ANGLING METHODS FOR SHARKS

Set out below are some of our personal ideas with regard to Angling Methods for UK Domestic Shark Species. Hope that they help you and give you some guide as to the various aspects of Angling for Sharks.

This is a long page and contains:-

1. Guide to Possible Fishing Areas

2. Angling Methods which can be employed

3. What Rod?

4. Baits and Leaders Description of the Angling Methods

GUIDE TO POSSIBLE FISHING AREAS

DOMESTIC SHARK SPECIES	AREA/LOCATION	ACTUAL GUIDE
Mako Shark	S/W English Channel	Guide
Hammerhead Shark	S/W English Channel	Guide
Porbeagle Shark	English Channel, South and West Wales, Western Isles and Scrabster	Actual
Blunt Nose Six Gill Shark	S/W Cornwall	Guide
Thresher Shark	English Channel, Luce Bay	Actual
Blue Shark	English Channel, S/W Wales, North Devon	Actual
Tope	Widespread, Thames Estuary, Solent, Wales, N/W, Luce Bay	Actual
Monkfish
Spurdog	Western and Northern Scotland, sporadic elsewhere	Actual
Common Smooth Hound	Southern North Sea, English Channel, Bristol Channel and S Wales	Actual
Starry Smooth Hound	Southern North Sea, English Channel, Bristol Channel and S Wales	Actual
Lesser Spotted Dogfish	Everywhere?	Actual
Greater Spotted Dogfish - Bull Huss	N Wales and generally widespread	Actual
Blackmouth Dogfish	Western Scottish Sea Lochs	Actual

ANGLING METHODS AVAILABLE

DOMESTIC SHARK SPECIES	TROLLING	DRIFTING	ANCHORING	SHORE
Mako Shark	X	X	X	No
Thresher Shark	X	X	X	No
Blue Shark	X	X	X	?
Porbeagle Shark	X	X	X	X
Hammerhead Shark	-	X	X	No
Angel Shark (Monkfish)	-	-	X	X
Blunt Nose Six Gill Shark	-	-	X	No
Tope	-	X	X	X
Spurdog	-	X	X	X
Common Smooth Hound	-	X	X	X
Starry Smooth Hound	-	X	X	X
Lesser Spotted Dogfish	-	X	X	X
Greater Spotted Dogfish - Bull Huss	-	-	X	X
Blackmouth Dogfish	-	-	X	?

WHAT ROD

DOMESTIC SHARK SPEICES

Trad

U/T

2lb

4lb

6lb

8lb

12lb

16lb

20lb

30lb

50lb

80lb

130lb

Mako Shark

Thresher Shark

Blue Shark

Porbeagle Shark

Hammerhead Shark

Blunt Nose Six Gill

Angel Shark (Monkfish)

Tope

Spurdog

Common Smooth Hound

Starry Smooth Hound

Lesser Spotted Dogfish

Greater Spotted Dogfish

Blackmouth Dogfish

BAITS AND LEADERS

DOMESTIC SHARK SPECIES	TROLING LURE/SIZE	PRIME BAITS	HOOK SIZE	BITING PIECE	SWIVEL	RUBBING LEADER	TOP SWIVEL
Mako Shark	6"-12"	Mackerel, Squid and small Tunas	7/0-12/0	400lb+ wire	5/0	400lb+ mono	5/0
Porbeagle Shark	4"-8"	Mackerel, Squid, Pollack and Cod	7/0-10/0	275lb wire	3/0	250lb-400lb mono	3/0
Thresher Shark	4"-8"	Mackerel, Squid and Herring	4/0-8/0	175lb-275lb wire	3/0	250lb mono	3/0
Blunt Nose Six Gill Shark	-	Pollack, Cod, Ling and Conger	10/0-14/0	400lb wire	5/0	400lb+ wire	5/0
Blue Shark	4"-8"	Mackerel, Squid and Herring	6/0-10/0	175lb wire	2/0	200lb mono	2/0
Tope	-	Mackerel, Squid, Herring and Eel	5/0-8/0	60lb-90lb wire	1/0	90lb mono	1/0
Spurdog	-	Mackerel and Herring	4/0-7/0	60lb wire	1/0	90lb mono	1/0
Common Smooth Hound	-	Crabs	3/0-5/0	30lb mono	-	30lb mono	1/0
Starry Smooth Hound	-	Crabs	3/0-5/0	30lb mono	-	30lb mono	1/0
Lesser Spotted Dogfish	-	Mackerel strip	2/0-5/0	20lb mono	-	20lb mono	1/0
Greater Spotted Dogfish - Bull Huss	-	Mackerel Strip	3/0-6/0	30lb mono	-	30lb mono	1/0
Blackmouth Dogfish	-	Mackerel Strip	2/0-4/0	20lb mono	-	20lb mono	1/0
Hammerhead Shark	6"-8"	Mackerel, Squid, Herring	6/0-8/0	175lb wire	3/0	250lb mono	3/0
Angel Shark - Monkfish	-	Mackerel and Herring	5/0-7/0	50lb mono	-	50lb mono	3/0

EXPLANATION OF ANGLING TECHNIQUES

TROLLING:

This is presenting a bait or lure from a powered craft, moving at speeds ranging from 1 knot > 12 knots, dependant upon species sought. Usually baits/lures are presented in the upper layers of the water column, and is a system used in more distant waters for pelagic species. Trolling can be used successfully in UK waters for such species as Albacore, Atlantic Bonito, Chubb Mackerel, Atlantic Mackerel and Porbeagle Sharks. A special adaptation for deep trolling with downriggers is practised in Californian waters for Thresher Sharks. The system is under-utilised in UK waters, and would with time and development probably prove to be the key to showing more ‘pelagic’ species in our waters and would definitely prove the presence of Tunas and Makos in greater numbers than is currently thought.

DRIFTING:-

Is presenting baits from a boat moving at the dictates of the tide and wind. Baits are presented either fully on the bottom or in the upper layers. This is one of the more established methods of contacting larger sharks in UK waters especially when accompanied by attractant methods such as rubby-dubby. This method could be developed further by utilising live-baits presented on finer traces and contact species not usually encountered with dead bait presentations. In other parts of the world, this method is used with great success for a variety of pelagic species, and when compared to trolling is considered as covering a smaller area more thoroughly. Drifting and trolling can both be used to repeatedly cover fish holding areas, by returning with the power of the boat, this method is currently used on a smaller scale for wreck and reef fishing.

ANCHORING:-

Nearly all species can be caught from an anchored boat, although with some of the larger and more active species this leaves the angler at a distinct disadvantage. Baits and lures can be presented more accurately at a variety of depths from an anchored boat and hence address specific fish holding areas. The majority of UK shark species are mainly bottom feeders and hold around set terrain features, so anchoring allows bait presentation with accuracy. Pelagic swimming species from an anchored boat are an enlightenment, species normally caught from a drifting boat suddenly become much stronger in their fight and real consideration should be given to amounts of fishing line on reels before starting.

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