leopard shark behavior

This is kind of a fishing report, but maybe I should move it to fish talk

I was hiking after work today in an undisclosed locale in SLO county.  In one rocky, shallow cove, i saw baitfish jumping, then fins.  After standing on the shore for awhile (very little swell, I made out the shapes of leopard sharks.  There was about 40 of them, mostly under legal size (24-36 inches), milling around, in water knee to ankle deep.  When a swell came in, they would half heartedly charge at the bait.  They literally were within 5 feet of me at times.  It looked as though the bigger ones were staying further out. 

I was without a pole, but I enjoyed the spectacle for close to an hour.  I'd wave my arms but they would not spook.  The only time they spooked was if I'd stomp the ground, then they would come right back.  Has anyone else seen this kind of behavior?? 

I've seen that behavior in Bolinas lagoon, at least seeing bunch of leopards in shallow.  But I've never seen it in a rocky cove, and from the way you describe it, not in an estuary or bay.

I've seen it in San Rafael Too,  Pretty Kool

That sounds totally cool, Andy!

Andy, I've gotta talk to you about your lack of a video camera!  Damn, Man!  You need to capture stuff like that and get it posted up to youtube!   

I have seen them in the shallow sea grass beds in Bodega Harbor.  They are likely feeding on the bait fish, either silversides or juvenile herring.  They are really cool to watch from a kayak over the sea grass in BH.  We see them up to six feet.  We've tried to use frozen chovies, but they only want clams, so not sure about them eating the bait fish, they may be scouring up the clams and the bait fish are feasting on the carnage.


Jim