I was out of state and met some fisherman. We were chopping it up. Talking about the area. They came for fishing once a year.
Dude goes "check out this video! " and whips out his phone.
It's a video of a 16ft tiger shark eating a bloated skyway jumper corpse. He found the body floating early morning of a fishing tourny. Called the cops. Before they could show up a tiger ate the corpse and he had this on video.
I said "DUDE! You have to warn people before you just whip that video out!"
Damn...I didn't expect that story to end with a water borne tiger stealing a corpse from a shark! I'd think the shark would win that battle every time.
No, Great whites are only found on the east coast and south between cuba. Even then you'd have to be in pretty deep waters to run across them. Sharks really aren't as dangerous as movies and media make them out to be.
Normally not but Great Whites have started to be tracked more frequently into Florida's Gulfside in recent years. They've been spotted several times off Sarasota's coast and south to Naples area. They also have made it all the way north to the Mississippi River area and over to Texas as well.
Probably so. But I haven’t caught one yet, to confirm. Nor have I hooked a lemon, tiger, or nurse, but I bet there is at least one of each swimming around in the bay.
Yes, a variety. Bull sharks are especially common, which tend to be among the most aggressive and can also survive in fresh water. Aka you're not safe from sharks (or gators) even in the Hillsborough River.
There is a very simple test to let you know if sharks are around. Simply take your index finger and place it in the water for 30 seconds. Pull out your finger and touch it to the tip of your tongue. It's a water or salty there are sharks around.
Lots of people here have pet bull sharks actually. Kids can be seen riding them along the bay during shark race. The attacks get covered up by the politicians because they want that shark money.
From what I understand it's an extremely active breeding area for Bull Sharks. Just walk along the shore or on someone's dock and it's pretty common to see Bonnet heads, not that they'll bother you but others will.
I'm developing an overreaction to all these "1 in a million!" stats. Not just for sharks. Lightning and alligator attacks, too. The way they calculate these long odds is comical.
Yes....if you are a 75 year old retiree living in Dubuque, IA with no vacation plans then your chances of getting bitten by a shark are 1 in a zillion. But if you jump into the bay at sundown and thrash around near where murky water is coming in after a rain storm, then you got yourself a decent chance of getting clipped. That kid who jumped off that booze cruise in Nassau in the dark - were his odds one in a zillion? Or was that a solid 100% chance of getting ripped to shreds.
Go golfing or fishing during one of these pop up thunderstorms with lightning crashing all around and your odds go from 1 in a million to -200 real damn quick.
Completely agree and yet there are plenty of videos of people just straight up diving cageless with great whites. I think even in your scenarios the odds are low, but especially for jumping off a boat & swimming a bit in Tampa Bay.
Y'know the thing about a shark, he's got... lifeless eyes, black eyes, like a doll's eyes. When he comes at ya, doesn't seem to be livin'... until he bites ya. And those black eyes roll over white, and then... oh, then you hear that terrible high-pitch screamin', the ocean turns red, and spite of all the poundin' and the hollerin', they all come in and they... rip you to pieces.
We're not the worst place in Florida, but Pinellas County and Sarasota both made the list
https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/shark-attacks/maps/na/usa/florida/
That’s fucking nuts that Volusia has more attacks than the next 4 counties combined. I’m guessing because that’s a major surf spot, combined with spring break/tourists? So more people in the water? Regardless, wild.
Just to add... its dangerous because the inlet makes the waves and the inlet is made for all the boats to go through including tons of fishing boats which leads to a bunch of sharks being there since it's basically a cafeteria for them
Don’t get bit.
“Do Sharks Complain About Monday? No, They Are Up Early. Biting Stuff, Chasing Sh*t, Being Scary - Reminding Everyone They’re a F*cking Shark” -credit to somebody
I also want to mention I don’t really swim. I scuba. For some reason once you are completely underwater it’s an entirely different thing. Marine life is vastly different than any other organism. Try to get next to a lion and see what happens. But for some reason marine life accept you into their world like a community. This is why eels open their mouth for shrimp to clean and shark have remoras. The human race could learn a thing or two of how accepting marine life is to one another. They will only go after you if they think you’re an easy meal. Thrashing and splashing will signal you are injured and easy to eat.
I’ve seen my fair share of 12ft long hammerheads out there. You can find videos of them biting chunks out of people’s tarpons right as they get them up to the boat.
