Mako or White?

Message

Eel Hunter · #1 Post by **Eel Hunter** » Tue May 08, 2007 12:30 am

Ok, we have just returned from a week in Waterville, Kerry having had some good success with http://www.kbfishingireland.com. Great sport with pollack up to 6lb and wrasse just over 4lb, all from the shore and all returned.
It was whilst fishing one of the numerous gully marks in this area on thursday evening, shown to us by Kevin that the following happened.
We had been catching quite a few pollack, I had just lost a redgill and was tying up another one while my son was carrying on fishing. We were around 15ft above the water as there was not too much swell when he yelled to me that he had seen a shark. He had actually spotted it about 15 seconds before saying anything, but was so dumbstruck it had taken this time to register what he was seeing. He said he thought at first that it was (the fin) a piece of slate moving through the water! I looked to where he was pointing and could see a large shark slowly descending beneath the surface. This was so close in that either of us could have taken a running jump and landed on it`s back. We estimated the length of this shark to be around 13-14ft, definately not a small one!! He had seen it for such a long time that this is a very accurate estimate of the size.
Anyway, we carried on fishing not really expecting to get much else with this having been around. Around 10 minutes later, I can only assume a pollack took my redgill at exactly the same time my rod lurched over and the line was screaming off my reel (14lb fireline braid, not that it made any difference). This went for around 10 seconds until it all went slack, it did not break through too much pressure being applied and did not feel as though it was being grated on any rocks, it felt as though it had been bitten through.
We stood there amazed that somehow I must have hooked the shark, it didn`t feel foul hooked but really it would be difficult to tell. I was just about to tie on another redgill when the shark jumped about 6-8ft out of the water about 150yards away from where we were standing and in the direction that it had been heading when I hooked it, which was along the bottom of a cliff.
On returning to Kevin`s house we told him what had happened. He said he had heard before that the locals used to see occasional great white shark around the area but had not heard of anything for a good few years. I said I thought it would be a mako as I hooked one years ago while boat fishing and was told they were the only shark that jumped and that are found in British waters. For a mako though this would have been right at the top end of the size they grow to. Kevin went to see a couple of the locals he knew the next morning and they confirmed that whites used to be seen around this area, although none had ever been caught that they knew of. They said that with all the reefs and islands with seals on around there, they were certain this was a white and that it was the right time of the year that they had been seen before. If it was a white it would add up as they do often feed very close to the shore and it would not have been at the top end of their size.
Sorry this has gone on a bit but i wanted to put as much detail as possible, does anyone have any other suggestions/comments?

#2 Post by **Ronald** » Tue May 08, 2007 1:13 am

You sure it wasn't a basking shark ,they have been filmed jumping out of the water and there's been a few reported sightings over the last month or so ?

Eel Hunter · #3 Post by **Eel Hunter** » Tue May 08, 2007 9:01 am

You sure it wasn't a basking shark ,they have been filmed jumping out of the water and there's been a few reported sightings over the last month or so ?

Definately not a basking shark, it wasn`t the right shape and the fin was exactly like a white. I have seen quite a few of them before and it didn`t look like them. It was though very wide and deep aswell.

#4 Post by **blaker** » Tue May 08, 2007 9:07 am

A jumping shark?!?!?!?

WTF :shock:

Eel Hunter · #5 Post by **Eel Hunter** » Tue May 08, 2007 9:11 am

A jumping shark?!?!?!?

Exactly, the only shark I have heard of that actually jump out of the water are whites and makos

Rockhopper · #6 Post by **Rockhopper** » Tue May 08, 2007 9:17 am

and Black Tips and Spinners.....

Tom.

#7 Post by **blaker** » Tue May 08, 2007 9:26 am

Since when did ANY sharks jump!?!?!?

Ed Farrell spent a few months "researching" sharks in South Africa so he'd be fairly well up on this. Drop him a PM

Rockhopper · #8 Post by **Rockhopper** » Tue May 08, 2007 9:55 am

Check this out... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Ssqf2oqktE

I have had Black Tips hooked and watched them jump and get off the hook. Seen other doing it many times in Florida.

Tom.

#9 Post by **corbyeire** » Tue May 08, 2007 10:00 am

if they are not feeding on seals - what else would make them jump out of the water?

Rockhopper · #10 Post by **Rockhopper** » Tue May 08, 2007 10:28 am

Dunno really, but Salmon jump to get the Lice off themseves...

