Shark Week and a new PB

Being Shark Week, I had to catch a shark. My final chance at the 8' shark i want came on Wednesda. Sadly (*SPOILER ALERT*) it didn't happen. But we did get some good sharks and had a good time.

Got on the water about 8 and motored to the bat ray spot. Took out another salt water newbie and quickly had him hooked up to a 40" class ray. After a 10 min battle we had it boat side and he said he was exhausted. After letting it go I checked the tides just to make sure. I found out the tide switched an hour ago so we go burning back to the Sevengill Hole (as fast as a 9.9hp can take you in a loaded 14' boat lol). Get the baits out and land another small ray. This is exactly what I was hoping for, because BIG sevengills commonly eat bat rays. Chop the poor guy up and send him down in the chum bucket. Then I rig up a nice sized chunk of ray and cast it 10' down current of the chum pot.

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After a short time the mackerel rod goes off with a small Spiny Dogfish.

Then the other mackerel rod goes off and after I realized it wasn't a ray but a shark I handed it to Max (he really wanted a shark at that point). Once it's 30' off the side of the boat it makes a quick roll and we see it is a nice 5-6' Soupfin Shark. Sadly the line wrapped the tip and in the process of unwrapping it the shark go some slack line and was able to spit the barbless hook. Starting to think I have a Soupfin Curse!!! First the 6.5' one off the pier now this one!!! Well that's fishing.......

After about an hour lul the rod with the bat ray takes off slow. I let him eat it for about 5sec then hammer the drag and slam him. I fought it easy because I figured only a Sevengill could eat a bait that size, and Max needed time to clear all the rods. Once I get it up I see it is a 5' class Leopard that ate that big bait, maybe a little over enthusiastic. The hook didn't actually hook him, I could see it was just pointed up and was under his jaw cartilage on the top. Since I was just catch and release fishing I gave him some slack and he shook the hook. Rebait with a bigger bloodier piece of ray and send it back out.

At this point Max is dying for his own shark, so I rebait the squid rod with mackerel to up the chances. Just as he opens his beer and takes a sip the big spinner screems to life. From the first run and how it was fighting we figured it was a nice ray. Max is cursing the "ray" out for not being a "stupid shark". Then we get a nice tail slap and see it is a big Sevengill. Funny thing was it took a 2" tail section of mackerel. Get all the rods up, detach the anchor line and pull the chum bucket. Once boatside I desided to try a healthier option for the shark and wrapped the fish in a big sling behind the peck fins and slowly drive to the beach head first. Sorry that the photos look the same as every other trip. It always seems to be the same time of day, sunny and the same beach lol.

Final measurements were 90" total length (a new personal best for my boat), 66.5" Fork Length, and 36" girth for a formula weight of 107lbs. Definitely Max's biggest fish to date and his first shark ever lol.

After rebaiting all the rods no sooner does max sip his beer than my Curado goes off. After a nice battle we boat a Leo around 4' that Max says he wants to take home. I have no problem with people taking an occasional leopard for the table.

After a long wait the Bat Ray chunk rod starts slowly rolling. Before even setting the hook we bring all the rods in. Set the hook and it is obvious this is no Leopard Shark. I was so happy to finally have a Shark on the Penn Squall that finally pulled some good drag and put up a good fight. For all those who say Sevengills are slugs, we must be fishing for a different shark, I fought mine for about 10-15min on 40lb line with my drag set at 15lbs. I was tired of the whole ordeal of taking them to shore so I just opted for a boatside release.

Final measurement was 88" total length (PB for me personally), 68" fork length and 29" girth for a formula weight of 71.5lbs. Also one learning note, undo the tail lasso BEFORE unhooking. Sharks are relatively calm heads up tail down, but the other way around they freak out. This guy was thrashing like crazy, almost took my hand off twice and even bit his own tail.

Finally get the tail lasso off and let him go. Missed one more shark after that but it was slow fishing. Saw two (maybe the same one) thresher sharks jump right off the boat. Only about 4' but still cool, the first time I had ever personally seen one.

Well it had been a fun summer, 6 Sevengills in three trips and the got bigger every trip, probably 18 Leopard sharks, 1 Brown Smoothhound, and 15-20 bat rays most over 3'. Compalation in order of being caught of the sevengills this summer.

It has been fun Shark Bait, until next summer Batrayz out...