Unknown Exmouth Shark
Hey Everyone,
Went up to Exmouth a couple weeks ago, had 2 days land based and planned for 3 days on a boat.
We arrived in Exmouth went to the Carnavan Park and setup our tents then it was off to Oysters for some popper casting, after a fair few hours casting and retrieving with no result and the sun starting to going down we decided to go to Beach not too far away and do some shark fishing as we heard they are abundant up north and it entertains us in Perth when we want something big from land.
When we got there we cut up the two spotted trevally we caught on the way up to Exmouth (More on that in my mates post to come)and proceeded to put the heads out on our gear we brought from GTS. My mates rod is a Shimano T curv traveler 15-24kg with a Finnor Offshore 9500 fitted with 80lb braid, mine was a Fishing WA 37kg heavy popping stick with a Finnor Offshore 9500 with a different brand 80lb braid both had a very large circle hook through the mouth. (In the photo you can see the 500lb coated wire leader to a heavy duty swivel to a 150lb clip swivel attached to 120lb supple black magic trace that I used as a wind on with a double uni knot.)
We casted out the heads and within ten minutes of sunset and our baits in the water my mate had his first run but no hook up, then the same thing happened 2 more times. Next it was my turn with a big first run I grabbed the rod held it high and tighten the drag but it just keep going, until I saw my backing then I tighten my drag as much as I was game to then the reel started to smoke or what resembled smoke. I think this was actually the braid colouring coming off as it gained tension. Soon after I was on backing and the shark had a little break from running which allowed me an opportunity to gain some line back. I was doing everything I could walking backwards then forwards reeling plus the usual dip and wind walking along the beach to gain more back slowly then came another run. This continued for about 15 minutes until I passed the rod to a mate while I got the gimble belt on then I took over again, until it surfaced reasonably close and I passed the rod back to go and try grab the leader while he brought it in by walking back.
After about a half hour fight with the rod held high to maximise its potential we landed this shark which neither of us could identify.
The next morning brought about more lure casting around oysters with no result, so we headed into town to get some brumbys and hit up the tackle shop who informed us that we needed to be fishing oysters at night, so we did until around 9pm when the tide started coming in with no result. We had fished oysters morning and night on high and low tide with no result, we had seen some queenies taken but that was it.
We picked up the boat and went out of Tanabiddi trawlling skirts mostly throughout the day in waters ranging from 40-100m. After a few hours we had picked up 4 striped tuna and 1 large unidentified run that broke my mates crimp job. With the weather picking up we decided to trawl south along the reef into the swell and eventually turn around and trawl back and head in as people were starting to feel sick. Once we had turned around after about 20 min we noticed that a sailfish was attacking the teaser that I had bought from Oceanside (Thanks Mike) and then it went after my skirt (that Mike picked, thanks again) took it for a small run before letting go. We hadn't stopped the boat yet so just keep trawling and it came back and had another go. This time it was hooked a little better and starting to show off its arial skills for a few minutes before finally throwning the hook. We circled around a few times but couldn't pick it up. We headed in quite early due to the large (under 1m) tide, weather and sea sickness, got back to camp and decided to go shark fishing with tuna head.
This night we took a german tourist who was staying in the caravan park in the next campsite. This night he was the lucky/unlucky one with more runs then the rest of us put together but no hook ups. Then we had a double hook up the tourist and one of my mates who was led down the beach so I stayed and helped the tourist land his first shark took him a while as his gear was lighter and landed a small black tip. Mean while down the beach my mates had landed a 2m unknown didn't get a photo and released it.
We put our rods out again then it was my turn after a 20 minute fight another 2m was landed. Problem is we didn't bring a camera on the second night and have to wait for the German tourist to return home and send through the photos that we did get that night.
The next day the weather was worse we tried trawlling but didn't last long, went back and the forecast was worse for the next day so we packed up returned the boat and headed back down the coast to where we got those trevally, again my mate will report that one.
So we were unfortunate with the weather but I will be back Exmouth as this was only my second trip up.
Also if anyone could let us know what the shark is it would be appreciated.
Cheers for reading
Gee
I want a GT.
jay91
Posts: 50
Date Joined: 02/02/12
looks like a decent lemon
looks like a decent lemon shark
Glenn Moore
Posts: 228
Date Joined: 13/02/12
Grey Nurse Shark
Hi Gee,
That is a Grey Nurse Shark Carcharias taurus. The two large dorsal fins looks much like a Lemon Shark, but the dorsal fin starts along way behind the pectoral fins and she is covered in all those beautiful spots. Don't see too many of them caught over here. Don't forget it is a totally protected species.
Glenn Moore
Curator of Fishes
Western Australian Museum
twitter @WestOzFish
carnarvonite
Posts: 8657
Date Joined: 24/07/07
Grey Nurses
There is a healthy population of grey nurse sharks all along the WA coast, unlike over east where they occur close inshore and in range of free divers in the earlier days. Over here they are further offshore and out of reach allowing them to thrive.
Have spoken to shark reseach on this and they reckon there is enough of them to take them off the protected list but haven't because they try to keep in line with the other states to a degree.
Rob H
Posts: 5784
Date Joined: 18/01/12
not too many??
while commercial shark fishing NW we caught dozens upon dozens of them in a particular area/time. All released of course.
But they ARENT thin on the ground here!
Give a man a mask, and he'll show you his true face...
The older you get the more you realize that no one has a f++king clue what they're doing.
Everyone's just winging it.
carnarvonite
Posts: 8657
Date Joined: 24/07/07
Same
Done the same thing, have caught heaps of them over the years from off Hedland round to passed Windy Harbour. From a metre long in the shallows off Quindalup to over 4 off Bedout island and South Muiron island.