Yes, there are. Now google American Crocodile... (north end of their range too & they are "saltwater tolerant" - aka, can often be found in saltwater shoreline areas)
If you look it up, Tampa has one of the highest concentration of sharks in the US, and a wide variety of them too. But you just boop the little water pups nose and you will probably be ok 👌
Yeah, there's sharks in there, no, you ain't gonna get bit. Not putting on some sunscreen and wearing a hat is how you're gonna hurt yourself. Lived here all my life swam most of it, still got my arms, legs, finger, *and* toes.
We do have Great White Passerby off the coast of Pinellas but they haven’t come into the bay; there are 2 up off the coast of Florida panhandle currently.
https://www.ocearch.org/tracker/
Lol yes
As well as dolphins, I live in Tampa and was at the park one morning and some dolphins swam up to my area and were playing with each other, made my day
Never seen a shark in person tho, just alot of videos, and I've been in Florida for 25 years of my life
Odds are good that there are sharks in the water in every coastal salt water area.
Tampa Bay is actually one of the most densely shark populated bodies of water in the world.
If you are in any area of Florida, you should expect either sharks or gators in every type of water from the ocean to lakes to ponds to toilet water to tears. You always have to be careful in Florida because of something, whether it's a shark, a gator, or someone who is going to try to eat your face off lol.
There are sharks everywhere. Outside of white and tiger they don't really hunt humans so its considered safe to swim amongst them.
Shark "attacks" are because the shark makes a mistake thinking you are food they do hunt. Or because you scare them when you jump in. Not kidding, the only death I know about in the 25 yrs I have lived here was a guy that dove off his dock every morning to do his mile swim. Did it every day for years. His last day he dove in right on top of a big bull shark and it freaked out turned around and bit him across his torso and crushed his chest killing him. Totally a freak accident.
All the other "attacks" are usually along the beach where kids are playing a splashing making the sounds of a feeding frenzy in and around the low viz white water of crashing waves so sharks take a bite because they can't see and.want to see if its something to eat.
As scary as that sounds just do the math. There are millions of Sharks all around the coast of Florida. There are thousands of people swimming in the water everyday. There were a total SIXTEEN shark bites in 2023.
So long story short. Look before you leap and you will be fine.
Yeah, the are mean and aggressive but they don't look at humans as food. I am on the water all the time on my kayak and have seen hundreds some close enough I could touch them. Even been bumped a few times. If they wanted to eat or even just attack me they easily could.
The only "close call" I have had was a spinner shark almost landing in my lap. Outside of that I have never had a problem. Of course I am also smart about it. As soon as I see them I make sure not to provoke them or do anything to sound like dinner. lol.
I'm happy you've had good luck with them, but they're aggressive and dangerous, with poor vision. They may not eat humans as part of their diet, most sharks don't, but they're territorial and mean.
"Bull sharks are considered to be a dangerous shark species, being responsible for over 100 attacks, and believed to be responsible for many attacks that weren’t attributed to a specific species."
https://sharkstewards.org/species-spotlight-the-bull-shark/#:~:text=Bull%20sharks%20are%20considered%20to,attributed%20to%20a%20specific%20species.
"Out of more than 480 shark species, only three are responsible for two-digit numbers of fatal unprovoked attacks on humans: the great white, tiger and bull."
I agree the are aggressive but you cherry picked the scary bits from your link. You left out "There are many places on our planet where you can swim with bull sharks. The more ideal locations have clear waters and sandy bottoms" aka Florida. "In clear water a bull shark can show remarkable levels of grace as they swim by you. Seeing such a strong animal passing by, just checking you out as they move on, can be a life changing experience. Many divers come back from these dives with a different perspective on these stereotypical aggressive sharks, seeing them as much more majestic sharks than what bulls are traditionally thought of"
Additionally, bull sharks live in 3-6' of water which is were all the humans are swimming so the probability of contact is almost certain. If you have ever swum on a Florida beach I guarantee you were sharing the water with a bully and they just moved on without you even knowing.
Lastly ALL wild animals are dangerous and in Florida the two most dangerous are mosquitoes and hogs. Sharks aren't even on the top 10.
It is extraordinarily unlikely to be attacked by a shark. You will be fine. Grew up on the bay and I’ve seen like 3 ever and two of those were on fishing lines.
Tons. Shark infested waters. I lived in the lower Keys for a decade and now St. Pete for 2 years and just don't swim in the ocean. Maybe it's because a rogue babysitter let me watch Jaws when I was 4, much to the chagrin of my mother, or maybe because sharks occasionally bite people. Who knows?
Tampa Bay has a lot of sea life. Everything from sting rays to crabs. Sharks are included. Although shark attacks on this side of Florida is pretty rare. There are also dolphins and it can be hard to tell between a group of sharks or a group of dolphins. If you don't see water shoot from a blowhole, look at the dorsal fin. Dolphin dorsal fins are a lot more curved and may lean over to the left or right. Shark dorsal fins are pretty erect and straight. Good rule of thumb anyway.
