THE END GAME. PHOTO: JOSE CHAVEZ
SHARK HIGHWAY
T
o find the fish, find a shark highway. Look for sloughs, depressions, chan-
nels or anything that can serve as a path for a shark on the prowl. Once on the scene, a fishfinder makes it easier to find bait, thermoclines or any structure that will draw in sharks. When you find a good spot, paddle up-
wind or up-current and drop the anchor. Make sure your anchor line is attached to a float, in case you have to disconnect and chase a fish. When fishing unfamiliar waters, it is a
good idea to drift through the area looking for bait and structure. When the wind and current are playing havoc, a drift sock can slow down your progress and keep the bait in the shark highway. Deploy the baits and loosen the drag
to four or five pounds. Be sure to keep wire cutters, gloves, a knife and scissors ready. Now, the nervous wait begins.
SCREAMERS and CHARGERS
S
hark strikes fall into two categories: screamers and chargers. When the
shark nails the bait and heads for the horizon, grab the rod, tighten the drag to 15 pounds of pressure and set the hook. For a charger, quickly pick up the rod, tighten the drag and crank like crazy to retrieve the slack line before setting the hook. At this point you have a raging shark
burning line off the reel. It requires a lot of energy for a shark to make a long run. Let it run. It is not uncommon to lose over 100 yards of line. Then, turn on the heat. Recover line at
every opportunity and don’t let the fish rest. Work the angles. If the shark wants to go left, hold the rod tip to the right. If the fish dives under the boat, follow it with the rod tip. Keep the line tight and the pressure on until the fish is whipped.
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