Freshwater Shark??

[HarveysMinnow]

Not sure where this best fits, but I guess here is as good as any:

Is there such a thing as a freshwater shark?

Can certain species of sharks survive in fresh water, if they have no choice?

I'm asking because a few days ago, while fishing from the bank of a bass pond, I saw a fish that looked more like a small shark than anything else. It was about 2 feet long, with a very streamlined body, and it's tail fin looked sort of like "Y" that had been tipped over on it's side. I tossed my crank bait at it a couple times, but it ignored the bait and headed out of sight into deeper water.

Since this pond/lake is surrounded by a housing development, it makes me wonder if someone had some type of shark which outgrew their aquarium and got tossed into the lake.

Can someone enlighten me? Thanks

[MississippiBoy]

Bull sharks can live for a long time in freshwater, not sure if they can stay in it permanently, though. And I really don't think anybody would be able to keep a bull shark as a pet, even a little one.
But it had a forked tail for sure? And did it have the typical "Jaws" dorsal fin?
I'm betting it was something like a pickeral, musky, or some other predatory freshwater fish. Google up some pics of those and see if anything looks familiar.
Heck, here's a starting point. http://www.ncwildlife.org/Fishing/Fi...asSpecies.aspx

[1/4 stick]

I'm betting it was a blue catfish. A lot of the people here keep them in their ponds and they'll come up from the bottom and hang more than the other species of cats will.

[Jrob78]

Originally Posted by 1/4 stick

I'm betting it was a blue catfish. A lot of the people here keep them in their ponds and they'll come up from the bottom and hang more than the other species of cats will.

That's what I was thinking too. Sounds like a big catfish to me.

Like MB said, there are a few species of shark that travel up rivers, 100's of miles sometimes. The Bull Shark being one of them. There have been many shark attacks on humans in fresh water. These are all sharks with a direct path from the ocean though. I don't think you could throw a little saltwater aquarium shark into a pond and expect it to survive.

[keithdog]

Here are some photos of aquarium fish sold as fresh water sharks. Do any of these look familiar?

[nobass]

would go more for a pitimouis cathfish they grow real large in fish tanks i can only guess how big they would get in a pond. that is properly not the correct spelling but close. it is warm enough in that area they could syrive the winter. they a bottom and alge feeders

[HarveysMinnow]

Originally Posted by keithdog

Here are some photos of aquarium fish sold as fresh water sharks. Do any of these look familiar?

Keith,
Actually the one in the first photo (upper left) is closer than anything else I've seen. The tail and its general shape make it a good candidate.

Sharks are attracted to blood, right? I wonder if I put a chunk of bloody raw beef on a 4/0 hook with a wire leader, maybe I could land it and get a good photo of it.

Glad to see you are still active here...I have not been on in quite a while.

Thanks,
Harvey

[Jrob78]

Originally Posted by HarveysMinnow

Keith,
Actually the one in the first photo (upper left) is closer than anything else I've seen. The tail and its general shape make it a good candidate.

Sharks are attracted to blood, right? I wonder if I put a chunk of bloody raw beef on a 4/0 hook with a wire leader, maybe I could land it and get a good photo of it.

Glad to see you are still active here...I have not been on in quite a while.

Thanks,
Harvey

Catfish eat raw, bloody baits too. Try to catch it.

[kennethdaysale]

My money is on a grass carp. Neighborhood ponds almost always are crawling with them because some well meaning but ill informed homeowner thought it was a good idea.

If it was black it might be a plecostomus (algae eater) from someones aquarium.

[Bassboss]

Originally Posted by kennethdaysale

My money is on a grass carp. Neighborhood ponds almost always are crawling with them because some well meaning but ill informed homeowner thought it was a good idea.

If it was black it might be a plecostomus (algae eater) from someones aquarium.

As was thinking that too!

Toss some dough balls, and BEEF try and catch it like Joe said

[lilmule]

Fresh water aquarium sharks are tropical aand would not survive long.
Bull sharks have vbeeb spotted as far up the missippi as above the conflueance of the ohio river,with quite a few attacks in Nj early 1900s,some lil creek not considsered navigatable water even.
Just when you thought it was safe to reenter the water,potomic pike also when young nearby have attacked humans in other countries.
Odds are stronger of running into a Tn alligator,4 or 5 in whole state (protected species).
A catfish without wiskers would resemble one.