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I wouldn’t really like the waters being chummed near where I swimming either.

Swimmers upset about chumming

By Tami Osborne, WINK News

Story Created: May 6, 2009 at 11:57 PM EDT

Story Updated: May 6, 2009 at 11:57 PM EDT 

LITTLE HICKORY ISLAND, Fla. – Swimmers in the northern part of Little Hickory Island in Bonita Beach say people are fishing for sharks too close to their swimming holes. Now, they want the city to do something about it.

“We’re in the water here, and they’re over there throwing stuff in the water, bringing sharks into the water. How insane is that?” Tanya Marsh says.

What the anglers are doing is called chumming. They toss a mixture of fish blood and guts into the water with a goal of catching a shark. But beach-goers say they’re doing it too close to them.

“Its a little ridiculous, that you’re going to fish for sharks right here, when people are swimming out here,” Chris Caliendo says.

According to the International Shark Attack File, Lee County has seen only a handful of shark bites in the last 100 years, and never a fatal attack.

Still, with the complaints coming to the surface, the Bonita Springs City Attorney is asking the council whether they feel some regulations on chumming are needed.

While some beach-goers are all for it, anglers say fishing already has too many regulations and doesn’t need any more.

“The sharks are going to be out here, whether there’s someone chumming or not,” Jonathan Stokes says.

“If you don’t want to be where they’re catching fish, don’t swim where they’re standing in the water casting out there,” Master Bait & Tackle owner Ken Strasen says.

The Bonita Springs City Council has tabled the issue until its next meeting on May 20th.