Mako sharks

[snelly1971]

Hi...I am new to ausfish and was wondering if anyone could help ....i will be going mako fishing shortly and was wondering what is the best and safest practice in landing these fish....i don't want to shoot them...i have read in books that they wire them up ??? but am unsure what this means...and have also heard that by towing them backwards does not drown a mako...any help would be appreciated..cheers

[DazSamFishing]

Sounds like you are a serious fisherman...

I would be very interested and surprised if someone could give you some advice for catching a mako shark...

From what I have heard and seen, it is a very dangerous type of fishing, and makos can get quite airborne...

Ill definately watch this topic!

Good luck...

Daz

[DazSamFishing]

Additionally, a good boat, skill and experience is paramount!

I assume you are from down south... Have you been shark fishing before?

Daz

[snelly1971]

Yes...down south at the west coast of tassie..i have caught a couple of tigers up around the 100kg mark...but ours arnt very nasty critters..and yes i have alot of boating experience...been salmon farming here for over 10 years..

[Grand_Marlin]

G'day Snelly,

Make sure the Mako is played right out after catching .... typically a 50+ kg shark could take up to an hour to land.

Mako's are fearless.... with a bad temper to suit ... they will come right up to the boat and bite berley buckets, props etc etc.

We have had them take baits at the back uf the boat ... be hooked ... then just keep swimming around the back of the boat looking for more food :-/

If this happens, a decent smack across the back of the head with the gaff handle seems to stir 'em up and get 'em running in the right direction ;D

Whatever you do ..... DONT GAFF THE MAKO IF HE IS STILL GREEN ... big mistake if you do :-[

When you have played him out and have him at the boat, gaff him with a flying gaff (the gaff on a rope) in the top of the shoulder and hold on ... they dont seem to like this too much.

Then get a good solid tail rope on him and tie him to the boat.

Keep the flying gaff in him.

I then cut through the back of his neck and through the spine ... this disengages the jaws ;)

Be careful doing this, as they can still bite. (Ask my mate who was trying to get his new Pakula out of the mouth of a Mako at the boat)

Then, either leave him tied to the boat or drag him backwards if you are heading home. Only travel at around 5 knots, as Makos dont plane too well going backwards ;D ;D

Never bring a Mako straight in the boat, as they tend to keep thrashing for up to 2 hours ... even after being cut :o

Towing them backwards will kill them ... eventually

Mako would be the best eating of all Sharks ... it has a pinky / white coloured flesh and is really tasty when done in steaks on the bbq with a few herbs and salt / pepper.

Hope this helps

Cheers

Pete

[snelly1971]

Thanks pete..cant wait to hook one of these up...
They sound like they are mean little buggers..Think i might hook the flying gaff up to my pot hauler and drag him in with that..if anyone is interested in the specs for my home made pot / anchor/ hauler then please feel free to contact me.. it is a stihl post hole digger motor built onto a custom made frame. These work so well because they have a brake on them.

[Grand_Marlin]

Definitely interested in it Snelly,

Please tell all ....

Cheers

Pete

[snelly1971]

Its just a stihl bt121 post hole digger out of its frame mounted to a stainless steel frame..(can use aluminium) if you want. The hauler head is machined in two pieces and all that holds the hauler head on is the nylon peeler on the bottom..I usually use a plastic 44gallon drum with top cut out to coil up my ropes off the hauler..i wouldn't like to estimate its retrieval rate...but it is very very quick..and the speed is controlled by the throttle...also it has a brake which locks the hauler head...push the throttle handle forward for neutral and start hauling, pull back and this locks it...very simple and safe...lifting power is good, i have broken off 8mm rope snagged in 100+ fathom before. Once you are hauling the hauler actually coils up rope..IE the plastic drum...i use it for pulling cray pots,cray rings, drop lining, anchor etc..any more info please feel free to contact me on 0400969118 ;D ;D ;D

[Fishin_Dan]

Snelly - Pete has everything spot on.

I will also put my own warning on these fiesty buggers. They will have a go at you if they can! And your's won't be the first or last boat they jump into (if it happens). I've narrowly missed having one jump in. He bounced off the gunwale luckily...

