You’ll have seen plenty of Shark prowling your screens this last few weeks, nothing better than a
Shark documentary to get you thinking about what it would be like to target these top predators.
UK Shark fishing has had a real boom in popularity over the past few years due to more sharks
coming into UK waters. Whether you are after targeting Blues, Porgies, Tope, Smoothhounds or
even an elusive Mako or Thresher there are some incredible species that are accessible within a few
hours drive. It might be less glamourous but the humble Lesser Spotted Dogfish is a shark that has
saved many blanks, oddly enough all our dogfish are part of a shark family known as catsharks.
If you are heading away for a Shark trip, you’re probably going out to try and catch the biggest fish
you have even thought about catching from the UK. Massive Porbeagles can reach weights well in
excess of 400lb. While Blue Shark vary in size from 20lbs through to over 200lbs, but anything over
80lbs is a great catch and will certainly give a decent account of itself on the right tackle.
Clearly it takes time to gather the knowledge needed to consistently catch these sporting Big Game
fish, while it will always be possible to catch a fish or two provided you are fishing in near enough
the right area, but experience is the difference between hooking just an occasional fish compared to
consistently releasing fish on a daily basis. The first thing you need is a skipper with specific Shark
trip experience, there are plenty of boats available and a good boat will have plenty of social posts
from happy anglers and a full diary so make sure to have a good read.
The big fish trip I took was to West Wales where you’ll be looking at mid-July to the end of
September, but check the catch reports in the area you’re heading as there is plenty of evidence
before and after the normally accepted shark fishing season. Bear in mind most shark trips are well
offshore, so if you can mark off a few days for your trip and ideally have a couple of windows
available in the season.
Once you’re out on the ocean, you’ll normally be fishing on the drift with the ratchet switched on
and there is nothing more exhilarating than the click, click, click of a ratchet as a fish plays with your
bait prior to swimming off.
Runs vary from fish to fish and range from heart-stopping, screaming reels, to others where the fish
seemingly plucks, pulls and plays with a bait for what can seem like an age. Experience counts for
everything and if you are new to shark fishing you should listen to the skipper.
When you do hook up to a Shark that’s pulling hard it can be daunting but don’t panic. The idea of
shark fishing is to enjoy the moment while remembering that the earlier you can release your fish
the better, so balanced gear that’s made to fight the fish you’re after will be enough to beat them
even if your arms are aching.
Keep the rod bent at all times to maintain pressure on the fish, avoid excessively fiddling with the
drag, and never try to stop a fish taking line with your thumb on the spool!
Provided your drag is set, your knots are sound and the other anglers keep their lines away from
yours, in most cases once a fish is firmly hooked you could get the biggest fish you’ll ever see to the
boat.
Fish of the Week - 23 July, 2021
" This week's winner of the Daiwa Fish of the Week is Linda Thorne with a specimen Ferox Trout. Linda was trolling a Highland Loch along with her Husband when they caught and released brace of Ferox. The winning fish was caught on the last troll of the day and weighing in at over 9lb was the icing on the cake for a great day on the water. "
