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Species · Sharks

Sandbar Shark

Carcharhinus plumbeus

Rules in 19 state rulebooks, checked Oct 29, 2026. Every rule names its source and the day it was last checked; the official rulebook is the final word.

Studio photograph of a Sandbar Shark (Carcharhinus plumbeus), side view, on a white background

How to tell it

Very tall first dorsal starting over the pectorals; high back ridge; stocky gray-brown body.

Often mistaken for

One fish that gets called sandbar shark, and what gives it away.

Rules for

Every state

StateSizeBagSeasonToday
AlabamaHarvest prohibitedZeroClosed year-roundAL MRD 2026 · checked Put it back
ConnecticutTake prohibited0Closed year-roundCT DEEP 2026 · checked Put it back
DelawareHarvest prohibited0No harvest permittedDE DNREC 2026 · checked Put it back
Florida (Atlantic)No harvestNo harvestClosed year-roundFWC 2026 · checked Put it back
Florida (Gulf)No harvestNo harvestClosed year-roundFWC 2026 · checked Put it back
GeorgiaNo harvestNo harvestClosed year-roundGA DNR CRD 2026 · checked Put it back
LouisianaNo harvestNo harvest or possessionClosed year-roundLDWF 2026 · checked Put it back
MaineTake prohibitedNo harvest or possessionClosed year-roundME DMR 2026 · checked Put it back
MarylandNo take0ClosedMD DNR 2026 · checked Put it back
MassachusettsN/ANo possessionClosed year-roundMA DMF 2026 · checked Put it back
MississippiNo takeNo takeClosed year-roundMS DMR 2026 · checked Put it back
New HampshireFederal rule (NOAA Highly Migratory Species)N/ANo harvest or possessionClosed year-roundNOAA HMS 2026 · checked Put it back
New JerseyProhibited0No open seasonNJ DEP 2026 · checked Put it back
New YorkNo possession0Closed all yearNY DEC 2026 · checked Put it back
North CarolinaN/ANo harvest or possessionClosed year-roundNC DMF 2026 · checked Put it back
Rhode IslandN/ANo harvest or possessionClosed year-roundRI DEM 2026 · checked Put it back
South CarolinaNo harvestPossession prohibitedClosed year-roundSC DNR 2026 · checked Put it back
TexasNo harvest0Closed year-roundTPWD 2026 · checked Put it back
VirginiaNo harvest0ClosedVMRC 2026 · checked Put it back

State records

StateWeightWhen, whereSource
Connecticut118 lb 7 oz1995 · CT River, Old SaybrookCT DEEP Saltwater State Record Fish (Harvested) · checked 2026-08-23
Georgia158 lb 8 oz1979GA DNR CRD Saltwater Records · checked 2026-08-23
Maryland235 lb1983 · Ocean CityMD DNR Sport Fish State Records · checked 2026-08-23
Mississippi125 lb 8 oz2006MDMR State Saltwater Records (Conventional) · checked 2026-08-23
South Carolina199 lb 4 oz1984 · CharlestonSCDNR Saltwater Game Fish Records · checked 2026-08-23
Texas226 lb1975 · Gulf of AmericaTPWD State Records (Saltwater, Rod & Reel) · checked 2026-08-23
Virginia213 lb1986 · Triangle WrecksVMRC Saltwater Fishing Tournament, 2025 brochure · checked 2026-09-04

How anglers catch it

Cut bait on the bottom in bays and off the beach; prohibited to keep in most waters, so rig to release.

HowBottom
BaitMenhaden, Cut bait, Mackerel
RigsFish finder rig

On the table

Prohibited for recreational harvest — release.

Related fish

Same genus (Carcharhinus): Blacknose Shark, Blacktip Shark, Bull Shark, Caribbean Reef Shark, Dusky Shark, Finetooth Shark, Galapagos Shark, Oceanic Whitetip Shark, Silky Shark, Spinner Shark.

Side by side: Sandbar Shark vs Bull Shark, Sandbar Shark vs Caribbean Reef Shark, Sandbar Shark vs Dusky Shark, Sandbar Shark vs Galapagos Shark, Sandbar Shark vs Silky Shark.

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 app

Questions 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: Very tall first dorsal starting over the pectorals; high back ridge; stocky gray-brown body. Bull shark: broader snout, no ridge between dorsals.

How do you catch sandbar shark?

Cut bait on the bottom in bays and off the beach; prohibited to keep in most waters, so rig to release. Methods: bottom. Baits: menhaden, cut bait, mackerel.

What is the record sandbar shark?

235 lb in Maryland (1983), Ocean City. Other states’ records are in the table.