Mako in La Jolla

[JasonG]

Hooked my first Mako on Thursday! Sorry, no pics... after almost 30 minutes and getting him next to the kayak for the fourth time he finally cut my line. He was about 4-4 1/2 feet long. It was the most fun I’ve had fishing in a while, he put on a full aerial display and breached about six times!

I’m curious, do you guys try to keep Mako’s when you catch them? (I hear they are good eating) Also, how many of you have landed one with a fluoro or mono leader? I know most guys targeting Mako use steel leaders. I’m probably not going to setup a rod with a steel leader, I’m more interested in Yellowtail and Sea Bass, but that was a ton of fun while it lasted!

Definitely going to setup my GoPro so I can document that if it happens again!

[sculpins4bait]

They’re one of the best sharks to eat. You’ll land em on flouro more often if you use a circle hook.


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[FullFlavorPike]

It's actually more impressive to me that he didn't cut you off during the jumps. Seems like they manage to get free by taking to the air a lot of the time. I think the transition in and out of water, and slack on the line, puts crazy shearing stresses on your line and knots, and they tend to snap.

They are good to eat, but a good chunk of work. If you get one, easiest thing to do is just cut it into thick steaks. Make sure you have a sharpening stone handy because shark skin will dull your knife FAST.

[JasonG]

Thanks for the feedback. I did have him on a 4/0 circle hook. I think I pulled a little to hard on his last run below the kayak. Next time.

[TJones]

on youtube of a couple guys landing one on kayaks. It almost went very bad. Anyone have link? Anyways use extra caution when he is topside or when he is doing his aerial acrobatics for that matter.

[TJones]

https://youtu.be/qWcJ7SQL1DM
:D

[JohnMckroidJr]

One of the most aggressive sharks species out there, They taste similar to swordfish.

[captainbarky]

My buddy hooked a 40-50lb mako at LJ a couple months ago. It made me a little nervous when it threw a back flip about 25' away from my kayak. I still have a freeze frame in my head when it was nose down to the water, about to re-enter.

[katchfish]

Like this...

https://i.postimg.cc/J4s3spff/IMG-3253.jpg (https://postimages.org/)

[captainbarky]

Ha! Close. Rotate the shark 90 degrees counter clockwise and straighten the tail and that was it!