Select a state to find fishing and boating information:
Get A Fishing License
Get started fishing today, purchase your fishing license online, check regulations and more.
Register A Boat
Register your boat today. Learn how to register your vessel, boating laws and more.
Home > Learn to Fish & Boat > Fish Species > Blacktip Shark
The blacktip shark are an outstanding game fish at all sizes and known for their determined runs and tendency of making spiraling leaps.
They are dark grey, ashy blue or dusky bronze on the back, with a white or yellowish-white belly. Other visual characteristics include persistent black spots on the tips of the pelvic fins and a dark band extending rearward along each side of the body, back to about the beginning of the pelvic fin. The blacktip is a stout shark that sports a long, slender, pointed snout, as well as long gill slits and upright, narrow-cusped upper teeth. Anglers often confuse the spinning acrobatics of blacktips with their close relative, the spinner shark. However, a close inspection of the anal fin can separate the two, as a blacktip’s anal fin lacks pigment.
A cosmopolitan species, blacktip sharks are found worldwide in warm temperate and tropical waters. They can be found inshore and offshore, on or adjacent to continental and insular shelves. Blacktips occupy a variety of habitats and can be found off river mouths and estuaries, as well as in muddy bays, mangrove swamps, lagoons, and coral reef drop-offs. The following list includes additional details on where to catch this fish:
Blacktip sharks are extremely popular with anglers because they take a variety of live and dead bait, lures and even flies. The following are fishing methods used to catch this fish:
The following are lures, tackle or bait that can be used to catch this fish:
National Catfish Day Is Coming - Get Ready for Good Eats!
Read More
Public Ramp Boat-Launching Tips for Beginners
Tips for Fishing Boat Rentals
Do you like this content? Subscribe to our Newsletter and get all the information you need to learn, plan, and equip for your next fishing and boating adventure.
NEWSLETTER SIGNUP
Sign-up to receive our monthly newsletter with interesting blogs about fishing and boating. Get fishing tips and tricks and read personal stories from anglers who live and breathe fishing and boating. Learn new fishing skills, boating resources, fishing etiquette, conservation and more.
Please complete the following fields to subscribe to our newsletter.
SUBSCRIBERS PREFERENCES
What information would you like?