Salmon Shark (Lamna ditropis)
I was
hooked the instant I saw that first dorsal fin piercing the still water.
Historically,
Although most of the sharks I've landed fall between 6 and 10 feet in
length, there are rumors of twelve foot, thousand pound giants… I'm sure
they're out there.
So far, the
life history of salmon sharks hasn't been very well documented. Current
research suggests that the surge of salmon sharks may be due to additive
effects of favorable ocean conditions, large hatchery salmon returns, and bans
on foreign gillnet fisheries- which had sizeable by-catches of juvenile salmon
sharks.
As a guy who
thought that my sharking career was over when I left the eastern seaboard, the
current salmon shark situation has my strict attention. Learning
how, when, and where to consistently catch them has been an addiction.
The typical salmon shark fight consists of a few long runs and a deep
grueling grudge match combined with a lot of chaos and unpredictability. I've
seen a few go crazy on the surface while others head for the abyss and never
stop. I've seen women scream and big men tremble. There is no doubting the
excitement these creatures offer to willing anglers.
It’s
been a privilege to experience and participate in this world class fishery, and
I’d like to see it sustained for future anglers. Here are a few thoughts
to keep in mind.
Along with the excitement comes some danger
and responsibility which is worth considering. It's best to go with a pro, but
for those insistant on doing it yourself, I offer some advice. Like many big
fish, handling sharks at boat-side can be a task of epic proportion. The risk
of entanglement in a leader or gaff line is great and should not be taken
lightly.
Additionally, because of the characteristic hard deep fight
and spinning tendency of sharks, some important steps should be taken to
prevent unnecessary harm or mortality to the sharks. This truly is “Big
Game” fishing and it takes high quality gear and some technique. Once a
salmon shark is hooked, it is imperative that the fisherman and the boat
captain keep constant pressure on the shark. If the shark manages to spin
itself up past the leader to the mainline, it will most likely break off.
Immobilized by the leader and line, the shark will most likely die. This is a
senseless loss and a frustrating experience for a tired angler after a long
struggle. I believe it is possible for inexperienced anglers to injure and kill
sharks without ever landing them (or realizing what they’ve done).
There are quite a few sharks right now, but remember that there used to be a lot, of a lot of things. These are truly amazing apex predators and this is probably one of the last places on earth to witness such a healthy shark population. I urge shark fishermen to fish conservatively and responsibly. As with other shark species around the world, salmon sharks are slow to mature and depressed stocks will take a long time to recover.
Sharks must be bled, gutted,
and cooled immediately in order to preserve the quality of the meat. When cared
for properly, salmon shark meat is similar to swordfish. If you go sharking,
remember that catch and release is a good idea. One shark split between a few
fishermen is still more than most want to cart up the dock ramp. These fish
will fill freezers!
