Shark fishing tips on correct handling of this beautiful species will help fishermen and women learn how to handle most sharks after having landed them quickly using the correct tackle set up. Firstly it is important to know that these fish are not designed to be out of their natural habitat so keeping them from the water for too long puts their health at risk. If possible try and keep it in some shallow water such as a rock pool or at the shoreline while you remove the hook, also try and allow some water to run through its gills to help with its breathing while you are busy. It obviously helps a lot if there are two or three of you involved here.
The most important shark fishing tips on correct handling include:
- Using the correct tackle to try and land the fish quickly
- Keeping the fish out of the water for a short period of time
- Do not drag the shark up onto dry sand or rocks
- Do not hold the fish up or throw it back by its tail
- Spend time reviving before releasing again
- Handle sharks with respect and care
Removing hooks from the mouth of a shark can prove to be quite difficult especially with the more frisky species such as the raggies and the cow sharks. Spend a few bucks on a decent quality hook remover which will help avoid you having to cut the trace when the hook ends up in hard to reach places. Cutting the trace is ok if absolutely necessary, over time the fish will get rid of it somehow or it will simply rust away.
Gaffing is a debatable topic and many anglers believe that if you intend on releasing the fish back into the water it should never be gaffed. It certainly should NEVER be gaffed near the gills, stomach or head area where the vital organs are found and absolutely essential to the fishes survival. Ragged tooths, Blackfins, Zambezi, and Bronze Whalers are among the types of sharks commonly caught around the coast of South Africa. They are a wonderful and beautiful species of fish that are generally in a good state of health in this country. Let’s all contribute to keeping things that way and learn all we can from the shark fishing tips on correct handling and releasing.