# Are there sharks in the Great Lakes? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 2, 2006, 7:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-sharks-in-the-great-lakes/355075 "2006-05-02T07:17:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2006, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-sharks-in-the-great-lakes/355075/21 "2006-05-02T13:37:32Z")
Okay, since the question has been asked and answered… I know there is a population of Beluga whales that live in the St. Lawrence seaway. Do they ever make it to Lake Erie? Or even past the falls? Or does there tolerance for fresh water end in the brackish seaway? ---
**Author:** ![JohnBckWLD](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d6d6ee/32.png) [@JohnBckWLD](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnBckWLD)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2006, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-sharks-in-the-great-lakes/355075/22 "2006-05-02T13:38:37Z")
> [@The Chao Goes Mu](#): > > I have an irrational fear of sharks and I kayak, swim, and fish in Lake Erie… There are alot of websites that state bull sharks have been found/seen “[1,750 miles up the Mississippi River](http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&safe=off&rls=GGLD%2CGGLD%3A2003-42%2CGGLD%3Aen&q=%22bull+shark%22+%221%2C750+miles%22+%22mississippi+river%22)”. But seeing that the distance from St Paul Minnesota & New Orleans is only +/- 1,300 miles - I don’t see how that’s possible. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2006, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-sharks-in-the-great-lakes/355075/23 "2006-05-02T13:51:15Z")
> [@The Chao Goes Mu](#): > > But I seriously did have a panic attack. _—knock knock—_ “Candygram.” ---
**Author:** ![The\_Chao\_Goes\_Mu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_chao_goes_mu/32/3191_2.png) [@The\_Chao\_Goes\_Mu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Chao_Goes_Mu)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2006, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-sharks-in-the-great-lakes/355075/24 "2006-05-02T13:53:58Z")
> [@Cervaise](#): > > _—knock knock—_ “Candygram.” :eek: Damn you. My partner will sneak up behind me and do the Jaws theme then pinch my neck. She knows all the hairs on my body will stand on end. Cruel woman. I blame Jaws for my irrational fear, btw. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2006, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-sharks-in-the-great-lakes/355075/25 "2006-05-02T14:00:42Z")
> [@JohnBckWLD](#): > > There are alot of websites that state bull sharks have been found/seen “[1,750 miles up the Mississippi River](http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&safe=off&rls=GGLD%2CGGLD%3A2003-42%2CGGLD%3Aen&q=%22bull+shark%22+%221%2C750+miles%22+%22mississippi+river%22)”. > > But seeing that the distance from St Paul Minnesota & New Orleans is only +/- 1,300 miles - I don’t see how that’s possible. 1,300 is as the crow flys, 1,750 as the shark swims? BTW, I’ve lived all my life on a great lake, am descended from commercial fishermen on the great lakes, and never heard tell of a shark in the lakes. Giant sturgeon, yes. Kraken, maybe. Great Uncle Pilinixi may have been having us on. Fur bearing whales, perhaps. But Uncle Harko, who put out that claim, also stated that in the early days there were elephants in the local woods, and that Grover Cleveland had once stopped by to get some trout. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Chao\_Goes\_Mu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_chao_goes_mu/32/3191_2.png) [@The\_Chao\_Goes\_Mu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Chao_Goes_Mu)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2006, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-sharks-in-the-great-lakes/355075/26 "2006-05-02T14:08:49Z")
> [@Qadgop the Mercotan](#): > > 1,300 is as the crow flys, 1,750 as the shark swims? > > BTW, I’ve lived all my life on a great lake, am descended from commercial fishermen on the great lakes, and never heard tell of a shark in the lakes. > > Giant sturgeon, yes. > > Kraken, maybe. Great Uncle Pilinixi may have been having us on. > > Fur bearing whales, perhaps. But Uncle Harko, who put out that claim, also stated that in the early days there were elephants in the local woods, and that Grover Cleveland had once stopped by to get some trout. Well, we do have these [monsters](http://www.monstertracker.com/index.cfm) to deal with but thankfully _no sharks_. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2006, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-sharks-in-the-great-lakes/355075/27 "2006-05-02T14:15:11Z")
> [@The Chao Goes Mu](#): > > I blame Jaws for my irrational fear, btw. Yeah, frankly, me too. Seeing Jaws at about age 7 did me in for being much of a swimmer. When I was younger I wouldn’t even go in pools. And I agree. The image of Great Whites going over Niagara is too good to pass up. ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2006, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-sharks-in-the-great-lakes/355075/28 "2006-05-02T14:23:43Z")
> [@](#): > > he upper lakes are available to coastal fish by way of the Welland Canal that bypasses the Niagara River They could also get there via the New York State Barge Canal, which replaced the Erie Canal, so a canadian work visa is not needed. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Chao\_Goes\_Mu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_chao_goes_mu/32/3191_2.png) [@The\_Chao\_Goes\_Mu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Chao_Goes_Mu)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2006, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-sharks-in-the-great-lakes/355075/29 "2006-05-02T14:39:25Z")
> [@Jonathan Chance](#): > > Yeah, frankly, me too. Seeing Jaws at about age 7 did me in for being much of a swimmer. When I was younger I wouldn’t even go in pools. > > And I agree. The image of Great Whites going over Niagara is too good to pass up. I _still_ won’t swim in the deep end of a pool at night. Night swimming in a lake? Forget it. Like I said, irrational fear. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2006, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-sharks-in-the-great-lakes/355075/30 "2006-05-02T15:33:14Z")
