The Blood Instinct Blog with Crazy Carl: Blood Instinct: Shark Hunting

There are certain perks to working on a marina. One in particular is that you meet great people. One of our members, Dan, is not only a great guy, but he loves to fish as much as I do. I had been helping him with some odds and ends on his house boat and he invited me to go offshore fishing with him at Dana Landing, San Diego. Needless to say I jumped at the chance! My beautiful fiance' Alyson was also going to join us on the trip. I had never fished off the California coast, so I was quite excited to see how the fishing was. Dan had told me there was a good chance of hooking a Thresher Shark which I've heard are excellent eating and make great steaks and fillets. I had never got a large shark much less a very unique looking shark as a Thresher which are known for their extraordinarily long tails. I had also just acquired my first ocean speargun and was hoping to have the chance to actually spear a shark.

Alyson and I left Sunday morning, made the 6hr drive and spent and checked to in a wonderful hotel her mother had a line on. It was walking distance to a pier, so I decided to wet a line for a bit that evening. In the hour or so I was there a caught fish I had never seen before and a very unique fish at that. It was called an Pacific Sculpin. They have poisonous spikes on their dorsal fins. I was told the larger ones taste just like lobster.

Pacific Sculpin

The next morning Alyson and I woke up early and met Dan at Dana Landing Marina Village and loaded up on his boat. The first stop was at the bait barge where we picked up some live 12" sardines. It was hard to mistake the bait barge for anything else due to the Pelicans, Gulls, and Sea Lions hanging out on it for any escapees! Once we were loaded with bait we cruised in a Northerly direction to a spot that Dan spotted a good group of fish on the sonar. We rigged the rods with squid and live large Sardines. We started a drift above the location we and marked the fish hoping drift past and get a bite. My favorite part of ocean fishing is that you never know what might be on the end of your line once you get a strike. After several drifts the fish just did not seem interested. Alyson was starting to feel the effects of the 5ft swells, so around noon we dropped her back at the marina which we were not too far away from so she could go relax on the beach. Dan and I headed straight back out because we were still marking a lot of fish. We started our drift again without a strike. It could be barometric pressure or a number of things that had turned the fish off. I wasn't discouraged. I enjoyed being on big water and actually enjoyed riding the big swells. After working on water for 12 years I had some pretty good sea legs. The excitement that at any moment a rod could double over and here the line screaming off a reel kept me me at full attention, but I enjoyed looking at the beautiful coast line and distant Islands. Dan Had told me I would know when there was a strike, it would be unmistakable. Well, I notice one rod dip with a tap, tap, tap. I decided to check it as Dan said it could be a sea lion stealing bait. I pulled the rod out of the holder, wound down a bit, and gave it a yank. Something was definitely on!! I started reeling furiously to keep tension on the line. Then as I'm reeling the line went slack. I told Dan "I think I lost It" but I kept reeling fast and raised the rod and the tension returned! Whatever it was, it was still hooked and screaming right at the boat! I finally got hard tension and Raised the rod tip again. I was in awe as I saw the long and huge Thresher Shark tail come out of of the water and slap back down. Now the fight was on! The shark now saw the boat and didn't want to have anything to do with it. That massive creates a lot of power. Finally, the shark came to the port side of the boat where Dan was ready with the gaff. Dan Grabbed the line and I loaded my speargun. Just as Dan gaffed the the Thresher I dipped over the side of the boat and finished him off with a perfect shot to the head with my spear gun! My 1st Thresher Shark and a big one at that was ours. Dan gaffed him in the mouth and I went to work raising the catch hatch. Dan muscled him up and over the side of the boat.

I was so excited as was Dan. He knew I really wanted to get myself a shark and he put me on one. We high-fived and bumped knuckles in triumph! These sharks are truly unique and interesting. To have caught one with a good friend and excellent captain like Dan made the experience even that much more special. I truly respect Dan as a Captain and a man. I had a great time just being on the boat with him. I believe I made a great friend and fishing buddy.
As we cruised back to the marina with our catch I looked out over the Big Blue and imagined all the other surprises it holds. The rise over the swell and dip into the trench was almost hypnotic. The gorgeous shoreline to our port and nothing but the deep blue to the starboard. Dan and I talked about catching the shark and the excitement of the catch and all in all just enjoyed each others company.

My Shark Next my Speargun

I texted my Sweetheart, Alyson, and she was so happy for me. She is truly the love of my life. Sometimes it can be very, very difficult to put up with a hardcore outdoorsman such as myself. Alyson seems love to see me succeed and is always excited and proud when I do. I wish she could have been there for the excitement, but she's more excited to hear me tell the story, sometimes stretch the truth ( as all fisherman do), and most of all to see me happy. I believe the true catch I landed 2 years ago in the form of a gorgeous blonde bombshell who can put up with me!