Shaaaakin'

[dave-j]

“We’re gonna need a bigger boat…”

So, we borrowed a buddy's Everglades 29 (I think). Not a Parker, but a whole lot faster!

Went about 35 miles offshore last Thursday to Jeffries Ledge where the sea temperature break between warmer and cooler water was perfect to set up for shark fishing (thanks internet satellite imaging!). We laid down a chum slick, put some bluefish fillets on 12/0 Mustad hooks, using Penn 50’s for rods (basically tuna rods), and waited, all the while trading quotes from "Jaws". Didn’t take long! We ended up hooking about 10 blue sharks from 6 – 12 footers, mainly in the 10 footer range. Up to 450 pounds of pissed off muscle and teeth. We also had a few of them circling right around the boat in the chum slick, so we tied a bluefish head to a rope and tossed it to them. The kids ended up playing tug of war with a big-ass blue shark! Was like Shark Week on Discovery channel, only live!

Attached are a couple of pictures. The pics are of a 10 footer or so along the side of the boat, and of me handling the clippers to cut the wire leader to release it. Note how close you have to get your hands to the business end of these things!

The day before, we had gone from Stelwagen all the way up to Newburyport looking for tuna that simply don't exist anymore!! Sharking was a nice diversion.

Definitely a different experience.

 

[Bryan 2530]

See any makos?

 

[dave-j]

No makos, only blues.

 

[Parker23]

I use circles and have removed every hook so far except one, 30/1 rate this year and the puller is 5ft long so no need to be close to mouth. Size 18/0 circles

 

[pmeggers]

I do not let my hands get that close. No way jose.

 

[Parker23]

Just a little tip to save your finger tips! LoL- the way that guy was hooked you can get a gaff on the curve of the hook and pulled hard backwards and you will have your rig back. The smaller the gap on the gaff the better. Good luck

 

[dave-j]

Thanks for the tips, guys. This was my first time sharking and we went with a guy who has done this a lot. He was the one who brought the clippers and essentially said "this is what we do". I have a 3 foot long de-hooker that is really heavy duty and would have worked great EXCEPT it is the pig tail (curly) kind that requires a momentary twist that would attach the de-hooker to the shark via the hook. These guys didn't sit still very long and when they took off it was quite violent. Would be afraid to lose my device.

I would try the gaff as makeshift hook remover, however. On some of these guys the best we were going to do was slide the clippers down the wire to within 10 inches or so of the hook and clip.

For the record, we never had any close calls on losing hands!

 

[ReelyNauti]

Blue sharks are fun , but kinda stupid!!! we fished the Star Island tourney in June and had 41 blues in 2 days....

 

[Parker23]

Blue sharks are fun , but kinda stupid!!! we fished the Star Island tourney in June and had 41 blues in 2 days....

that one is really dumb sleeping in a boat like that!

 

[ReelyNauti]

yeah....he was tired....that was a shame to take a 251 lb blue n kill it for a tourney.....it was not even close to the 330 something thresher that won

 

[Capt. Yakes]

The advice to use a gaff or de-hooker is sage advice. I have dealt with many sharks to include large Makos and paid the price with having the top of my hand ripped open by a fairly small black tip when I got cocky with the pliers. Unless the shark is tail ropped they can propel themselves forward towards your hand in a split second, hardly worth playing that game.

Glad you and your kids had a nice shark fishing trip as they are exciting. I agree that killing blue sharks for any purpose is a waste, and I do not consider it an accomplishment to throw one on the dock for money. They do not compare in any way to a Mako as far as fighting charecteristics and table fare and as mentioned are fairly stupid, many times swimming right to the boat not even knowing they are hooked...better to release. I do not think it is wrong harvesting a Mako or Thresher now and again for the table but I make it a practice to only keep what I am eating and have taught my sons the same. The ocean is not what is used to be and we all have to become more sensible to maintain the fishery for ourselves and the future.