If you're tired of the Hollywood-hype, over-dramatized fish tales, and worn-out myths about sharks, then you're ready for a Shark Quest Adventure! For decades we've been introducing our clients to the real and exciting world of sharks without all the "hype" that usually goes along with the mear mention of these ocean predators. Whether the quest is for sportfishing fun, or an educational encounter, we have ability to provide whatever kind of shark experience our clients are looking to enjoy....


Dusky Shark

Join us and you'll see that when it comes to sharks, we know our stuff! We have no problem identifying and explaining interesting facts on the life history, habits, and biology of the different species we encounter, and most importantly - we respect sharks, and know them to be a valuable ocean resource that must be properly conserved and protected.

Whether it's a Shark Fishing trip where the emphasis is (mostly) on catch-and-release sport fishing fun, or an Educational Shark Encounter trip where the goal is to see, learn, and interact with sharks from the deck of the Fish Finder, all Shark Quest Adventures are designed to introduce our clients to sharks in a safe and realistic manor.


Common Thresher

Shark Fishing Trips

A lot of charter captains will agree to take you out to catch a shark, but things are done a lot differently aboard the FISH FINDER, that's because we whole-heartedly enjoy and take our shark trips very seriously, and we're commited to presenting them to our clients in a safe, fun, and professional manor.

The draw of shark fishing is the mystery and excitement of waiting and wondering what size and type of shark is working its way up the chum slick. A mako? A tiger? A monster or a minnow? When you're messing with sharks, anything's possible! Shark fishing is done from either a drifting or anchored boat. Hooks are baited with fresh fish, and a block of frozen ground up fish chum is hung over the side and allowed to disperse with the current as it thaws. Sharks intercept the scent and work their way to the boat. Sometimes they'll be seen swimming on the surface, or right next to the boat, other times the first clue that they've arrived is when line starts screaming from a reel and a mako jumps 10-feet out of the water. Oh how exciting shark fishing can be!

When the right size and type of shark is caught, sometimes our fishermen will opt to bring it home to eat. But most of the sharks we catch are tagged and released. No one should go shark fishing with the primary goal of bringing back a shark.

Sharks Are What We Do!

If you're talking sharks, you're talking FISH FINDER. It's our specialty!! With over 35 years of shark fishing experience, Captain Mark Sampson has earned a reputation for being the area's premier shark fishing guide and an authority on sport fishing, education, and conservation of these remarkable animals. Mark's involvement also includes presenting lectures and demonstrations on sharks, writing magazine and newspaper articles, shark tagging, and 30-years as a director of the Annual Ocean City Shark Tournament. He has assisted in shark research and the production of television documentaries, fishing videos, and in the spring of 2008 his book "Modern Sharking" hit the book stores. Over the years, Captain Mark has also guided anglers to setting eight Maryland state shark records and nine IGFA world shark records.

Offshore Shark Fishing Trips find us 20-30 miles out targeting the larger makos, hammerheads, threshers, sandbars, tigers, and blue sharks. This season runs from late-May until mid-July. These are full day trips, leaving the dock at 6:am and return around 4:30 pm, the 2010 price is $1000 for up to six passengers. Besides sharks, on these trips we will sometimes catch dolphin, tuna, king mackerel, and big bluefish.

May 30, 2007 Craig Jones, while fishing aboard
the FISH FINDER, what prooved to be Ocean City's
largest mako of the season - 280 pounds!

Nearshore Shark Fishing Trips usually have us running 5-15 miles out where we use light tackle to hook mostly 3-5' duskies, hammerheads, Atlantic sharpnose, spinners, blacktips, and sandbars. Occasionally we'll also encounter threshers, blacknose, sand tigers, makos, and (on two occasions) great whites. These trips don't (usually) produce really big fish, but provide lots of action and a lot of light-tackle fun with a wide variety of shark species. Near shore trips are productive from mid-July until mid-October and because we don't have to run out too far we can do both full and half-day trips. Full-day trips run from 7:am-3:pm ($750), while half-day trips go from 7:am-noon, or from 1:pm-6:pm ($500 for the boat or $150 per person on make-up trips).

Educational Shark Encounter Trips allow us the opportunity to combine catch-and-release fishing with a hands-on educational experience for our clients where the emphasis is on learning about shark biology, habitat, and conservation. Click here for more information on all of our unique educational opportunities.

Tagging a Sandbar

Experienced or beginner, child or senior citizen, come share a memorable and educational shark fishing adventure with us on the FISH FINDER. Let our experience work for you.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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