Not just another Blue Shark

[Squidnation]

So my son, buddy and I are standing around the Mako Mania weigh in and watching bluefish after bluefish coming in to the weigh station. Not a mako to be found. So what do we do. We load the boat up and head out overnight to look for whatelse - a Mako. We stopped at Jackspot around 8:45 PM and trolled up six blues and stuck'em in the live well and headed for the 1000 fathom line. 1.5 hours later we arrived around the 1000 and set up to chum. The water sucked -about 56, but a mile in either direction we found 50 and 47 so we knew we had found that funnel that was being sucked in by the cold eddy offshore. We didn't get a hit but saw some really cool stuff. We had thousands of little (1.5 inches) silver fish jumping in the lights. we had squid all over the boat and could hear whales blowing their blowholes. It was so clear that my 11 yr old son started naming all the constellations and stars. The other guy on the boat was also a space nut so I was enjoying a lesson in the stars. I drifted back into cold water so I moved another 8 miles down. This time I found 57 and started chuming againg. I must have stopped the boat on top of a blueshark because as soon as I had the first rod out it started that slow drag we all love to hear. I quickly went and woke up my son. He came out and strapped on the belt and harness. the line was pulling slow and steady but still in the holder. He picked up the rod and set the hook when the fish started moving away faster. After a 10 minute battle my son's eyes lit up with the site of his first blue shark. It was probably no bigger then 100lbs and would have been a dissappointment for most of us. But to him it was awesome. He kept saying,"look how beautiful it is look. Check out his colors, look how big he is". We had him next to the boat and he got to touch him and feel the skin and finallly let him go. He was shaking. Now for an 11 yr he's pretty accomplished as an angler but never caught a shark so he was thrilled. We didn't get any more pulls and drifted back into cold water so at daylight we moved inshore to the 461 bump. We set up again in 57 degree water. The ocean was pond flat. about 20 minutes into chumming we saw a great white jump clear out of the water. I have not seen that except for on Dsicovery channel. we saw it finning towards the slick but never came close enough to pick up a bait. later that morning we had a family of porpoise swim by the boat and hang out for about an hour. Now typically that is not good for shark fishing but my son nicholas was having a blast. the porpoise were actually chasing our baited live bluefish around the boat. They would never bite but just kept chasing him around. Later that morning we had about a 200lb blue shark swiming around the boat. Again Nicholas was elated. He wouldn't take a bait but that didn't matter. Whenever the porpoise would leave the blueshark showed up and vice versa. a few minutes later another little blueshark showed up. this time my son didn't even ask for direction. he just picked up the rod and set the hook. the fish was about 50lbs. We brought it on board to take a few pics. This was a trip of a lifetime for Nicholas. I have never seen such a happy boy and experience so many different things happen on a boat for the first time. The reason I write this is because I just read a story that Peter Wright wrote about the lowly blueshark and how it is a basic slug as a sportfish and probably doesn't even need to exist. I wish Peter could have been on the boat and seen how just a lowly blueshark help make a trip of a lifetime.

[John Rogers]

Awesome story Bill. congrats to your son. Bet it was neat seeing that great white jump. You just never know what you will come across while out there. Will (ruggerdude) and i went out on sunday and all we had were bluefish and horn dogs. We started out at the twin wrecks and only caught one blue on the troll. Went over to the Jack spot set up trolling and with in minutes we had lines loaded up with blue fish. Set up to shark but had no luck. Saw whales and a sunfish. It was a pretty day out there thats for sure

[Squidnation]

John - I heard their was a basking shark at the Jackspot yesterday. Did you happen to see him. I have only seen one of those in my life. Pretty impressive.

[Reelhope]

I also heard of the Whites being around. Great story, I enjoyed it myself. Its hard to sit a wait for that warmer h20 to arrive. I actually say what might look like a finger of warmer water, but it dissapated slowly as the weekend went by. Anyway its good to see life out their. It seems everytime I am out sharkin the sunfish also come up to see whats going on. Good luck in the next couple of weeks, hope to see you out their this summer!
Todd

[Deep C]

Peters Wrong! You're right. I love the beasts even though they can be a pain in the scuppers some days. They can and do really brighten up an otherwise sleepy day. Pretty fish too. Seldom do they give a good accounting of them selves for a fight but once in a while they can be tenacious... Great time with your youn one there!

[Jer]

Very cool story

[John Rogers]

John - I heard their was a basking shark at the Jackspot yesterday. Did you happen to see him. I have only seen one of those in my life. Pretty impressive.

Bill, I didn't see the basking shark. At first when I saw the sunfish I thought it was a shark, came up about 100yards in front of the boat and I saw what looked to be a fin. I told will i see a shark. I am getting a shark rig out have 3 pissed bluefish flopping around in the boat that we just caught. then we get close and I see its a sunfish. Man was I ticked Gave us a rush though

[Proheat]

Great Story- thats what its all about!! I think I am happier when my son catches something than when I do. Spend as much time with them as you can and enjoy it. Your son will remember it for a long time! Congratulations

[jdderosier]

Great story.

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[RUGGERDUDE]

Bill, Great story!!! What a thrill for your son. John Rogers and I would have followed you out there Sat. What were the seas like heading out?