Large hammerhead with a notched, 'scalloped' front edge to the hammer (central indentation plus side notches). Bronze-gray above, white below. Caught in the Galveston surf/nearshore at 5-9 ft, with the largest fish exceeding the 99 in (8.25 ft) minimum.
⚖ Texas limits · 2026-27 license year Sharks: 1/day all species combined · non-offset non-stainless circle hooks required in state waters · 99″ min · verify at TPWD →
On the water
WhenWarm season, best May-October, with a strong showing when big rays and bait are on the beach. Night and low-light on moving tides; big fish often come after dark on long-soaked baits.WhereGalveston beachfront surf (big-bait kayak fishing), nearshore around bait schools, the ship channel/Bolivar Roads, and the nearshore rigs and wrecks. Big hammerheads cruise the beachfront guts hunting rays and other sharks.HowBig-bait beachfront program: kayak large whole/half baits (stingray, jack, mullet) to the outer bars on heavy conventional gear, or fish the deep channel from the jetty. Long soaks with a strong scent trail. Dedicated land-based/nearshore big-shark fishing.BehaviorApex predator specialized on stingrays, other sharks, and large fish; the wide head is a sensory/maneuvering tool for pinning rays. Drawn to large bloody baits (whole ray, jack, mullet) and the scent trails they leave.The fightLong, powerful, drawn-out fight with strong runs and heavy head-shaking; big fish test heavy gear and stamina. Because they tire and die easily, fight them fast and release quickly.
Baits that work
Whole or half stingray (top big-hammerhead bait)
Whole jack crevalle or ladyfish
Large whole mullet
Bonito/skipjack chunks
Tackle
Rod & reel10-12 ft heavy conventional surf rod with a 30-50 (or larger) class reel holding 300+ yd; heavy stand-up gear nearshore.Line50-100 lb mono or 80-130 lb braid with a mono topshot.Leader6-12 in of 480 lb+ single-strand or cable wire crimped to the hook, above 6-15 ft of 400-600 lb mono/cable to survive a big shark's abrasive body and rolling.Terminal16/0-20/0 non-offset, non-stainless CIRCLE hooks (required) - jaw-corner circle hookups are critical for these fragile, often-released giants.RigSliding fish-finder rig with a heavy spider/sputnik weight to hold outside the bars; kayak dropper release clip to deploy baits.
The bait clock
☀ DawnLive or fresh-dead whiting/mullet
Hammerheads patrol the bars at dawn hunting rays and baitfish.
☼ MiddayKayak-deployed whole ray or jack section
Big scent baits set past the third bar reach fish holding in deeper daytime water.
☾ DuskFresh ray or jack crevalle chunk
Evening deployment ahead of the prime night soak.
★ NightWhole stingray or large fresh fish bait
Most Galveston land-based hammer catches come on night soaks of big fresh baits.
[{'months': [6, 7, 8, 9], 'note': 'Summer is the window for hammerheads within land-based/nearshore range.'}]
An uncommon, fragile catch; encounters are opportunistic rather than time-of-day driven.
Handling & releaseCRITICAL - hammerheads are among the most stress-sensitive sharks and die easily from fight/air exposure. Keep the fish in the water at all times; do NOT drag it onto dry sand for photos, and never gaff a release. Work it in quickly, take the leader off in the wash, use a de-hooker or cut the leader close to the hook, keep it wet, support it, and spend extra time reviving it (walk it, water over the gills) until it powers off.On the tableHIGH-MERCURY species - large hammerheads carry some of the highest mercury of Gulf sharks; not recommended for regular consumption and best released. Hammerheads are also fragile and have poor survival if stressed, another reason to release.As baitNot used as bait; a released trophy sportfish.
The bar to beat
Texas state record
300.5 lb — Derrick Bonner
Gulf of Mexico, TX, 2021
Records as compiled in the IronJetty guide (Aug 2026) — verify current marks with TPWD records / IGFA. No reliable distinct IGFA all-tackle record for scalloped hammerhead — sources conflate it with the great hammerhead (1,280 lb) and smooth hammerhead (991 lb). TPWD did not record a length for the state fish.
