Also known as
- Bonnethead US
- Bonnet Shark US
- Shovelhead US
Identification
A compact, agile shallow-water hammerhead built for tight manoeuvres on seagrass flats and estuarine sand. Males show distinctly bulbous head edges; females remain smoother.
- Smooth, rounded shovel-shaped cephalofoil without the central notch of larger hammerheads — diagnostic mark
- Grey to grey-brown back grading to a lighter belly
- Rounded leading head edge giving a bonnet/shovel profile
- Small compact body compared to other hammerheads
- Bulbous front-edge swelling on mature males
Where it holds
- Inshore
- Estuaries
- Seagrass Meadows
- Sandy Shores
Behaviour
A highly social small hammerhead of warm shallows — patrols seagrass beds, sand flats, estuaries, and shallow bays in tight schools. The only shark documented to consume significant plant matter (seagrass) alongside animal prey, making it a true omnivore. Diet centres on blue crabs and shrimp with small bottom fish. Active day and night with peak feeding through tide changes that concentrate prey. Coastal-migratory, tracking warm water along shorelines.
Diet: Blue Crabs, Shrimp, Small Mullet, Pinfish, Small Squid
How it's caught
Line Fishing
Bottom Fishing
The defining Florida/Gulf/Carolinas inshore approach — drift or anchor a small boat over seagrass flats, channel mouths, and estuarine sand and present a live shrimp or fresh crab on a 2/0-4/0 non-offset circle hook with a small egg sinker. Light spinning tackle, 30cm of 40lb fluorocarbon shock leader. Best on tide changes that move bait across the flats.
Spinning
A productive light-tackle sight-cast fishery on calm clear flats — cast small soft-plastic shrimp imitations, jighead-and-grub combos, and small bucktails toward cruising fish or small schools. Slow drag-and-pause retrieve along the bottom triggers takes. Light PE1 spinning tackle and 30cm of 40lb fluorocarbon shock leader.
Saltwater Fly
An emerging light-tackle fly target on Florida and Carolinas flats — sight-cast small crab and shrimp patterns from a 7-8wt rod with floating or intermediate line. Slow strip-pause retrieves matching the deliberate prey-tracking behaviour. 30cm of 30lb fluorocarbon shock tippet handles teeth and abrasive cephalofoil.