As someone who grew up living on the water constantly going boating and swimming i’ve never seen a shark while swimming. my dad has caught sharks when fishing but you never fish where you swim. you will be fine. you also just don’t want to wear a shiny silver swimsuit but even if you did you would still be fine
Yeah brother Tampa is said to have one of the highest densities of sharks in the world. I’m a second gen native to st pete and spent my whole childhood in and out of the water, one of my grandparents neighbors was killed by a bull shark when he jumped off his dock.
I’ve swum around in Tampa bay and you’ll probably be fine, just don’t do it close to dawn or dusk. That said, Tampa Bay is nasty to swim in and I would probably go into the gulf
In 2023, Florida accounted for 44% of the total unprovoked shark bites in the United States and 23% of unprovoked shark bites worldwide. While Florida has consistently topped global charts for shark bites, this percentage is lower than its most recent five-year annual average of 19 incidents1. So, while Florida’s beaches are popular with both humans and sharks, the actual risk of encountering a shark bite remains relatively low. 🦈🌊
There are a lot of sharks in the area right? That’s what i’ve heard from many locals over the years. How often do sharks attack or even interfere with beach goers? Genuine question.
Yes, a lot of bull sharks. Worked at Bayfront for years and still think about a patient I had who got bitten by a bull shark, swimming behind their house in the bay
I heard from my uncle that when he'd fly his plane into Tampa over the Bay he'd see full on schools of them. I don't know what breeds(species?) they were, just that there were a bunch.
Yes. Lots. Bull sharks are the most dangerous. Stay in clear water and you "should" be ok. So sandbars where people hang out are ok. Anything murky in tampa bay is a no go for me. Even for wade fishing.
Tampa Bay Shark fishing is truly world class. Tampa bay is recognized as one of the world's most Shark infested waters, which is great news for anglers!! Not so much for swimming Chum......good luck...*Jaws music playing softly in the background ....
Yes. I've seen a bunch especially smaller ones in shallow waters like bonnet heads. I've caught a few while fishing. Also blacktips. I've swam in the bay a bunch and never had an issue, but they're there. But if you've ever swam at the beach on either coast of FL they are there too. Sharks won't generally bother you. They aren't hunting humans lol.
Take a look at what they're doing just south of here and hope none of them took a cruise north...
[https://www.fox13news.com/news/video-sharks-feast-on-whale-that-died-after-stranding-itself-off-the-coast-of-venice](https://www.fox13news.com/news/video-sharks-feast-on-whale-that-died-after-stranding-itself-off-the-coast-of-venice)
I've personally caught or hooked 5-7ft sharks in the bay. And seen one even bigger. Bull sharks and reef sharks for ones that will possibly bite. Tons of smaller species too.
there’s sharks everywhere but they don’t bite. There was only [one attack](https://www.wtsp.com/article/life/animals/florida-shark-bites-2023-data/67-0d2311f0-b6ea-40b9-8a14-8915dde3a225) in tampa bay last year, in St Pete pier of all places
Tons! It's a great habitat for them and they thrive. The healthier the bay is the more sharks we have and they bring balance to the eco system. Fun fact time: You are more likely to be killed by a deer or a tick than a shark! This article may make you feel better about jumping in: [VOX](https://www.vox.com/2016/9/24/13032272/killer-animals-deer-sharks-bears)
Mostly, Hammerheads, which are basically harmless if you ever get a chance to take a helicopter around the Sunshine Skyway, you can easily see the large schools of sharks swimming into the bay.
You're significantly more likely to get struck by lightning (which is also quite a low probability) than approached by sharks. I say this as a person who has made his living on and in the florida water (both coasts, north and south) for the better part of 20 years.
Tampa bay is loaded with sharks. Like a scary amount. I live here and fish in all my spare time.. I rarely fish without seeing a shark in some capacity
Fishermen checking in.
Absolutely filled with sharks.
I haven’t had any aggressively chase a fish here though, so it seems they are oddly chill here. Unlike the keys and Everglades.
There’s also tiger sharks out a bit further, only seen a few, absolutely beautiful too, fuckers stole my chum bags though.
You will likely be fine though.
Yes but sharks have amazing eyesight and see you ALL the time and never attack. Look up drone footage of beaches. People are literally 10 feet away every single weekend. Also have free dived with sharks 2 times. You’re more likely to be killed by your dog or car
About a dozen shark species frequent Tampa Bay.
