Fortnite Sharks explained: How to ride Loot Sharks and find Loot Shark locations
Everything you need to know about the Season 3 loot source / vehicle / threat.
Fortnite Sharks are one of many new additions to for Season 3.
Known officially as Loot Sharks, these are creatures with many purposes. Part loot source, part vehicle and part threat, they are hard to find and pin down.
Unsurprisingly, they are the subject of challenges, so learning how best to find them and catch them will come in handy.
Note this particular challenge is no longer able to be completed. What's new? Chapter 4 Season 2 has arrived! New additions include the Grind Rails and Kinetic Blades, along with the new Battle Pass, character collection and Eren Jaeger skin. It's a good idea to know how to get XP fast in Fortnite.
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Looking for more from the new season? The new map features several additions - such as the Fortilla whirlpool, Homely Hills Gnomes - while our Season 3 Battle Pass skins and Aquaman skin pages showcase all the new rewards.
Where to find Loot Sharks in Fortnite
Sharks - perhaps unsurprisingly - appear within the water areas of Fortnite, but are harder to find than you think. With the Season 3 map comprising mostly of water, you'd expect them to be everywhere - but sharks appear to be rare spawns.
Thankfully, you'll know when you see one, with a telltale fin sticking out of the water. This isn't to be confused with the splashing of fishes or the new addition of whirlpools - especially as sharks will move at quite a pace.
If you are struggling, try sticking to some of the more island-like locations - The Fortilla for example - where, anecdotally, we found more of. We also found more in 'standard' Battle Royale modes as opposed to Team Rumble, though that might have been luck on our part.
Alternatively, non-player characters on the map - such as Henchmen - will fire at sharks on sight. This is useful as you'll see the shark's health bar from a distance, saving you some trouble finding them - and helping you lower their health at the same time.
How to defeat a Loot Shark in Fortnite
Loot Sharks can be defeated for loot, but take a lot of damage before giving their spoils up. You'll need plenty of ammo and a good vantage point without any other players getting in the way.
Not only should you stay out of the water, but even on land you need to keep an eye on their position. Sharks will regularly leap out of the sea at you, thrash around on the shore or pier and damage you, before returning back to the water once more.
A head-on attack can reduce your health significantly, so you always want to watch where they are.
They can also destroy some buildings, so you won't even be safe indoors.
Once defeated, they'll leave loot behind. This can include some of the more rarer weapon types in the game.
If you need new weapons or ammo mid-fight, the good news is they are fairly relentless, so you won't lose them easily.
This is particularly useful if you are looking for a fishing rod...
How to ride Sharks in Fortnite
Once you have found a Shark, it's possible to ride it by using a Fishing Rod.
You'll find Fishing Rods as an uncommon drop in Chests, and also in barrels at the end of some piers at the edges of locations.
Once you have one, throw out a line at the Shark.
It should grab it soon enough, and once done, you'll ride it as if it was a jetski.
You are in full control of a Shark when riding it - allowing you to boost, jump and move in whichever direction you like. You can even aim and fire your weapon by zooming in.
There are much easier vehicles to find in Fortnite, so consider this a neat Easter Egg rather than a recommended strategy. That said, it can come in useful for some types of challenges...
Fortnite Chapter 5 Season 1 is here! It brings a free Lego Insider skin and redemption codes with it, along with a new Victory Umbrella. We've also got pages on new features like Medallions, Weapon Mods, and how to complete a Train Heist. Meanwhile, learn what the best weapons are in the current season, how to get XP fast, and what the best PC settings are to help earn a Victory Crown.
Where to find Loot Sharks in a location - such as Sweaty Sands Sharks - in Fortnite
If you are really struggling to find a Shark in a particular location for a challenge - such as Week 1's 'Damage Loot Sharks at Sweaty Sands' - then the good news is you technically don't have to find the shark at that location to begin with.
With the ability to ride a Shark, you can then move it to another place on the map.
For example, we found two Sharks within The Fortilla during a match, and had time to ride one north to Sweaty Sands, release it then fire upon it for the challenge.
This won't be possible everywhere due to the layout of the map and where the circle will end up, but if you're struggling to complete this (or other Shark-related challenges) then it might be worth ignoring the intended location, doing other things, and if you manage to find a Shark on your travels and have the time to ride it, know you can complete it that way.
Looking for more from the new season? There are other challenges - such as Catty Corner Vault - while our Season 3 Battle Pass skins page showcases all the new rewards.