> [@The Flying Dutchman](#): > > The implication of the above statement seems to suggest that the Welland canal is reserved for Canadian commerce. The Welland Canal is part of the St Lawrence Seaway which is a joint operation for betwwen Americans and Canadians and services the American Great Lakes cities shipping as well. The Welland has never been limited to Canadian traffic. Since the opening of the Seaway in 1959, it has been an international waterway that has allowed vessels of all nations to reach as far inland as Chicago, Duluth, and Thunder Bay. Prior to its opening, it accommodated traffic from both Canada and the U.S. However, prior to the opening of the St. Lawrence, the only significant ports on Lake Ontario were in Ontario and while there was some traffic that made its way to Lake Ontario entrance to the New York State Canal System (formerly the New York State Barge Canal and originally the Erie Canal), the majority of traffic for that system from the upper lakes (even to Rochester) went to the Lake Erie entrance of that system, so the pre-1959 traffic on the Welland was heavily tilted toward Canadian Traffic. Subsequent to 1971, all U.S. lake freighters have been standardized at lengths of either 760’ or 1,000’ and are unable to pass through the Locks on the St. Lawrence that built to handle ships up to 730’ long. This action was taken in recognition of the fact that the overwhelming number of U.S. lakers never went farther east than Lake Erie, making Buffalo and Lackawana their easternmost terminus and so they could get better scale of economy being built larger to take advantage of the longer locks at the Soo. In contrast, Canadian lakers were standardized at 730’ and routinely take ore to the mills of eastern Quebec and the granaries and international ports downriver from Quebec city. My remarks were intended to indicate the principal use of the Welland prior to 1959 and not intended to imply that Canada held it exclusively for Canadian traffic. ---
**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2006, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-sharks-in-the-great-lakes/355075/31 "2006-05-02T16:09:10Z")
I think Kevin James summed it up best. When you are out in the water, and your legs are just dangling underneath you, and you are just hanging there, bobbing up and down …just floating in the water with your legs dangling , you will probably react the same whether a piece of seaweed or a Great White Shark brushes past your foot. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2006, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-sharks-in-the-great-lakes/355075/32 "2006-05-02T17:00:37Z")
This was no boating accident. ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2006, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-sharks-in-the-great-lakes/355075/33 "2006-05-02T17:09:25Z")
Let’s hope sharks never learn to read this thread. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Chao\_Goes\_Mu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_chao_goes_mu/32/3191_2.png) [@The\_Chao\_Goes\_Mu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Chao_Goes_Mu)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2006, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-sharks-in-the-great-lakes/355075/34 "2006-05-02T17:16:23Z")
I think we’re going to need a bigger boat. > [@](#): > > When you are out in the water, and your legs are just dangling underneath you, and you are just hanging there, bobbing up and down …just floating in the water with your legs dangling , you will probably react the same whether a piece of seaweed or a Great White Shark brushes past your foot. Yup. No truer words have ever been spoken. I react that way and I’ve _never_ gone for a swim in the ocean. To me, the concept of swimming in the ocean is tantamount to tieing me up with a rope, throwing me off of a boat and using me as chum. Not gonna happen. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2006, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-sharks-in-the-great-lakes/355075/35 "2006-05-02T17:35:58Z")
“Coming this Fall From the folks ho brought you **Snakes on a Plane** It’s **SHARKS at Niagara Falls**!” ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2006, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-sharks-in-the-great-lakes/355075/36 "2006-05-02T17:56:16Z")
Someone mentioned giant sturgeon. Are the sturgeon in the Great Lakes the same as the ones in Lake Baikal? If so, is there Great Lakes Caviar? ---
**Author:** ![LouisB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dfb087/32.png) [@LouisB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LouisB)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2006, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-sharks-in-the-great-lakes/355075/37 "2006-05-02T18:13:00Z")
> [@](#): > > I blame Jaws for my irrational fear, btw. I remember reading a newspaper story about a teenaged girl who required psychiatric (sp?) help due to that movie. She was completely unable to enter any body of water larger than a bathtub without experiencing disabling panic attacks. She was a life long resident of Kansas. ---
**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2006, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-sharks-in-the-great-lakes/355075/38 "2006-05-02T18:17:00Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > “Coming this Fall > From the folks ho brought you **Snakes on a Plane** > It’s **SHARKS at Niagara Falls**!” I want these motherfuckin’ SNAKES off this motherfuckin’ LAKE! ---
**Author:** ![The\_Chao\_Goes\_Mu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_chao_goes_mu/32/3191_2.png) [@The\_Chao\_Goes\_Mu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Chao_Goes_Mu)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2006, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-sharks-in-the-great-lakes/355075/39 "2006-05-02T18:18:05Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > Someone mentioned giant sturgeon. Are the sturgeon in the Great Lakes the same as the ones in Lake Baikal? If so, is there Great Lakes Caviar? I believe there are from Lake Superior but looks like [Erie](http://www.fishlakeerie.com/news/articles-erie/8.html) doesn’t yield as much anymore. ---
**Author:** ![Cordial\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/94ad74/32.png) [@Cordial\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cordial_Jim)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2006, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-sharks-in-the-great-lakes/355075/40 "2006-05-02T18:28:47Z")
Crap, I never really thought about it before now, but [**Bull Sharks** are in the Chesapeake Bay](http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/fish/sharks/innews/baysharks2004.html)! They’ve even been spotted in the Patuxent River! I’m never going to be the same. The next time I go water skiing and I’m floating in the water, waiting for the boat to come back… ::shudder:: Thanks guys :rolleyes: [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-sharks-in-the-great-lakes/355075.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-sharks-in-the-great-lakes/355075.md?page=3)