[bigalex]

With a steady stream of long tails coming in from around Caloundra I thought that if I caught one I wouldn't do a trip report, as it would not be anything special. However, as the subject line suggests it did not go completely to plan and I think that it is worth a post.

It was an easy launch at Moffats, but the conditions were marginal once I was past the headland. There were no fish on the surface, so I fished around each bait ball that I could see on my sounder. In due course an LT took my lure and it was game on. I reached over and turned on the shark shield as a precaution, even though in six years of kayak fishing I had not yet seen a shark.

I changed my tactics this time and managed to get the tuna close to the yak within 15 minutes. After we had played round and round the kayak for a few minutes the fish did a short burst to the surface, but when it got about 6 to 8 metres away from the yak a shark smashed it. I don't know where the shark had been lurking, but it came in along the surface. All the chop and swell made it impossible to see. I suspect that it had been circling outside the operational range of the shark shield, waiting for an opportunity.

As the photo shows the first bite went clean through. You can just make out the teeth marks of the second and third bites in the photo. However, I wound in the fish as quickly as possible, and when the tuna was within about 5 metres of the yak the shark peeled off at a million miles an hour, despite the water being bloody. I have to assume that it was the shark shield working.

Anyway, no real harm done. The shark gutted the tuna for me and left most of the good flesh behind. I didn't bother weighing the tuna, but it was 103cm. An exciting morning, and all over by 7.45am.

 

[kayakone]

Over by 7.45 am! Why not go back for a second one? :lol: :lol:

Great report, though a tad exciting. :shock:

 

[Barrabundy]

Exciting alright!

 

[Dodge]

An interesting encounter Alex and good it ended OK, but normally you only share the flesh with other mates ;-)

 

[paulo]

hmmm, might switch my SShield on before I reach in and grab the tail in future.
Nice fish Alex. Pointless asking what it had in its stomach I guess.
:lol:

 

[Squidley]

Good day to switch it on

I like the egg and bacon scheme with your hull and outriggers.

 

[paulsod]

That is one heck of a story Alex.
Congrats on the catch of the remaining Tuna. :lol:
Did you get to see what length the Shark was?
Cheers
Paul

 

[bigalex]

Hi Paul, I couldn't identify the shark, but guessed it to be about 5 to 6 feet long. There was a lot going on at the time, and the shark moved towards the tuna, and then away from the yak at such speed that I didn't really get much of a look in.
I was tempted to go and try for a second one, as I felt somewhat cheated, strangely. I was looking forward to boating the fish after employing the tactics that Paulo recommended, so it was a bit of a let down when the shark dispatched the tuna prematurely. I then thought best not to tempt fate - who knows what other beasties were lurking beyond the shark shield field (I left it on all the way to the beach too, and was a bit apprehensive when I jumped over the side of the yak near the beach).

 

[Beekeeper]

Most un-nerving! and boy, don't they have blinding speed!

Nice fish Alex. Pointless asking what it had in its stomach I guess.
:lol:

:lol: :lol:

Still nervous by the time you hit the beach Alex? How are you going to be when you next launch?

I saw a shark attempt to take a small snapper I caught at Scarby some years ago, and if I hadn't been watching the fish itself, (right on the surface) about 5 metres away, I wouldn't have even known there was a shark nearby at all. It missed the snapper, but only just. I also was nervous when lifting it aboard... not knowing if jaws was coming back. It happened so fast, I didn't even have a chance to estimate its size.

Lots of people think that there are no sharks around the Redcliffe Peninsula... there are heaps! I think that perhaps they are trying to eliminate the fear of them from their minds, by denying that they are there.

Jimbo

 

[Buck]

Great report. I think I'll be investing in a SS in the near future.

 

[eagle4031]

Great report
Enjoyed it

 

[suehobieadventure]

Nice Tuna, great read. Adrenaline rush for sure.

 

[SharkShield]

Nice shark bite, nearly saved you having to gut the tuna

Just an FYI, the Shark Shield's effective range is around three to five meters, there is an image on our website of the estimated electrical field done by the South African National Space Agency if anyone wants more technical detail. So yes when your hooked tuna was within about 5 meters of the yak and the shark peeled off at a million miles an hour it was definitely the Shark Shield looking after what was left of your breakfast!

Another note before I'm asked: sharks highly sensitive electrical receptors called "Ampullae of Lorenzini" located in their snouts can only sense electrical current from prey at very close distances, typically much less than one meter. As sharks can only sense electrical currents at very short distances and all electrical currents are dispersed rapidly in water, the myth that sharks can sense electrical current at great distances is not true; so electrical shark deterrents do not attract sharks.

 

[bigalex]

Thanks for the official word on the effective range of the shark shield.
Whilst all very exciting, I was not surprised by what occurred - a shark turned up, (which I knew would happen one day), and the shark shield worked as I expected it. It is very pleasing when your equipment works the way you expect it to. Cheers.