Shark Fishing

Nice!

 

Easiest shark to target locally is probably soupfin, but they are closed with the groundfish until March. Just act like you are trying for halibut with big strip bait on a long wire rig (or string trimmer line) bouncing on bottom... Angels are targetable in SD bay and around the mouth, threshers off the kelp line at times (I have some guesses, but nothing concrete I know I can share).

 

Thresher is your target & very rewarding....
Heres some info I found for you, lots of info on bd but at the same time lots of folks are hush hush about it as too many being harvested...
Go to bd & do a search for baitomatic & thresher, think most guys pin a live mac to the baitomatic & everyone just slow trolls....
you need to be prepared & take proper safety precautions as threshers range from 200-700lbs here locally.
You little gaff isnt going to cut-it & you will need multiple gaffs, also sometimes theyre too large for you & the wife to get over the rail & into the boat, just too heavy to do so....
so you need to be prepared to rope them off, fly gaff, etc....

Think they come-in locally during their spawn & thats when theyre easy to catch & large concentration of them...
San Anofre in april-may.....



"Slow trolling live baits, Bait-O-Matics (with upgraded hooks and mackeral), Rapalas (also w/upgraded hooks) , large jet heads w/mackeral, and large hoochies with mackeral all work well. I recommend either bridling the whole mackeral or using a fillet. The use of a downrigger is not essential, but can greatly increase your chances of getting bit.

These fish can come in very close to shore, but the 50 to 100 fathom area is a good place to start. Look for bait, birds, current breaks, color changes, etc. Many fish are caught in front of the hospital just North of Dana Point.

I suggest you use large circle hooks with your bait, and give the fish a drop back after the initial hit (which is usually by the tail if trolling). This will increase your chances of getting a mouth hooked fish and improve chances of a clean release. Kill no more than one per year (at most) and relese all others.

Trolling speed will vary with lure type.
Live baits: 1-2 knots
Trolling with dowrigger (without live baits): 3-5 knots
Searching speed without downrigger: 6-8 knots

Each boat is different and you will need to experiment to find your ideal trolling speed.

Besides dana Point, Carlsbad Canyon and the La Jolla Canyon are other good spots to try."
"

 

Tons of 7 gills all over lj + pl. Don't know how they are on the grill, (I have not tried one), but hear they are good. Threshers and Mako also are on the menu. Good for sure...let us know how you do!

 

Heres an example that im not full of sh on how large they can get........
Went 450 but the head & gills still in the water & thats when in bent the boom of the dana landing scale....
I know 2 grown big men that couldnt get a #316 bft into their 21ft cc using 2 gaffs & flying gaff, was too heavy....

 

7 gill are hard to prep... If you prepare any shark it comes out alright, but....

 

Gear is very Important as you say . I have only targeted them on time . Fished with Capt Ron Baker and Deena Nelson on their private center console . A good lesson in how to hook but not land Threshers . Deena had one on for about an hour that I would judge to be about the size of the one in your photos . I was amazed at the fact that the animal jumped like a frikin Marlin right next to the boat . She had a very worried look just as the fish tore off . Hooked 3 landed 0 . trolling large live macs . I don't think we would have been prepared for the fish at the boat if we had got one along side . Thanks for the good rundown on gear and method . WR

 

I’ve been out twice fishing for shark on a friends boat back in early 90s. We only caught Blues but it was a blast watching them pull the balloon under water and then tugging on them.. We made bait (mackerel) just outside of Oceanside Harbor and then headed straight out 10 miles or so.. We clamped a meat grinder to the side of the boat and took turns running the mackerel through the grinder as we drifted, creating a long chum slick behind us. We used half a mackerel on 10/0 hooks with steel leaders and used balloons as bobbers. After an hour of drifting / chumming, the sharks showed up. Lots of them.. It’s a lot of fun, but we didn’t catch anything worth eating ( Don’t try eating Blue Shark ) Lol.. Ya, I did..

 

The pictures don't do justice to the beauty of these fish . The purples and golds rival any any fish I have seen lit up . Again thanks for the run down . WR

 

Was told recently that 7 Gills are inedible!

 

A lot of work making one of those into "food"... A lot like leopards, IMO

 

"We're gonna need a bigger boat!' That quote?

 

William Ritchie are we taking about the Ron Baker who also ran the Point Loma?

I keep having this feeling that there may be two Ron Baker.

 

Haven't seen any thrashers cruising off the local point lately. Couple months back I did. No where near the size that monster slater showed us. Didn't know our local guys got that big. Only seen and hooked into babies on accident with live bait trolling for yellowtail. Never landed one because they always broke off my 40lb mono eventually. Really cool animals for sure. Glad to see that you are very knowledgeable and upfront with why you want to fish for em.

 

Yup...
& his wife Deena...
Think he has a little Triumph for his personal rig, atleast he did a while ago....
Hes getting up there, dont think hes doing the Derbies any longer...
could be wrong?

 

Ron lives in NorCal now I know that, outstanding bottom fisherman. He’s had it better, double hip and knee replacement, herniated discs... and diabetes. He’s doing some small farming now, I think goats in particular.

I know he still fish’s halibut and lings really often up there.

 

Yes capt Ron Baker and his now x wife Deena . Used to fish allot with them . Stood night wheel watch a few times on a six pak Fins and Pins he ran as well , Had some trips to the Airplane that were fantastic . One trip getting fish for one of the kids events he helped put on at a local lake . We filled the boxes and decks with albacore . Took us 12 hrs to fillet and pack all the fish , my best day on albacore . Good folks . WR