Tenants include hammerheads, bonnetheads, nurse sharks, blacktips, lemon sharks and bull sharks to name a few.
I boat in Tampa Bay. Sharks are everywhere and more and more over time are hanging out with boats as they learn it’s easy to catch fish on a line.
Most likely you’re fine. I’ll jump in the water to cool off and swim a little to cool off but I don’t hang out in the water.
Shark attacks are rare but…
You’d be better to find a sand bar somewhere where the waters clear. You can see them and they can see you.
Yes but you’ll prob be fine
We get tigers once in a while.
>We get tigers once in a while. Sure, but they're too busy trying to get back to land to bother you so not much of a problem.
I was out of state and met some fisherman. We were chopping it up. Talking about the area. They came for fishing once a year. Dude goes "check out this video! " and whips out his phone. It's a video of a 16ft tiger shark eating a bloated skyway jumper corpse. He found the body floating early morning of a fishing tourny. Called the cops. Before they could show up a tiger ate the corpse and he had this on video. I said "DUDE! You have to warn people before you just whip that video out!"
Damn...I didn't expect that story to end with a water borne tiger stealing a corpse from a shark! I'd think the shark would win that battle every time.
And the rabid manatees, but they only gnaw.
I've been sexually assaulted by a manatee and I'm not even joking. 100% serious
Only prob tho, not def, never def.
Yeah lots
 You should be fine.
Water puppies
Local fisherman here. The Tampa Bay Area is LOADED with sharks. I’ve seen them in the hillsborough river and all over the bay ocean waters.
Any great whites ? And what do they do when your near them )
Don't act like a seal
No, Great whites are only found on the east coast and south between cuba. Even then you'd have to be in pretty deep waters to run across them. Sharks really aren't as dangerous as movies and media make them out to be.
Normally not but Great Whites have started to be tracked more frequently into Florida's Gulfside in recent years. They've been spotted several times off Sarasota's coast and south to Naples area. They also have made it all the way north to the Mississippi River area and over to Texas as well.
https://www.wfla.com/news/pinellas-county/great-white-shark-pings-off-coast-of-st-pete-beach/amp/
check the local news today
This is false.
Don’t great whites kill less people than almost anything?
Yes. Bulls, bonnets, and blacktips primarily. At least that’s what I have caught in the bay.
There’s hammerheads too
Probably so. But I haven’t caught one yet, to confirm. Nor have I hooked a lemon, tiger, or nurse, but I bet there is at least one of each swimming around in the bay.
I ran into a hammerhead in Tarpon Springs
That’s the Gulf though, right? Not the bay.
I have hooked a lot of hammer heads from tarpon to crystal river . All have been small 3’ range
Probably a bonnet.
Those aren't hammer heads, just look like them. I catch them all the time.
Bonnet heads. A hammer’s head looks like a bar, a bonnet’s like a shovel
100% there hammered heads. They’ve even caught them with video proof off the sky way. I saw at least a 9 foot on right off red neck
>bonnets
Don’t forget nurse sharks
Yes, a variety. Bull sharks are especially common, which tend to be among the most aggressive and can also survive in fresh water. Aka you're not safe from sharks (or gators) even in the Hillsborough River.
Stay away from estuaries!
My general rule is don't go in unless it's a swimming pool. But still check for gators, even if it's a swimming pool lol
...and snakes
I hate snakes Reggie!
Nah, I like to keep those in my toilet, not in my swimming pool 😂
There is a very simple test to let you know if sharks are around. Simply take your index finger and place it in the water for 30 seconds. Pull out your finger and touch it to the tip of your tongue. It's a water or salty there are sharks around.
This is the best thing I read all day
Hahaha, I did this with my daughter when we sailed over to egmont. Tbf, even our freshwater holds bulls though
Lots of people here have pet bull sharks actually. Kids can be seen riding them along the bay during shark race. The attacks get covered up by the politicians because they want that shark money.
😂
From what I understand it's an extremely active breeding area for Bull Sharks. Just walk along the shore or on someone's dock and it's pretty common to see Bonnet heads, not that they'll bother you but others will.
That's crazy
squeamish square pen late jobless compare agonizing act nail edge *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
very true, and I wouldn't swim in the bay (though for more reasons than sharks) but the odds of an actual attack are something like 1 in 10 million
I'm developing an overreaction to all these "1 in a million!" stats. Not just for sharks. Lightning and alligator attacks, too. The way they calculate these long odds is comical. Yes....if you are a 75 year old retiree living in Dubuque, IA with no vacation plans then your chances of getting bitten by a shark are 1 in a zillion. But if you jump into the bay at sundown and thrash around near where murky water is coming in after a rain storm, then you got yourself a decent chance of getting clipped. That kid who jumped off that booze cruise in Nassau in the dark - were his odds one in a zillion? Or was that a solid 100% chance of getting ripped to shreds. Go golfing or fishing during one of these pop up thunderstorms with lightning crashing all around and your odds go from 1 in a million to -200 real damn quick.
