Battle to the end
With a fairly uneventful days fishing after loosing a decent size shark at around 12 and with a feed of whiting in the esky . I was thinking of packing up for the day as there was no live bait left only some old thawed out gardies . Threw one out with the hook through the nose for the he'll of it . Nothing touched it for about half hour so thinking the crabs had got it . Wound the line in to find the guts missing and T hats it. Threw it back out not expecting much. 10 minuit later my rod went nuts and with a good half hour fight a monster of a shovel nose broke the surface . Was between 6 and 7 foot long but I estimate it to be over the 100 kg Mark as it's a solid beast . Couldn't lift it too high .
RUSS and SANDY. A family that fishes together stays together
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sea-kem
Posts: 14974
Date Joined: 30/11/09
That is a beast of a shovel
That is a beast of a shovel Russ.
Love the West!
Livewire
Posts: 299
Date Joined: 25/11/16
Cracker
Battled a few of those bad boys in shark bay. They can pull some string!! Well done.
NORUN NOFUN
Posts: 1035
Date Joined: 15/08/11
They go hard, I had the
They go hard, I had the misfortune of snagging a lure in the dorsal fin of one whilst fishing a creek in the Kimberley, luckily for me the lure gave way after a short battle and got my favourite lure back lol
davewillo
Posts: 2402
Date Joined: 08/09/16
Nice for stretching the arms
Nice for stretching the arms Russ!
PGFC member and lure tragic
anypuddle
Posts: 597
Date Joined: 22/01/12
Cracker shovelnose! I enjoy
Cracker shovelnose! I enjoy reading your post's. Thanks
Anywhere anytime
Faulkner Family
Posts: 18026
Date Joined: 11/03/08
Cheers guys. Yeah they go
Cheers guys. Yeah they go hard for sure. Got a nice bruise where the rod butt was sitting throughout the tussle. Would have to be my biggest land based capture and was great to see it swim away strong
RUSS and SANDY. A family that fishes together stays together
Faulkner Family
Posts: 18026
Date Joined: 11/03/08
I have been told these
I have been told these aren't bad eating. Anyone tried on.
RUSS and SANDY. A family that fishes together stays together
dodgy
Posts: 4577
Date Joined: 01/02/10
Pretty much grew up eating
Pretty much grew up eating them. The old man used to catch one that size about once a fortnight. Not a lot of meat for the size of them.
Does anyone know where the love of god goes, when the waves turn the minutes to hours?
Faulkner Family
Posts: 18026
Date Joined: 11/03/08
The meat to size ratio would
The meat to size ratio would be low with the size of the head. Are they similar to regular shark or a unique taste
RUSS and SANDY. A family that fishes together stays together
anypuddle
Posts: 597
Date Joined: 22/01/12
We used to get them
We used to get them regularly down at quinns, not anymore. I killed one and wouldn't do it again like stingray. Too cool to have them in the ocean I reckon. Just my personal take.
Anywhere anytime
anypuddle
Posts: 597
Date Joined: 22/01/12
Also lifting them and banjo
Also lifting them and banjo sharks etc clear off the ground for photos if there going to be release should be avoided. You can hear there back bones/ cartilage whatever clicking as it separates. Couldnt be to good for them.
That shovelnose is a monster , what a trophy!
Anywhere anytime
Faulkner Family
Posts: 18026
Date Joined: 11/03/08
Wouldn't have lifted it too
Wouldn't have lifted it too high even if I could.
I have caught a few smaller models and released them all. Would never kill one for food just curious . They are a cool looking fish. Definitely one pb that will take some beating
RUSS and SANDY. A family that fishes together stays together
anypuddle
Posts: 597
Date Joined: 22/01/12
Yep . Didn't mean you where
Yep . Didn't mean you where hurting it. Good stuff.
Anywhere anytime
Fathom
Posts: 619
Date Joined: 18/04/08
Good Shovel
I got a phone call from a complete stranger yrs ago wanting me to take him beach fishing @ "my backyard". I hesitated at first and then agreed to take him. He caught the WA state record for Shovelnose Ray which was weighed on certified scales that night. He had certified scales with him because he was the weigh master for a fishing comp being held.
Anyway, after the long fight on lightish gear all attempts to re-swim the fish failed, I took him home and spent a couple of months eating it. Not bad tucka.
And a +1 for never lifting a shark up by the tail, you can hear and feel the vertibrae seperating, not good for the critter that will most likely die slowly and painfully even though you think your doing the right thing.
https://www.afma.gov.au/sites/default/files/uploads/2014/11/Shark-Handling-Guide-2016-Update.pdf