I have seen BlackTips and Spinners jumping around bait balls just offshore and they will also jump when hooked.

If you click onto Utube and type in "Jumping Sharks" you should find quite a few videos showing them jumping a few yards offshore...one in particular shows some idiots wading out near them for a better look :lol:

Tom.

#11 Post by **MAC** » Tue May 08, 2007 11:04 am

Very interesting post. Something similar came up a few months ago. A few of us were having a yarn (As you do) and we were saying that Maybe :roll: it won't be long before we see Whites off the south west coast of Ireland. They are all along the Southern Atlantic ocast off Gansbaai about 90 mins east of Capetown, and the water temp in Ireland in Summer is not that far off the South Atlantic. Great whites Tagged off the South African Coast have been caught off the Southern Australian coast months later......... :shock: That's some 8000km (maybe more) so I think It's very pheasable that they could and would follow the gulf stream and the food to the South west coast of the atlantic.

I don't know enough about Mako's to comment, but I thought that they prefered warmer water.....

Very interesting though...

Kev

#12 Post by **Breathe the o2** » Tue May 08, 2007 11:30 am

That video is unreal.Outstanding footage there! Can mackos grow to 15 ft?

kstaff · #13 Post by **kstaff** » Tue May 08, 2007 11:43 am

I have read and re-read this post several times! It's probably the greatest post ever submitted on this site and has certainly stirred my imagination into overdrive! I am choosing to believe that it was indeed a Great White ( laugh if you will) as I firmly believe they do visit these shores but just not in great numbers. Just because we can't see them everytime we look in the water dosn't mean they are not there!! It's an amazing thought that these magnificent creatures may be in our waters and if so we are very priviliged to have them.

My rock fishing in deep water marks is going to increase ten fold while the swimming and general water usage ( baths included will be scaled down dramatically!) :shock:

We're gonna need a bigger boat!!

Rockhopper · #14 Post by **Rockhopper** » Tue May 08, 2007 11:46 am

Some guys in the Gulf just off Destine, Florida landed one about that size a couple of weeks ago, it was about 1100lbs in weight.

I caught a Mako about 2ft long a couple of years ago in Florida, what an evil little bugger it looked, snapping as I was unhooking it, with a really evil eye, unlike a goggy, this thing would of had my finger given half a chance :evil: :lol: :lol: :lol:

Tom.

#15 Post by KK » Tue May 08, 2007 11:50 am

I seen a program awhile back about the possibility of a great white been in our or the UK shores and they were trying to prove that great whites visit our shores but they couldnt. they found hammerheads washed up. but only found signs of great whites, and they concluded that with global warming it was very possible for great whites to be around our shores. They would love to get there hands on that report.

Rockhopper · #16 Post by **Rockhopper** » Tue May 08, 2007 12:00 pm

Here is a picture of a guy in Texas called Oz, he fishes for Sharks from the shore all the time, the Mako in the picture was estimated at about 700lbs, he got it back alive and well aftert the pictures were taken.

If you notice he is wearing a divers wet-suit....thats because he swims the bait out as his tackle is a penn 10/0 reel and a boat rod complete with fighting belt 8)

btw...while landing a Sand Shark onto some rocks last year, a wave crashed him and the shark together, it didnt bite him, but his hand and arm grazed the sharks teeth....he had a few days in hospital and a fair wack of stitches to brag about in the bar later.

Tom.

#17 Post by **thompo** » Tue May 08, 2007 12:09 pm

look at the nashers on that beastie!!!!

wouldnt fancy standing the surf holding that thing! i guess unhooking is done with bolt croppers for a 20/0 hook lol

#18 Post by **Eoghan** » Tue May 08, 2007 12:19 pm

Porbeagle...?
Known to be around our shores and one of their favourite prey items are pollock. Very similar shape to a great white. Large black eye etc etc

http://www.new-brunswick.net/new-brunsw ... eagle.html

#19 Post by **Tanglerat** » Tue May 08, 2007 12:37 pm

I've seen Bronze Whaler sharks leppin' like trouts in Namibia - doubt if they're available in Kerry yet! :D

#20 Post by **Bradan** » Tue May 08, 2007 12:55 pm

Gotta agree with Eoghan, could be a porgie. Very similar shape and can grow to 12 feet or so. A much more likely sighting round these shores...