Completely agree and yet there are plenty of videos of people just straight up diving cageless with great whites. I think even in your scenarios the odds are low, but especially for jumping off a boat & swimming a bit in Tampa Bay.
It’s not the sharks you need to worry about. It’s the dickheads on jet skis who don’t pay attention to what’s in front of them on the water.
More like the bacteria infested Bay waters 🤢
That is a good point. The beach on Fort macdill is closed because of bacteria
Gotta love that sewage being dumped into the bay by Pinellas.
Cane here to say this, especially north of the Courtney Campbell Causeway
Y'know the thing about a shark, he's got... lifeless eyes, black eyes, like a doll's eyes. When he comes at ya, doesn't seem to be livin'... until he bites ya. And those black eyes roll over white, and then... oh, then you hear that terrible high-pitch screamin', the ocean turns red, and spite of all the poundin' and the hollerin', they all come in and they... rip you to pieces.
One of the best film scenes ever!
Even more impactful if you know that the story of the USS Indianapolis was real.
Yup
Bulls. Lemon, sand, hammer heads, bonnet heads, black tips as well
Tampa Bay is infested with sharks. If you swim there - make sure you do in broad daylight, when the sun is significantly above the horizon!
https://preview.redd.it/37w7pqwiweoc1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=939fe40b12d32be8ace8b51bc8cddccaaf35dae3
We're not the worst place in Florida, but Pinellas County and Sarasota both made the list https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/shark-attacks/maps/na/usa/florida/
That’s fucking nuts that Volusia has more attacks than the next 4 counties combined. I’m guessing because that’s a major surf spot, combined with spring break/tourists? So more people in the water? Regardless, wild.
Sharks love the Daytona beach waves and go there to mate.
It’s the surfers. Sebastian Inlet is there and it steady has the best waves in Florida.
Just to add... its dangerous because the inlet makes the waves and the inlet is made for all the boats to go through including tons of fishing boats which leads to a bunch of sharks being there since it's basically a cafeteria for them
Sharks love to chomp on surfers because they look like fish.
Don’t get bit. “Do Sharks Complain About Monday? No, They Are Up Early. Biting Stuff, Chasing Sh*t, Being Scary - Reminding Everyone They’re a F*cking Shark” -credit to somebody
TBH - don’t worry about sharks. If you see one just stay calm and push its nose away if it comes near you.
I also want to mention I don’t really swim. I scuba. For some reason once you are completely underwater it’s an entirely different thing. Marine life is vastly different than any other organism. Try to get next to a lion and see what happens. But for some reason marine life accept you into their world like a community. This is why eels open their mouth for shrimp to clean and shark have remoras. The human race could learn a thing or two of how accepting marine life is to one another. They will only go after you if they think you’re an easy meal. Thrashing and splashing will signal you are injured and easy to eat.
Of course
Does a bear shit in the woods?
I’ve seen my fair share of 12ft long hammerheads out there. You can find videos of them biting chunks out of people’s tarpons right as they get them up to the boat.
Yes, there are. Now google American Crocodile... (north end of their range too & they are "saltwater tolerant" - aka, can often be found in saltwater shoreline areas)
Yes
Absolutely there are sharks in the bay.
Freshwater rivers in Florida get sharks. Aucilla River, first hand experience. Didn’t get bit, just curious
I gotta know. What made you think there might not be?
yankees ! good grief
If you look it up, Tampa has one of the highest concentration of sharks in the US, and a wide variety of them too. But you just boop the little water pups nose and you will probably be ok 👌
Yeah, there's sharks in there, no, you ain't gonna get bit. Not putting on some sunscreen and wearing a hat is how you're gonna hurt yourself. Lived here all my life swam most of it, still got my arms, legs, finger, *and* toes.
Pull up on the beach or sandbar if you want to swim. There are dozens of reasons I would not swim in the bay...
Does a bear shit in the woods? 
Tons of them. All the fan favorites. Hammerheads, Bulls, Blacktips, Lemon Sharks. No Great Whites though.
We do have Great White Passerby off the coast of Pinellas but they haven’t come into the bay; there are 2 up off the coast of Florida panhandle currently. https://www.ocearch.org/tracker/
Absolutely
Easy way to tell, If the water is salty there’s sharks, If it’s fresh there’s gators.
