Shallow water at night?

flgliderpilot

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Location
Saint Augustine, FL
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CZ-21, Minelab Equinox, Garrett AT Pro
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Metal Detecting
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Sounds kind of risky to me.
 

Yes... Stepped on a sand shark or two already, the other coast line we have here I won't go in there at night
 

If I'm hunting with a buddy, I'll go waist deep. If alone, knee deep is about it. I keep my "shiny metal scoop" up over my shoulder either way! Learned that the hard way after that first big wave slammed it into my leg.
 

real issue is are you having fun? can you relax and enjoy it or are you jumpin out of your skin every time a wave breaks behind you? i rarely ocean hunt, but when i do its sunny : ) I know peeps do it, just not for me. perso.webp
 

Im a nut and will go out in risky weather - but I always wear a mask and know whats out there and have been out when sun is almost gone and have seen the sharks and large rays and cudas come in to feed or visit the shallows at a few spots - and I wont do it
 

I think it's a bad idea. I wandered out to knee deep water at night once until a booger hit my leg! I walked on water straight back too wet sand part of the beach!
 

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I go out to chest deep water, (Thailand) sometimes neck deep. Been bumped into, from who knows what, and hit in the face from small fish that are trying to get away from something. The visibility is only about a foot. In the last year, jelly fish have been really bad, so have been stung many times. fortunately, nothing really serious. Time to get a stinger suit!

Yeah, the scoop is supposed to be carried on your shoulder, not in the water. Since your detector is supposed to be in front of you, that should scare any fish away. The most dangerous things on our beach, are the people looking for an easy target. Well, they will get my scoop along side the head, before they get my detector.
 

I have done this on the west coast in dead calm water, knee deep in a smooth bottom area, would not even try on the east coast. Generally not a good idea. Better to work the dry where people have just left.
 

How many rings would be worth risking a limb? Or ...having to visit the ER to get that sting ray barb removed?
I had a friend here in FL that got stung in the arm by a ray....he said it was the most painful experience he had ever had....and he's
one of the tough guys. Myself...I seem to be a shark magnet....every time I venture out to knee deep...it seems they just appear in front of me.
Late in the evening is a bad time to be in the water....it's feeding time.
 

Not me brother! Too many sea monsters cruising the shallows when the sun sets around here.
 

I flounder gig at night here in north Florida, have been along ocean and along the rivers that feed the ocean. Most of the time I am wading about knee deep, carrying a good strong submersible light and a gig. Have seen MANY sharks that shallow, also lots of stingrays. NO WAY would I wade the ocean at night without a light and clear visibility. Sharks, stingrays, and jellyfish hurt my skin.
 

I'll flounder gig all night with a headlight in calm water on the flats around Keaton Beach. This booger incident was at Daytona with pretty rough surf and no light to speak of!
 

Im not scared of much but I aint going over knee deep in the ocean at night...there are some on the West Coast that hunt all night in the water...Ive surf fished at night and waded through the waist deep trough to cast out further...I get a bad case of the hebbie jebbies and tear my way back to shore after I cast...maybe it is because I m fishing for sharks.
 

Used to detect at night all the time in California. The scariest thing was the cops. Sometimes three times a night! Stop explain what you're doing & no I haven't been up by the houses, and my car is over there in the lot. Got bumped a few times by unknowns. As far as getting spiked by a ray, just remember to shuffle your feet. Lets them get out of the way so you don't stomp on them. If you're squeamish or feel uncomfortable wait till just before dawn!
 

At night I will only go about knee deep as well. I prefer to water hunt in the day and dry/wet sand at night. Think about it. At night you can slow down, take your time and there's no looky lews bugging you and or in the way. .I was wading knee deep in a channel one night and it dropped off chest deep. No one around for miles. I got bumped by something and then it splashed away. My heart went into my stomach and I freaked. Never again. ....
 

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Used to detect at night all the time in California. The scariest thing was the cops. Sometimes three times a night! Stop explain what you're doing & no I haven't been up by the houses, and my car is over there in the lot. Got bumped a few times by unknowns. As far as getting spiked by a ray, just remember to shuffle your feet. Lets them get out of the way so you don't stomp on them. If you're squeamish or feel uncomfortable wait till just before dawn!

Well yeah, it'a CA! Lucky you didn't get shot... !
 

Ok so, conclusion, I will hunt deep during the day, and knee deep at night.... where I have a chance of surviving a shark attack.

FWIW I've been kiteboarding at night many times at the sunshine skyway bridge..this area is known to be infested with sharks. Losing the board and body dragging (aka trolling) at night was pretty darn scary.

Thanks for your advice
 

My wife wont even let me leave the house at night, sssoooooo....:dontknow:
 

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