But they are awesome fun to catch, and very very visual. Enjoy them as they are one of the top sport fish/shark out there.


Cheers,
Dan

[Duyz72]

I posted a pic of a mako a while back (link below) taking a nice feed straight off the side of the boat!

http://www.ausfish.com.au/forum/YaBB.cgi?num=1128065926/10#10

[snelly1971]

So by using heaps of burley do makos always feed on the surface or down a few meters or more? and what size hook do you suggest.. ;D ;D

[Grand_Marlin]

It will depend on what size Mako turns up, as to what gear you will use.

Generally 15 - 24 kg gear will give you some fun.

You want 3m of stainless, plastic coated trace ... with a twin 10/0 hook rig.

Tuna is good bait, but so is any oily flesh ... salmon would be good too.

It pays to have a few rods out ... set them under ballons at say 10m down and 30m behind the boat and 3m down 10m behind the boat.

Use another one unweighted and with no balloon .... keep dropping in back down the burley trail .... anywhere between 50 and 100m per strip, as you never know where the Mako will be.

As you said - plenty of burley.

If and when the Mako turns up ... he will be happy to chew on anything around - baits, balloons, boat - they arent fussy.

When you have one at the boat, they normally hang around, as they arent shy.

Do you have Makos in the area at the moment?

From memory we found them more in the summer months out of St Helens

Cheers

Pete

[snelly1971]

thanks pete,
i will be heading up around the stanley area.. i have been told that when the squid turn up then the makos arnt far behind...the squid have just turned up so i will be heading up next month or so....cant wait...cheers Michael :D :D :D ;D ;D ;D :D :D ;)

[Sandman]

Personally if your going to all that trouble to subdue a mako and by methods mentioned it would make no sense to release it ! Why not shoot it if you happen to have a gun? I see no sport in that , although the fight would be great.

[Grand_Marlin]

Personally if your going to all that trouble to subdue a mako and by methods mentioned it would make no sense to release it ! Why not shoot it if you happen to have a gun? I see no sport in that , although the fight would be great.


Guns can be lethal with riccochet off water ... especially things like .22's.

Best off leaving them at home I feel...

[snelly1971]

I agree totally, guns and boats dont mix. I am an avid shooter, but will not let firearms onboard my boat..

[Grand_Marlin]

Nice Stripey in your Pic Snelly ... my favourite !!

Cheers

Pete

[snelly1971]

Yeah agree wholly...best fish in the sea...was 15kg..pulled him out of 75 fathom around here...been trying to catch the elusive little buggers for years and have only recently found a good spot...they love green fluro beads...or light sticks.. ;D ;D ;D

[moondancer]

Snelly, grand marlin seems to have given you the pick of the advice - we used to regularly catch makos out of tathra, and found the best thing for the larger beasts was keeping them OUT of the boat and towing them!! I have seen these fish leap when hoked, and they don't seem to care where they go - have a friend who tells a story (and has photos) of a large (don't know weight) make actually jumping INTO their boat and going bererck in the cockpit - heaps of damage whilst a couple of 'concerned' crew sat up on the half cabin taking photos and weeing themselves!!

Have fun!

Lawry

[snelly1971]

Sounds like your friends had a fun time..hahah...would love to see the photo`s...

[snelly1971]

HA I finally got one.....wasn`t that big ...but it is a start.....would like to thank all the people who replied to me ....thanks......

[fish_outta_water]

nice one snelly :)
didnt try to destroy your boat and eat your motor then?
ive been some what put off chasing em after hearing plenty of horror stories, that and ive only acsess to small boat at the mo :-/
just wondered what you got im on?
tightlines

[snelly1971]

Na...i sort of cheated...i chucked him a big hunk of fish on a dirty big hook tied to a bit of 6mm rope then chucked him on the pot hauler...ha...he had no chance, had some of him for tea last night...not bad chewing....

[gotwet]

heres one.

dont try this at home.

cheers mal

[Grand_Marlin]

Nice work Snelly, I didnt see the post earlier and I was wondering if you had got one yet.

I like 'em done in steaks on the bbq with a bit of salt and pepper...

They have a real tangy type of taste ... my favourite eating shark

Cheers

Pete