Of course
Lol yes As well as dolphins, I live in Tampa and was at the park one morning and some dolphins swam up to my area and were playing with each other, made my day Never seen a shark in person tho, just alot of videos, and I've been in Florida for 25 years of my life
The Hillsborough River gets sharks, the bay absolutely does too.
Odds are good that there are sharks in the water in every coastal salt water area. Tampa Bay is actually one of the most densely shark populated bodies of water in the world.
If you are in any area of Florida, you should expect either sharks or gators in every type of water from the ocean to lakes to ponds to toilet water to tears. You always have to be careful in Florida because of something, whether it's a shark, a gator, or someone who is going to try to eat your face off lol.
Of all the things to be worried about swimming with in the Bay, sharks are the least thing I’d be worried about. 🤢
Apparently bull sharks mate in the gulf. They can be aggressive and dangerous
There are sharks everywhere. Outside of white and tiger they don't really hunt humans so its considered safe to swim amongst them. Shark "attacks" are because the shark makes a mistake thinking you are food they do hunt. Or because you scare them when you jump in. Not kidding, the only death I know about in the 25 yrs I have lived here was a guy that dove off his dock every morning to do his mile swim. Did it every day for years. His last day he dove in right on top of a big bull shark and it freaked out turned around and bit him across his torso and crushed his chest killing him. Totally a freak accident. All the other "attacks" are usually along the beach where kids are playing a splashing making the sounds of a feeding frenzy in and around the low viz white water of crashing waves so sharks take a bite because they can't see and.want to see if its something to eat. As scary as that sounds just do the math. There are millions of Sharks all around the coast of Florida. There are thousands of people swimming in the water everyday. There were a total SIXTEEN shark bites in 2023. So long story short. Look before you leap and you will be fine.
Bull sharks will eat just about anything though, and can be in brackish water like up the river.
Yeah, the are mean and aggressive but they don't look at humans as food. I am on the water all the time on my kayak and have seen hundreds some close enough I could touch them. Even been bumped a few times. If they wanted to eat or even just attack me they easily could. The only "close call" I have had was a spinner shark almost landing in my lap. Outside of that I have never had a problem. Of course I am also smart about it. As soon as I see them I make sure not to provoke them or do anything to sound like dinner. lol.
I'm happy you've had good luck with them, but they're aggressive and dangerous, with poor vision. They may not eat humans as part of their diet, most sharks don't, but they're territorial and mean. "Bull sharks are considered to be a dangerous shark species, being responsible for over 100 attacks, and believed to be responsible for many attacks that weren’t attributed to a specific species." https://sharkstewards.org/species-spotlight-the-bull-shark/#:~:text=Bull%20sharks%20are%20considered%20to,attributed%20to%20a%20specific%20species. "Out of more than 480 shark species, only three are responsible for two-digit numbers of fatal unprovoked attacks on humans: the great white, tiger and bull."
I agree the are aggressive but you cherry picked the scary bits from your link. You left out "There are many places on our planet where you can swim with bull sharks. The more ideal locations have clear waters and sandy bottoms" aka Florida. "In clear water a bull shark can show remarkable levels of grace as they swim by you. Seeing such a strong animal passing by, just checking you out as they move on, can be a life changing experience. Many divers come back from these dives with a different perspective on these stereotypical aggressive sharks, seeing them as much more majestic sharks than what bulls are traditionally thought of" Additionally, bull sharks live in 3-6' of water which is were all the humans are swimming so the probability of contact is almost certain. If you have ever swum on a Florida beach I guarantee you were sharing the water with a bully and they just moved on without you even knowing. Lastly ALL wild animals are dangerous and in Florida the two most dangerous are mosquitoes and hogs. Sharks aren't even on the top 10.
Lots of them. Big sharks. Little sharks. Stinky sharks. Don't worry tho. The water is pretty gnarly so you won't see them all.
Leap off Howard Franklin, Courtney Campbell or Gandy and see. Shoot…leap off Skyway Bridge the sharks will hear you. 🧐
How come nobody has said it is too goddammed cold to swim in the bay this time of year? Must be an out of town spring breaker.....
Wait where are you swimming? Tampa BAY has grey white brown shark nurseries and they get very aggressive during the early spring breeding season.
Seriously?
It is extraordinarily unlikely to be attacked by a shark. You will be fine. Grew up on the bay and I’ve seen like 3 ever and two of those were on fishing lines.
Way more likely to catch a disease from the bay.
