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View Poll Results: Have you seen a shark in Tampa bay?
No never 3 37.50%
Yes 1-2 1 12.50%
Yes 3-4 0 0%
Yes 5+ 4 50.00%
Voters: 8. You may not vote on this poll

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Old 10-22-2017, 07:11 PM   #1
rowow
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Sharks in Tampa bay?

I have dived dozens of times in the Tampa bay and more then anywhere else, primarily the bridges (skyway/gandy) however time and time agian I hear people talk about how thats a shark breeding zone and is very dangerous. Yet in all the dives ive done I have NEVER seen a shark. Ive seen more sharks then I can count 50ft from public swimming beaches around vero beach.

I am aware that the bay is a breeding zone for many sharks, however maybe they are simply not aggressive during breeding or ive simply not seen one due to the visibility, but has anyone actually seen a shark in the bay? Ive asked time and time agian and everyone talks about how many sharks there are but they never actually seen one. Idk, maybe I meet the wrong people or am super lucky.
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Old 10-22-2017, 07:27 PM   #2
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Re: Sharks in Tampa bay?

Good luck seeing them with less than 2' vis. They're much more perceptive than that.
I've had thrashing fish on me w/o encountering
such in that low vis. I've questioned why I haven't encountered such myself sometimes. I have had a huge turtle up in my face whilst getting stone crabs. It does freak one out in such low visibility.
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Old 10-22-2017, 07:36 PM   #3
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Re: Sharks in Tampa bay?

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Originally Posted by Marcus View Post
Good luck seeing them with less than 2' vis. They're much more perceptive than that.
I've had thrashing fish on me w/o encountering
such in that low vis. I've questioned why I haven't encountered such myself sometimes. I have had a huge turtle up in my face whilst getting stone crabs. It does freak one out in such low visibility.
Saw the shadow of a tarpon once and I freaked so much that I clinged onto a pilon covered with oystered and barnacles, untill I saw the rest of the school and started laughing my ass off. Still GTFO as soon as possible cause I still had the spooks in me.

Its amazing how more scared you are with less information/low vis. The first shark I ever saw was a huge 15ft hammer head in vero beach but I didnt feel scared at all, instead I felt shocked in awe, like seeing a whale or something, it looked so amazing. Followed it a bit but it didnt want anything to do with me, which is a good or bad thing depending how you look at it.

Yet a oyster fish popping out to say hello or a manta ray coming in from the darkness is far more scarier.

Last edited by rowow; 10-22-2017 at 07:46 PM.
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Old 10-22-2017, 07:43 PM   #4
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Re: Sharks in Tampa bay?

Yea, Hammerheads don't concern me, given the statistics. Still, a 12''er plus up in your grill in that low vis is enough to unnerve the manliest of men, IMO.

"Oyster fish"? Sorry, never have heard of that terminology for any species around that area. Please elucidate.
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Old 10-22-2017, 07:45 PM   #5
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Re: Sharks in Tampa bay?

After some further research apparently the whole Tampa shark frenzy may be a myth after all. Shark attacks in Tampa are nothing compared to many other places in Florida

This may be due to Tampa bay having far less people, but there should at least be a few shark attacks. The only shark attack I found was a person swimming 3 miles off shore, which if you want to get bit by a shark that is the best way how.

https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer...3894484375&z=7
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Old 10-22-2017, 08:06 PM   #6
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Re: Sharks in Tampa bay?

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Originally Posted by rowow View Post
After some further research apparently the whole Tampa shark frenzy may be a myth after all. Shark attacks in Tampa are nothing compared to many other places in Florida

This may be due to Tampa bay having far less people, but there should at least be a few shark attacks. The only shark attack I found was a person swimming 3 miles off shore, which if you want to get bit by a shark that is the best way how.

https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer...3894484375&z=7
Hmmm...are you really a native? I can personally recall shark attacks that are not being reported by your sources. I'm also starting to judge your intentions. I've seen sharks in Tampa bay, but not whilst diving given the low vis. I Have seen them otherwise bite tarpon in half. I'm not sure if your poll/questioning is genuine. You've been crafty in other threads. I reserve judgement.
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Old 10-22-2017, 08:14 PM   #7
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Re: Sharks in Tampa bay?

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Hmmm...are you really a native? I can personally recall shark attacks that are not being reported by your sources.
The map only shows data for the last 3 years. To see more then 1 year you have to click at the boxes on the left side. Otherwise if you know of any shark attacks in Tampa I would be glad to see them. But the map does a good job illustrating the vast difference in attacks compared to many other areas like key west/Melbourne beach/etc.
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Old 10-22-2017, 08:33 PM   #8
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Re: Sharks in Tampa bay?

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IMO, If you had lived around here, you would already know the errors in that data. Have you...really lived around here?
Can you or can you not provide a source?

And I live near Orlando, so no. However I doubt Tampa has a statistical anomaly in not reporting shark attacks. Even a shark feeding charter captain couldn't hide his attack who called police reporting of being "bitten by a sea creature" to save his reputation.

http://weatherplus.blog.palmbeachpos...t-to-hospital/

You should also know already that I dont care about opinion, but instead facts and statistics, aka the whole reason for opening up the poll.
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Old 10-22-2017, 08:45 PM   #9
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Re: Sharks in Tampa bay?

Live near Orlando but dive around the Skyway?
A simple web search will reveal all that u want to know, troll. I've got your number. You've said enough to find you're not genuine whatsoever.
Your employer needs to give you a demotion. Good try, though.
Forgive me if I'm being too presumptuous. Certainly, some detailed dive info from around the Skyway or references of local divers sent via PM would persuade me. I've personally haven't dove around the Gandy but there are many members here that have. Maybe you could share some details. Until then, I'm thinking you're a fake.
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― Frederic Bastiat, The Law

Last edited by Marcus; 10-22-2017 at 09:23 PM.
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Old 10-22-2017, 10:14 PM   #10
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Re: Sharks in Tampa bay?

