Sandbar Shark
Carcharhinus plumbeus
How to tell it
Very tall first dorsal starting over the pectorals; high back ridge; stocky gray-brown body.
- Not a bull shark? That one broader snout, no ridge between dorsals. (Bull Shark)
Rules for
Every state
| State | Size | Bag | Season | Today |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Harvest prohibited | Zero | Closed year-roundAL MRD 2026 · checked | Put it back |
| Connecticut | Take prohibited | 0 | Closed year-roundCT DEEP 2026 · checked | Put it back |
| Delaware | Harvest prohibited | 0 | No harvest permittedDE DNREC 2026 · checked | Put it back |
| Florida (Atlantic) | No harvest | No harvest | Closed year-roundFWC 2026 · checked | Put it back |
| Florida (Gulf) | No harvest | No harvest | Closed year-roundFWC 2026 · checked | Put it back |
| Georgia | No harvest | No harvest | Closed year-roundGA DNR CRD 2026 · checked | Put it back |
| Louisiana | No harvest | No harvest or possession | Closed year-roundLDWF 2026 · checked | Put it back |
| Maine | Take prohibited | No harvest or possession | Closed year-roundME DMR 2026 · checked | Put it back |
| Maryland | No take | 0 | ClosedMD DNR 2026 · checked | Put it back |
| Massachusetts | N/A | No possession | Closed year-roundMA DMF 2026 · checked | Put it back |
| Mississippi | No take | No take | Closed year-roundMS DMR 2026 · checked | Put it back |
| New HampshireFederal rule (NOAA Highly Migratory Species) | N/A | No harvest or possession | Closed year-roundNOAA HMS 2026 · checked | Put it back |
| New Jersey | Prohibited | 0 | No open seasonNJ DEP 2026 · checked | Put it back |
| New York | No possession | 0 | Closed all yearNY DEC 2026 · checked | Put it back |
| North Carolina | N/A | No harvest or possession | Closed year-roundNC DMF 2026 · checked | Put it back |
| Rhode Island | N/A | No harvest or possession | Closed year-roundRI DEM 2026 · checked | Put it back |
| South Carolina | No harvest | Possession prohibited | Closed year-roundSC DNR 2026 · checked | Put it back |
| Texas | No harvest | 0 | Closed year-roundTPWD 2026 · checked | Put it back |
| Virginia | No harvest | 0 | ClosedVMRC 2026 · checked | Put it back |
State records
| State | Weight | When, where | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Connecticut | 118 lb 7 oz | 1995 · CT River, Old Saybrook | CT DEEP Saltwater State Record Fish (Harvested) · checked 2026-08-23 |
| Georgia | 158 lb 8 oz | 1979 | GA DNR CRD Saltwater Records · checked 2026-08-23 · GA keeps men's/women's records; heavier taken as overall; frozen record (harvest prohibited) |
| Maryland | 235 lb | 1983 · Ocean City | MD DNR Sport Fish State Records · checked 2026-08-23 · marked * by the state (no footnote on page); MD Atlantic division record |
| Mississippi | 125 lb 8 oz | 2006 | MDMR State Saltwater Records (Conventional) · checked 2026-08-23 |
| South Carolina | 199 lb 4 oz | 1984 · Charleston | SCDNR Saltwater Game Fish Records · checked 2026-08-23 · frozen record (protected/slot species) |
| Texas | 226 lb | 1975 · Gulf of America | TPWD State Records (Saltwater, Rod & Reel) · checked 2026-08-23 |
| Virginia | 213 lb | 1986 · Triangle Wrecks | VMRC Saltwater Fishing Tournament, 2025 brochure · checked 2026-09-04 |
On the table
Prohibited for recreational harvest — release.
In the app
Point the camera at a sandbar shark and the name appears before you take the picture, with these rules for the water you’re standing in. No signal needed, and every catch goes in the log.
Get the appQuestions anglers ask about sandbar shark
Where is sandbar shark harvest prohibited?
Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida (Atlantic), Florida (Gulf), Georgia, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia. Release it there.
How do you tell sandbar shark from bull shark?
Sandbar Shark has this: Very tall first dorsal starting over the pectorals; high back ridge; stocky gray-brown body.. Bull Shark broader snout, no ridge between dorsals.
What is the record sandbar shark?
235 lb in Maryland (1983), Ocean City. Other states’ records are in the table.