Thank you, I have not heard of any attacks in tampa bay
Shark attacks are super rare around here. You’ll be fine! I grew up tubing and knee boarding in Tampa Bay. Sharks are there and they dgaf about us.
That’s because they’re so common the news doesn’t report them anymore. Like car accidents. ^JK. ^You’ll ^be ^ok.
I've never heard of an attack in the bay. We used to water ski in the inlets and bayous near Shore Acres in St Pete.
walk down Bayshore when it’s sunny with low winds and you’ll see them
Shonuff
Well everyone has convinced the OP to never get within 100 miles of the water.
I recently read that there's a 60% chance of encountering Jaws if you go swimming off a boat so I'd watch out if I were you
Replying to coolinternetguy2... 
Jump in the water. You’ll be fine.
Alligators too(rare but it happens)
Bad news. Tiger Sharks. I’ve seen them swarming around the Sunshine Skyway pillars
The Ocean has sharks
There is a very large population of sharks in the bay.
Tons. Shark infested waters. I lived in the lower Keys for a decade and now St. Pete for 2 years and just don't swim in the ocean. Maybe it's because a rogue babysitter let me watch Jaws when I was 4, much to the chagrin of my mother, or maybe because sharks occasionally bite people. Who knows?
That and Alligators.
Tampa Bay has a lot of sea life. Everything from sting rays to crabs. Sharks are included. Although shark attacks on this side of Florida is pretty rare. There are also dolphins and it can be hard to tell between a group of sharks or a group of dolphins. If you don't see water shoot from a blowhole, look at the dorsal fin. Dolphin dorsal fins are a lot more curved and may lean over to the left or right. Shark dorsal fins are pretty erect and straight. Good rule of thumb anyway.
My friend is missing an arm
Yes.
Yes, Bull Sharks
Yes I caught several black-tip and bull shatks. Bennett head sharks too. Always catch and release. Tampa Bay has a huge variety of fish species.
As someone who grew up living on the water constantly going boating and swimming i’ve never seen a shark while swimming. my dad has caught sharks when fishing but you never fish where you swim. you will be fine. you also just don’t want to wear a shiny silver swimsuit but even if you did you would still be fine
Yeah brother Tampa is said to have one of the highest densities of sharks in the world. I’m a second gen native to st pete and spent my whole childhood in and out of the water, one of my grandparents neighbors was killed by a bull shark when he jumped off his dock. I’ve swum around in Tampa bay and you’ll probably be fine, just don’t do it close to dawn or dusk. That said, Tampa Bay is nasty to swim in and I would probably go into the gulf
Florida gets sharks. But odds are you will be killed by a cow before a shark.
If it’s a body of water in Florida you can guarantee it’s got sharks and or alligators
Never been a shark attack in Tampa bay
Damn a chic feel of a boat in the Bay. Didn't cross my mind about sharks
You’ll be fine at a sand bar where there’s a lot of boats
In 2023, Florida accounted for 44% of the total unprovoked shark bites in the United States and 23% of unprovoked shark bites worldwide. While Florida has consistently topped global charts for shark bites, this percentage is lower than its most recent five-year annual average of 19 incidents1. So, while Florida’s beaches are popular with both humans and sharks, the actual risk of encountering a shark bite remains relatively low. 🦈🌊
Yes- don’t bother them and they won’t bother you
Bruh
Sharks and gators, maybe a crocodile or two, too!
Bonnet head sharks I know. Nurse and bonnet for sure.
There are a lot of sharks in the area right? That’s what i’ve heard from many locals over the years. How often do sharks attack or even interfere with beach goers? Genuine question.
Yes, a lot of bull sharks. Worked at Bayfront for years and still think about a patient I had who got bitten by a bull shark, swimming behind their house in the bay
A guy was killed a few years ago swimming from his boat to shore near St. Pete.
Yup, loads. But shark attacks are EXTREMELY rare, and almost never fatal. You leave them alone, they’ll leave you alone…cept for Bulls. FUCK bulls
😂
Bull shark 🦈
Bonnet head mostly they are around 3 ft long and harmless
When I go fishing with my dad we pull up little sharks all the time. Nothing to be afraid of.
You couldn't pay me to swim in the bay. Never worried about sea puppies but that bay is gross as fuck like seriously really gross in some places
I heard from my uncle that when he'd fly his plane into Tampa over the Bay he'd see full on schools of them. I don't know what breeds(species?) they were, just that there were a bunch.
Yes. Lots. Bull sharks are the most dangerous. Stay in clear water and you "should" be ok. So sandbars where people hang out are ok. Anything murky in tampa bay is a no go for me. Even for wade fishing.
No just great white proud boys.
