Small, slender brownish-gray shark with a long pointed snout and often small white spots; adults have white-edged fins. A true mini-shark, usually 2-3.5 ft (3-12 lb) - the most abundant shark caught around Galveston.
⚖ Texas limits · 2026-27 license year Sharks: 1/day all species combined · non-offset non-stainless circle hooks required in state waters · 24″ min · verify at TPWD →
On the water
WhenAll warm months, peaking late spring through fall. Bite around the clock but best on moving tide and after dark; they feed heavily at night on the piers and jetties.WhereEverywhere inshore: the surf, both jetties, the ship channel, piers, and throughout Galveston and East/West Bays over shell, mud, and channel edges. A staple bycatch for bottom fishermen.HowBottom fishing with cut bait on the piers, jetties, surf, and bay drop-offs. A basic fish-finder or double-drop bottom rig on light-to-medium tackle. Frequently caught incidentally while soaking bait for reds, drum, or whiting.BehaviorAbundant small-bodied scavenger/predator eating shrimp, small fish, crabs, and squid. Scent-driven and unfussy - they swarm cut bait on the bottom, especially at night, and are easy to catch on light gear.The fightLight and scrappy - a fun tussle on light tackle but no match for the bigger species; often the first shark a new angler lands.
Baits that work
Fresh dead shrimp
Cut mullet
Cut squid
Cut menhaden/croaker
Small fish strips
Tackle
Rod & reel7-8 ft medium spinning rod with a 3000-5000 reel - light tackle is fine.Line15-30 lb braid or mono.LeaderA short 30-60 lb mono or light single-strand wire bite leader (their small sharp teeth nick mono); 12-18 in.Terminal2/0-5/0 non-offset, non-stainless CIRCLE hooks (required by law); circles reduce gut-hooking on these bait-swallowers.RigFish-finder/Carolina rig or a two-hook bottom (dropper) rig with a small pyramid/bank sinker.
The bait clock
☀ DawnCut mullet chunk or squid
Small scent baits get picked up as soon as they hit the water in summer.
☼ MiddayFresh dead shrimp, squid, or cut bait
Sharpnose bite aggressively all day; they're the default summer surf/pier catch.
☾ DuskCut mullet or menhaden chunk
Feeding continues unabated into the evening.
★ NightFresh cut bait on bottom
They feed around the clock; night soaks stay busy.
[{'months': [5, 6, 7, 8, 9], 'note': 'Thick in summer surf and nearshore waters; nearly any cut bait works.'}]
Honestly no meaningful time-of-day pattern; they bite whenever bait is in the water in season.
Handling & releaseHardy and easy to release. Keep handling brief, back the circle hook out or cut the leader if swallowed, and they generally swim off strongly. Mind the small but sharp teeth and rough skin.On the tableAmong the best-eating sharks and one of the lowest-mercury species due to its small size and short lifespan - a genuinely good panfish-of-the-sea. Still bleed and ice promptly.As baitFrequently used as cut bait for larger sharks, bull reds, and jacks - the oily flesh makes solid chunk bait, and small ones are used whole for big sharks.
The bar to beat
Texas state record
18.1 lb — Fredrick Arellano
Gulf of Mexico, TX, 2022
World record
16.69 lb — Jacob Ethridge
Fort Walton Beach, Florida, 2016
Records as compiled in the IronJetty guide (Aug 2026) — verify current marks with TPWD records / IGFA. TPWD did not record a length for the state fish. World figure is single-source — unofficial.
