How to release a shark faster?

2 Answers

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   Ted Pohlman on Dec 26, 2012 Reply

   First of all, congratulations on doing your best to do “catch and release” with sharks. They’ve got enough pressure on them so we need to take steps to preserve these fish for the future, too, what with the shark finners etc.

   Circle hooks and barbless hooks are definitely your implements of choice for releasing sharks as fast and cleanly as possible. Use a long, high quality dehooker to get the hook out fast and easy, and hopefully without injuring the shark more.

   You should also check out the different kinds of sharks and try for the ones that survive catch and release well. Some of them shrug off being caught fast, and some of them die easily.

   Oh, yes, and you should lock your reel to make it less likely the shark will swallow the bait deep. Letting the shark run increases the chances that you’ll get a deep, heavily damaging hook rather than a jaw hook.

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   Peter P. on Dec 29, 2012 Reply

   Ted has provided an excellent answer, and I don’t think I can do any better. I would just like to add that it really helps to get into the water with the shark to release it. I generally wade in to the water until it’s waist high. Then I pull him back and forth to get the water flowing over his gills again. Even if the shark is really tired, there’s often a moment when you suddenly feel him get his spirit back and rushes back into the ocean.

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