The Most Common Sharks In Tampa Bay Waters

The waters of Tampa Bay are filled with all sorts of wildlife, from aquatic animals like manatees and fish to birds and reptiles. But today, we’re focusing on the most common sharks in Tampa Bay Waters.

For most people, spotting a shark in the wild can be a scary thought. Most of that fear comes from the most iconic shark movie of all time, Jaws, but many of the shark species across the Bay are just as afraid of you as you are of them.

With the summer months approaching, temps are rising and that means more people are flocking to the Gulf to spend the days on the water, but we’re not alone. Robert Heuter, director of the Center for Shark Research at Mote Marine Laboratory says, “Sharks inhabit the bay year-round, but overwhelmingly in the spring and summer months through October. They utilize the bay as a feeding ground and as a place to give birth to their young away from larger predators."

There are over a dozen different species of sharks in Tampa Bay from the bay itself to the beaches along the Gulf of Mexico. Hammerheads, bonnetheads, nurse sharks, blacktip sharks, lemon sharks, and bull sharks are a few of the most common, but what’s the difference? We’ll explain.

As a general rule of thumb, it’s important to remember that shark attacks are not very common around Tampa Bay and the beaches are safe. But, you should avoid swimming at dawn or dusk and in the middle of the bay.

We’ll start with Bull Sharks. Bull sharks are one of the most aggressive shark species and are among the most likely to attack humans. You’ll find them in shallow coastal waters. They can grow anywhere between 7-11 feet long and most commonly live in highly populated tropical shorelines making it one of the most common sharks in Tampa Bay.

Next up, is the Blacktip Shark. Blacktips are smaller and much less aggressive species. They grow to about 5.5 feet and are the most common shark species for swimmers to see along the Gulf of Mexico. Blacktips are known for having black coloration on the tips of their fins.

One of these Blacktip sharks quietly swam about a foot away from my feet last weekend at Holmes Beach. It was swimming after a school of ladyfish in about 5 feet of water and was pretty cool to see in the wild. Even though they are an endangered species, they are one of the most common sharks in Tampa Bay.

Hammerheads are probably one of the easiest sharks to identify. Their hammer-shaped head is used to pin stingrays onto the seafloor. They are not as common to see along Tampa Bay’s Gulf beaches, but just last summer one was spotted along the Dunedin Causeway.

Part of the hammerhead species, the Bonnethead shark is much smaller and can only grow to about 3-4 feet long. They are harmless to humans and can be found across shallow sand and mud flats. During the winter, they move out to deeper coastal waters.

Nurse Sharks are most commonly found in shallower, warm waters. They are a slow-moving, bottom dweller that can grow between 7-9.75 feet. Nurse sharks also have a catfish-like look to them and are generally harmless to humans.

Lemon Sharks are fairly common across Florida’s coast. The lemon shark is typically found in estuarine and nearshore waters in the Gulf of Mexico and can even venture into freshwater areas. They can grow upwards of 10.5 feet, have a yellowish tint to their skin, and have rarely been known to attack humans.

I have a confession! It's 2023 and I still don't know how to swim. I live near St. Petersburg beach and If I do go, I don't get in the water because I'm scared. Once I learn how to swim, I will feel more comfortable. Luckily St. Pete beach is not the Florida beach that is one of the world's most dangerous places to swim.

Explore.com came out with this list and they state many reasons as to why you shouldn't swim at these places. Some locations have rip currents, polluted waters, big rocks, and many shark attacks.

People still swim at these places on the list below but Explore.com does not recommend it. Use caution when swimming in these locations!  Have you actually been to any of the beaches on the list below? If so, feel free to email me babs@wild941.com.

Explore.com had this to say before they gave us the list of 10 places: "Swimming in cool waters under a shining sun is a simple pleasure. Some incredible swimming spots are protected areas while others are open year-round for people to dive off docks, swim, go on boat tours, and enjoy any way they can. Most are completely safe, but some only appear that way."

By the way, I will learn how to swim before the end of 2023! Once I learn, I still wont be gong to any of the places on this list! Any suggestion on where I can take classes as an adult. Feel free to Email me any places here in the Tampa Bay Area.

Below is a list of 5 places which are some of the worlds most dangerous places to swim. Amongst these 5 places is the Florida beach that is one of the worlds most dangerous places to swim!

Stay Safe.

Chowpatty beach is located in India. It's considered India's most infamous beach. This is because there is so much garbage on the shore. Chowpatty has one of the most polluted sands in the world.  You are putting your health at risk if you choose to get in the water.

Hanakapiai beach is located in Hawaii. It's considered a dangerous place to swim due to the powerful rip currents. The waves are known to sweep people out to sea. If a swimmer does get caught in a rip current, the safest shore area is 6 miles away. 83 people have drowned on this beach over the years!

Condado Beach is located in Puerto Rico. Many people left reviews on trip advisor saying that Condado beach is "very nice but very dangerous." The rip currents here scare people away. There are also big rocks which increase the danger of you getting hurt while swimming on this beach.

West End is located on Grand Bahama Island and is said to have  some of the most shark-infested beaches in the world.  Most diving expeditions in West End guarantee an up-close sighting of Tiger sharks. Tiger sharks can grow and be about 16 feet long.

New Smyrna Beach is located in Florida and its one of the worlds most dangerous places to swim. New Smyrna is known as the shark attack capital of the world! If you come to this beach, be careful while surfing because Florida sharks will attack. The common sharks in New Smyrna are tiger, blacktop and spinner sharks!