The Northeast has a genuine shark fishery. Offshore of Massachusetts you can encounter shortfin mako, blue, thresher and porbeagle sharks, and inshore anglers see everything from smooth and spiny dogfish to the great whites that patrol the Cape's seal colonies. Modern shark fishing here is defined as much by conservation and regulation as by the catch.
The main players
- Shortfin mako: the crown jewel, fast and acrobatic, famous for spectacular jumps. Now strictly protected (see below).
- Blue shark: the most commonly encountered offshore shark, slim, striking blue, long-finned; almost always released.
- Thresher: unmistakable, with an enormous scythe-like upper tail lobe it uses to stun bait; a powerful, prized fight.
- Porbeagle: a stout, cold-water cousin of the mako, often around in cooler conditions.
Where and when
Shark fishing is mainly a summer pursuit along the offshore edges and temperature breaks, though blues and threshers can come surprisingly close in the right conditions. The classic method is setting up a chum slick and drifting baits at staggered depths back into it.
Tip A good chum slick is the heart of shark fishing. Set a steady slick, stagger your baits at different depths and distances, and be patient, sharks follow the scent up-current to the boat.
How to catch them, and how to release them
Sharks are taken on drifted natural baits (bluefish and mackerel are classic) fished on heavy conventional tackle with a wire or heavy leader. The bigger story now is release: use non-offset circle hooks, cut the leader close on fish you are releasing rather than boating them, and never bring a large, thrashing shark over the rail.
Conservation
Sharks grow slowly and reproduce late, so they are extremely vulnerable to overfishing. The modern ethic, and often the law, is to release them carefully: keep them in the water, minimize fight and handling time, remove or cut hooks close, and let them swim off strong.