Slug, bird shot, or what?

[snowranger]

Hey guys,
I am donating my single shot 16 gauge to the shark fishing effort this year and was wondering what the most effective shell was for subduing a toothy monster. I was innitially thinking a slug or buckshot but was considering that maybe 1 shot or BB's would be enough at close range? I appreciate your thoughts...

Tight lines,
Snowranger

[Deep C]

I used to play with the full range of rounds and found that up close and personal a low brass bird shot works plenty good. Slug just goes through. Buch pokes a bunch of holes but the bird has more "Grip". I can't remember where but I read about the birdshot having much more ft. pounds of energy as opposed to slugs when up close...
By not penetrating as deep you also get less chance of a pass through slug comming back at you or the boat...

[bigoneslurk]

we only use slugs and have never had to shot a shark more than once shot placment is key right between the eyes about an inch above

[Deep C]

I dented a rigger on my old boat with a pass through slug... Won't happen again ... Yes between the eyes and aft an inch or so. A well placed shot to the thord gill with a flyer will run right up through that spot when the fish comes tight or a poon to the third gill will drill the vitals and it only takes a couple minutes of letting them bleed out on the tether before they go to sleep...

[snowranger]

I would think you would get some deflection in the water with brass bird shot if the shark is a few inches submerged? What do you think about BB's or larger bird shot?

[snowranger]

Thanks for the replies Deep. While we're at it, what is your text book game plan when you get a mako to the boat that you are going to kill? Flier first... then what?

[Deep C]

Wear his ass out first. Then bring a calm fish into range. Drill the gill first. If you nail the spot its really game over right there. I cap em after that just to get them even calmer so there's no issue when we slide the tail ropes on. We hang em tail high than the head on the lee side of the boat and strtch them out leaving the flyer in. Only at days end do we bring em aboard. Even on board we keep em stretched. We finish it off with a five gallon bucket over the face bungeed off to the pec fins...

[bigoneslurk]

how the hell did u manage to hit the rigger on ur boat

[snowranger]

sounds like the slug went through and through and then made a u-turn and came back up at the rigger

[frankypettolina]

Eric, Give me a call and we can chat about shark fishing. I'll be around this weekend if you are in town.