Off the islands off Carnarvon there is a spot where they are regarded as pests, taking nearly every fish thats hooked.
Its over east, not over our side that they are scarce.
Glenn Moore
Posts: 228
Date Joined: 13/02/12
I just thought that I should
I just thought that I should clarify that I didn't say that Grey Nurses were scarce or thin on the ground over here. I commented that they are not often seen caught. Perhaps as commercial shark fishers you both see/saw them, but I'd still say few non-pros see them caught. I agree however, that they appear to be in much more dire straits on the east coast than on the west, although the population size on the west is poorly known.
Glenn Moore
Curator of Fishes
Western Australian Museum
twitter @WestOzFish
dkonig82
Posts: 2091
Date Joined: 06/07/10
Decent shark mate, would have
Decent shark mate, would have been a solid tussle
When asked by a non-fisherman 'how many fishing rods do you really need?' the correct answer is either:
n+1 (where n is the number of fishing rods you currently own); or
n-1 (where n is the number of fishing rods which would cause your significant other to dump you.
Gmonster
Posts: 18
Date Joined: 21/04/12
Thanks Guys
A Grey Nurse hey wish I had a better look at the teeth, she was pretty heavy thats why we left the head in the water with the small waves going through the mouth/gills.
All sharks that were caught were release and all swam away strong.
Didn't get the big Tiger but maybe next time.
Glenn I heard that are all sharks over 1.5m protected is this true?
I want a GT.
Glenn Moore
Posts: 228
Date Joined: 13/02/12
size limit
There is a size limit on Whalers http://www.fish.wa.gov.au/Documents/Recreational%20fishing/Rec%20fishing%20guides/rules_guide_west_coast.pdf
I'm a 'fish' biologist, not a 'fisheries' biologist, so I'm not sure about all the rules (except how they affect me as a recreational angler and I don't keep sharks) so you'd be best checking with DoF.
Glenn Moore
Curator of Fishes
Western Australian Museum
twitter @WestOzFish
Buz
Posts: 1555
Date Joined: 28/08/07
Havent caught a Grey Nurse
Havent caught a Grey Nurse before, only dived with them. But i have caught alot of Lemon Sharks from the shore and boat at Exmouth. From what i can see in the pic(hard to tell seeing the head is burrowing into the sand haha) i would say Lemon shark. Main reason being the two dorsal fins are very sharp tipped and curved whereas the Grey Nurses seem to be more gently curved and more rounder at the tip. Same with the pectoral fin being so curved and sharp on the pic of yours whereas Grey nurses seem to have a more rounded fat pectoral fin.
In saying that the little spots on the body i havent seen on any Lemon Sharks i have caught, though they were all in daylight so dont know if its the flash briniging them up. Like Glenn said though the spots are common on Grey Nurses. Both sharks range around Exmouth, just Lemons are VERY common up there in shallow.
crasny1
Posts: 6991
Date Joined: 16/10/08
I agree with your debate
But I am certain that is a GNS. Never seen spots on a lemon.
JFI
Neels
"I would like to die on Mars. Just not on impact!!" _ Elon Musk
Gmonster
Posts: 18
Date Joined: 21/04/12
Fact Sheet
According to that fact sheet only a few sharks are fully protected..
What I found interesting is that you are only allowed 2 rods land based fishing, in the past I have fished with 2-3 quite often but this if one tailer rod casting and retrieving and 1 or 2 for mulloway, sharks or rays.
I want a GT.
Buz
Posts: 1555
Date Joined: 28/08/07
Yeah only two lines for
Yeah only two lines for landbased. You can have as many as you want set out in a boat. Think it is more so in a crowded place(e.g jetty, rock groyne) you dont have people staking out big areas as their own with set lines, and hoggin areas, creating more tangles, etc.
Check out the Busselton Jetty during a winter blow whenl all the Mulloway fisherman are out there. Not uncommon to see people with 4-8 set lines out for themselves. Most people do the righty and only have two lines out, but then they usually have a small rod or handline fishing for liveis too so technically illegal. But i have never seen it enforced.
Gmonster
Posts: 18
Date Joined: 21/04/12
Casting Distance
Hey Buz, it was within casting distance....
I want a GT.
Buz
Posts: 1555
Date Joined: 28/08/07
Thats what make me think more
Thats what make me think more Lemon Shark. most the ones we used to catch would be off the shore during the day around the Tantabiddi side. Usually less than 10-20m off the beach. They do put up a ripper fight though.
We actually caught one one year at Exxie while out in the boat inside the lagoon and when we got it boat side a bigger Tiger Shark came up and started ripping it apart at the boat side. Well after that we were left with parts of a Lemon Shark, so we decided to keep it and salvage what we could of its meat and share it with all the Grey Nomads at the Caravan Park. I didnt eat any personnaly but all the Grey Nomads said to us they thought it tasted great and asked if we could catch another one to share around for them all. We had to graciously decline though as we didnt intend to keep the shark, and only kept it as it was already destroyed by the Tiger.
Gmonster
Posts: 18
Date Joined: 21/04/12
shark on shark
That would be awesome to see along side a decent sized boat, wouldn't like to see on small boat. Mine was just inside the gulf towards oysters.
I want a GT.
Faulkner Family
Posts: 17985
Date Joined: 11/03/08
well done on the nurse.
well done on the nurse. after that one you might have needed a nurse with all the achs and pains . gotta be happy with that one
RUSS and SANDY. A family that fishes together stays together