 60's I was spearfishing in 90' ofvwater on a pinnacle off of Salt Point State Park in NORCAL and had a great white swim over me.  Fortunatly I was scuba diving and not doing a seal imitation on the surface. Needless to say I was not thrilled.

[Rickman]

Had just gaffed a 50lb tuna and was holding it up so I could bang it with my club. Bullshark came up, teeth facing me, grabbed the tuna behind the head. I let go! After a calming down a bit I reeled in the line. 14 lbs of head left with the gaff still in it. Couple weeks later I another one just about gaffing range and a big sealion took it. Boats are definitely more relaxing!

[Gfish]

Whoa dude!
Them Bull sharks sound more aggressive than all others. I recall watching some pseudo-documentary about the inspiration for the "Jaws" book/movie. It was a Bull shark in and out of freshwater, attacking and eating people.

What I love about kayaking is being on the water away from the human congestion and noise, self-contained in a 12'x 2.5' unit that I, and only I, am responsible for maintaining and operating. Plus the   thrill of big sometimes dangerous critters around me. If I'm riding around in my vehicle, other drivers(some who are way to idiotic and self-absorbed to be close to) can be a danger. Then there's Patrol officers who might stop you, sometimes extremely hostile and into retaliation when they have to deal with someone they don't like(usually me, after about 1 min. of trying to talk to me). There's too much regulatory stuff going-on on land. Fish and game, the state police, the Coast Guard, never bother the Kayakers here.

[Shellbelly]

If you go into salt water, you accept the fact that you're in their kitchen.  Bulls have been known to bump first, then swing around and bite.  Fortunately, my stringer is all they've snacked on around me. 

Based on aerial photos and more recent videos, I'm convinced very large things have passed me by.  In well over 50 years, I've never met or known anyone who has been bitten while fishing. 

One State guy I talked to got bumped in the back while working a fish survey net.  The guy jumped over the float line to get inside the net. Some I know have gotten careless with hooked sharks and were cut.

I'm more concerned with rays.  Getting hit in the nads by big mullet aint no fun either.