Jaws

Peter Benchley, who wrote the novel Jaws, lived on Nantucket Island. And the opening sequences of the film, where the lady was attacked, were staged on Martha’s Vineyard . Now the real things are showing up with increasing regularity and being tagged – courtesy of Massachusetts State funding – in the same area off the ‘elbow’ of Cape Cod – Chatham and Monomoy.

There’s a brief article here - http://www.reel-time.com/artic…white-sharks-off-chatham/ - together with a report of this year’s sightings - http://www.capecodsharkhunters…hark-Sighting-Report.html - and some photographs of the tagging operation - http://www.capecodsharkhunters.com/Photo-Gallery.html . And yes, I’ve waded off those very same beaches on Monomoy whilst fly fishing for Striped Bass relatively close to the Seals. Um ... interesting how close some have been to the shoreline, one even beached itself.

Perhaps you remember in the book and the film the Mayor of Amityville declaring the beaches safe? (That was just before the young boy was taken.) Interesting therefore to see the ‘sharkhunters’ motto -

Just remember, we are here to keep you safe in the water. Tag a shark, save a tourist!

Any predictions on how long before a swimmer gets taken?

Zitat

.....

Any predictions on how long before a swimmer gets taken?

Getting closer - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-18778414 - an image of one stalking a kayak-er just 150’ (less than 50 metres) off the beach.

Having previously waded in waist deep water after Striped Bass along that coastline and cast flies at Seals, after the same quarry, to spook them perhaps a change in tactics is in order for my next visit?

And numbers are gradually starting to increase - http://www.capecodsharkhunters…hark-Sighting-Report.html

At least this one - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-17803384 - a tad BIGGER was encountered Pacific side, right up in the Sea of Cortez!

Zitat von Pargo

.......

Interesting to see the tool of the tag trade in action. These fast
harpoon boats are originally built for selective tuna fishing, correct?

........

Hi Jan and Greetings

Yes, they do for Bluefin and also Broadbill.

The last time I was in Maine, further up that East coast of the 'States, there were any number still operating from the harbours around Kennybunkport where George Bush jnr has his Summer residence. And the favourite 'tipple' in the local bars, an English style bitter produced in one of the local macro breweries, is appropriately named ..... Bluefin.

In terms of that harpooning of game fish I recall the second occasion I visited the Canaries many, many moons ago. The Marlin fishing had been slow but on one occasion, as we came inshore, we spotted a large shoal of Wahoo in the 25/30kg range just lazily cruising along. The skipper then created a gaff - a 16/0 hook still attached to a set of 130lb gear and 'soft wired' to create a break-away on the end of a 6 metre bamboo pole.

(Commercially, from open rowing boats, they used those bamboo poles with a short fixed line and small silver lure to catch Skipjacks. Having excited the Skipjack by throwing in small, crippled livebaits they would swing the pole, allowing the lure to occasioning touch the water surface and when the fish hooked up, with its head still up, they would continue the swinging motion depositing it in the boat. Obviously if you lost momentum and the Skipjack got its head down the 'Law of the Lever' took over! Not easy!)

Any rate, back to the Wahoo. With the boat just in gear they could creep up to the shoal and free gaff one. The soft wire would break and the 'angler' fought it conventionally. Not exactly sport fishing but Wahoo is a great tasting fish.

We managed several using that method until I recall on one occasion the soft wiring failed to break and the Wahoo accelerated away towing the 6 metre pole. We were fishing from a catamaran and we distinctly heard the pole, underwater, bouncing off the twin hulls. I guess it was just too much of an impediment for the fish but seeing the pole rise to the surface like a freshwater coarse fishing float, lay flat, cock and then shoot away again did, I have to say, make us laugh. Still to repeat myself, um .... it did taste GOOD.

Somewhere I've got a link to an unconventional ' three second' technique used in Ascension Island for catching decent sized Yellowfin Tuna. If I can find it I'll post it on this thread.