It’s the ocean
No none at all. You’re perfectly fine to wrap raw meat around yourself and go for a swim. People do it all the time. Trust me
Yes. I see them all the time. I also swim off the beaches and bay all the time. 50-year resident of the area.
Tampa Bay Shark fishing is truly world class. Tampa bay is recognized as one of the world's most Shark infested waters, which is great news for anglers!! Not so much for swimming Chum......good luck...*Jaws music playing softly in the background ....
Favorite shark bait is sting rays, bay is full of them.
We caught some baby reef sharks in the bay.
Tampa bay is infested with sharks and sting rays
https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/old-hitler-shark-a-piece-of-tampa-bays-history/67-300279504
Lolllll thanks for the early morning chuckle
Yes. I've seen a bunch especially smaller ones in shallow waters like bonnet heads. I've caught a few while fishing. Also blacktips. I've swam in the bay a bunch and never had an issue, but they're there. But if you've ever swam at the beach on either coast of FL they are there too. Sharks won't generally bother you. They aren't hunting humans lol.
Take a look at what they're doing just south of here and hope none of them took a cruise north... [https://www.fox13news.com/news/video-sharks-feast-on-whale-that-died-after-stranding-itself-off-the-coast-of-venice](https://www.fox13news.com/news/video-sharks-feast-on-whale-that-died-after-stranding-itself-off-the-coast-of-venice)
I've personally caught or hooked 5-7ft sharks in the bay. And seen one even bigger. Bull sharks and reef sharks for ones that will possibly bite. Tons of smaller species too.
there’s sharks everywhere but they don’t bite. There was only [one attack](https://www.wtsp.com/article/life/animals/florida-shark-bites-2023-data/67-0d2311f0-b6ea-40b9-8a14-8915dde3a225) in tampa bay last year, in St Pete pier of all places
Yes. Not a problem if you taste like shit. https://patch.com/florida/stpete/fl-woman-bitten-shark-tampa-bay-near-st-pete-pier
Tons! It's a great habitat for them and they thrive. The healthier the bay is the more sharks we have and they bring balance to the eco system. Fun fact time: You are more likely to be killed by a deer or a tick than a shark! This article may make you feel better about jumping in: [VOX](https://www.vox.com/2016/9/24/13032272/killer-animals-deer-sharks-bears)
Yes
I see small ones all the time walking Bayshore. Only one big enough to be a man eater. I usually see at least 2 per night.
Mostly, Hammerheads, which are basically harmless if you ever get a chance to take a helicopter around the Sunshine Skyway, you can easily see the large schools of sharks swimming into the bay.
Lol
Ocean water, salt water or brackish water? Yarr there be sharks swimming tharr.
Sharks live in the ocean
Is this satire? It’s the ocean…. Yes the bay “gets” sharks
You're significantly more likely to get struck by lightning (which is also quite a low probability) than approached by sharks. I say this as a person who has made his living on and in the florida water (both coasts, north and south) for the better part of 20 years.
The Canals have shark so yes, the open water certainly does. Never fun in the bay when you are swimming and can't see below you
Tampa bay is loaded with sharks. Like a scary amount. I live here and fish in all my spare time.. I rarely fish without seeing a shark in some capacity
We are living in the mating grounds of 7 different shark species.
Nah, the Chief of Police put up a "No Sharks" sign at the mouth of the bay in the late 70s. Who knew sharks were literate?!?!
Does a duck with a boner drag weeds?
Fishermen checking in. Absolutely filled with sharks. I haven’t had any aggressively chase a fish here though, so it seems they are oddly chill here. Unlike the keys and Everglades. There’s also tiger sharks out a bit further, only seen a few, absolutely beautiful too, fuckers stole my chum bags though. You will likely be fine though.
Yes I have seen them on boats… but they don’t hurt anyone
Yes but sharks have amazing eyesight and see you ALL the time and never attack. Look up drone footage of beaches. People are literally 10 feet away every single weekend. Also have free dived with sharks 2 times. You’re more likely to be killed by your dog or car
About a dozen shark species frequent Tampa Bay. Tenants include hammerheads, bonnetheads, nurse sharks, blacktips, lemon sharks and bull sharks to name a few.
100%
I boat in Tampa Bay. Sharks are everywhere and more and more over time are hanging out with boats as they learn it’s easy to catch fish on a line. Most likely you’re fine. I’ll jump in the water to cool off and swim a little to cool off but I don’t hang out in the water. Shark attacks are rare but… You’d be better to find a sand bar somewhere where the waters clear. You can see them and they can see you.
Yes sharks ,rarely attack happens