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Originally Posted by Marcus View Post
Live near Orlando but dive around the Skyway?
A simple web search will reveal all that u want to know, troll. I've got your number. You've said enough to find you're not genuine whatsoever.
Your employer needs to give you a demotion. Good try, though.
Forgive me if I'm being too presumptuous. Certainly, some detailed dive info from around the Skyway or references of local divers sent via PM would persuade me. I've personally haven't dove around the Gandy but there are many members here that have. Maybe you could share some details. Until then, I'm thinking you're a fake.
Why cant you provide a simply source to back up your claim? It must not be that hard. I tried searching and found nothing, aka why I started this thread. This is exactly why I stopped talking to you on the other post, you like to change topics, personally attack people, then in the end of it all you put things in peoples mouth with stuff they never said.

As for me living near Orlando... Yeah its called driving... Thats also how i'm also able to dive all the way at vero beach. Tampa is only 1 1/2 hours. And details of what? Murky waters with barnacles/dead oyster encrusted pillars? Green Asian mussels at the bottom with oyster fish? I dont quite understand what you are to presumptuous about. The south skyway bridge is far clearer, and where I primarily dive from. Its filled with snook, mangrove snapper, sheephead, spadefish, schools of jacks here and there, and tarpon depending on the time of the year (aka my little story from earlier). Otherwise I dont quite understand why you are so suspicious other then you trying to change the topic.

I also literally just joined the forum this year... I dive alone and I dont own a working boat (Although I am fixing up a jetski that I just got at the moment) which is why I had no other choice but to dive bridges and beaches my whole life.

In the end all I asked was for reports, numbers, facts and statistics on this issue to find the truth. I hate rumors and those are plentiful in the fishing community such as trash fish/etc.
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Old 10-22-2017, 10:26 PM   #11
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Re: Sharks in Tampa bay?

Quote:
Originally Posted by rowow View Post
Why cant you provide a simply source to back up your claim? It must not be that hard. I tried searching and found nothing, aka why I started this thread. This is exactly why I stopped talking to you on the other post, you like to change topics, personally attack people, then in the end of it all you put things in peoples mouth with stuff they never said.

As for me living near Orlando... Yeah its called driving... Thats also how i'm also able to dive all the way at vero beach. Tampa is only 1 1/2 hours. And details of what? Murky waters with barnacles/dead oyster encrusted pillars? Green Asian mussels at the bottom with oyster fish? I dont quite understand what you are to presumptuous about. The south skyway bridge is far clearer, and where I primarily dive from. Its filled with snook, mangrove snapper, sheephead, spadefish, schools of jacks here and there, and tarpon depending on the time of the year (aka my little story from earlier). Otherwise I dont quite understand why you are so suspicious other then you trying to change the topic.

I also literally just joined the forum this year... I dive alone and I dont own a working boat (Although I am fixing up a jetski that I just got at the moment) which is why I had no other choice but to dive bridges and beaches my whole life.

In the end all I asked was for reports, numbers, facts and statistics on this issue to find the truth. I hate rumors and those are plentiful in the fishing community such as trash fish/etc.
I'm certainty not too proud to publicly apologize if I've said something unfairly disparaging. Do tell of your timing from Orlando to the S side of the SKyway to dive at the right time. How exactly did you time that? With no boat? What kind of gear? Think carefully before you answer this. I should hear back from you quickly if your the real dealpickle.
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― Frederic Bastiat, The Law
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Old 10-22-2017, 10:28 PM   #12
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Re: Sharks in Tampa bay?

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I'm certainty not too proud to publicly apologize if I've said something unfairly disparaging. Do tell of your timing from Orlando to the S side of the SKyway to dive at the right time. How exactly did you time that? With no boat? What kind of gear? Think carefully before you answer this. I should hear back from you quickly if your the real dealpickle.
Timing of what? How long I drive? agian, its 1.5 hours give or take traffic...
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Old 10-22-2017, 10:30 PM   #13
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Re: Sharks in Tampa bay?

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Timing of what? How long I drive? agian, its 1.5 hours give or take traffic...
Nope, doesn't cut it. If you've ever dove the Skyway, you'd know what I'm talking about. You're proving my point.
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“If the natural tendencies of mankind are so bad that it is not safe to permit people to be free, how is it that the tendencies of these organizers are always good? Do not the legislators and their appointed agents also belong to the human race? Or do they believe that they themselves are made of a finer clay than the rest of mankind?”
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Old 10-22-2017, 10:31 PM   #14
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Re: Sharks in Tampa bay?

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I'm certainty not too proud to publicly apologize if I've said something unfairly disparaging. Do tell of your timing from Orlando to the S side of the SKyway to dive at the right time. How exactly did you time that? With no boat? What kind of gear? Think carefully before you answer this. I should hear back from you quickly if your the real dealpickle.
As for gear, depending on the time of year I wear a wetsuit during winter cause I was born and raised in Florida, so anything below 75-80 is way too cold for me. A weight belt, stringer, depending on how far I go out I leave my flag near one of the pillars as its too dangerous to dive with it and the currents. Last year couldn't dive at all fall-spring because of red tide.
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Old 10-22-2017, 10:33 PM   #15
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Re: Sharks in Tampa bay?

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Nope, doesn't cut it. If you've ever dove the Skyway, you'd know what I'm talking about. You're proving my point.
You mean the tide? Which would be low however it lasts for a few hours and you can sorta dive during high depending on the weather
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