Shark fishing Rhode Island

Scientific Sharking   

                                       
   Although this year’s late Spring weather has produced some unseasonable sea surface temperatures, many offshore anglers will expend a good amount of time during the mid to the latter part of June in the pursuit of the various sharks that swim in the near coastal waters.  During this time period, many different species of the Apex Predators will be found swimming in the Montauk Point- Block Island waters, and quite a few anglers will be looking to capture a few of them, particularly the one’s considered to be great table fare: the mako and thresher sharks.  

     Some other species of sharks that visit our regional waters include:  blue, brown, dusky, mako, thresher, tiger, hammerhead, and even a few great white sharks.   However, some of those species have been decimated by a combination of factors and are not as numerous as they once were.  In addition, a variance of seasonal water temperature parameters, along with the type and availability of forage fish tend to be the determining factors in regards to which of the various Apex Predators will be found in a chumslick as the summer progresses.

   In light of the facts above, those that want to be successful shark anglers should know a few facts about their quarry before setting out to try and capture them.    Hopefully, the information that follows will also help to dispel the visual and mythical illusions that have been propagated by stereotypical shark movies like "JAWS."  

    While sharks have a fearsome reputation, the acquisition of knowledge about them will allow those who know very little about them to begin to appreciate their unique capabilities, rather than to be fearful of what can be found swimming in the near coastal waters that abut the region’s coastline.
   A recently updated shark taxonomy list published in 2011 has established 35 families and nearly 460 species of sharks. That's an increase from the previous 28 families and 370 species that were categorized in 1984.   While many fear what can be found while swimming in salt water,  nearly all of the sharks found in the Northeast regional waters spend there time out beyond the 20 fathom line.  A few individual specimens might meander into the areas where people are enjoying a day at the beach if the baitfish that they like to eat (in the Northeast, it's almost never been people) are found close to shore.  It’s an absolute fact that they’d much rather dine on a couple of bluefish or bunker rather than little baby, Binky.   
    As someone who spends a lot of summer days drifting upon the deep blue in search of these creatures, I've invested a lot of time studying just what makes these predatory fish tick.  It’s my hope that the following information will allay the primal fear that sharks elicit in individuals who have very little understanding of just how unique they are.  Believe me when I say that the more time that you invest observing and studying them, the more intriguing they truly become.
   Sharks use a variety of inherent sensory systems to aid in their predatory pursuits. By being aware of their capabilities, you can maximize your chances of attracting the sharks that inhabit the near coastal waters south of Cape Cod during the summer months into your baits.   

   Sharks have been referred to as, ‘The Swimming Nose.’   Their large nostrils, located just under the snout, open into spacious sacs that are lined with many folds of tissue that contain cells that detect scents.   As a shark swims, water continuously flows in and out of each nasal sac and work independently of each other.   The water flow allows the odor detection system of the shark to be continuously bathed and ‘sampled.’    Sharks can respond to an attractant (such as fish blood, MUSTAD’s Activate, or mehanden oil) in concentrations of one part to ten billion.  For this reason, chumming should be the initial focus of those who want to successfully attract these predators of the deep.   When shark fishing, it’s critical to employ scents such as ‘Activate’which could be billed as ‘The Essence of Success .’   This elixir works as advertised on the toothy critters, plain and simple.
  Sharks, contrary to opinion, have excellent eyesight.  They are especially attracted to shiny objects while darker colored objects are often avoided.   This observation is based upon the physiology a shark’s eye.   The retina contains more rod cells than cone cells which determine the extent of the animal's visual acuity and color vision. The fact that there are more rod cells in the makeup of the eye improves the shark's visual sensitivity.  Also, the ability of a shark to see in dim light is greatly improved by the ‘tapetum lucidum,’ a mirror like reflective layer that lies underneath the retina.  This part of the shark’s eye enables them to feed at night by making the most of the small light that is available at that time.  It’s a known fact that some of the largest specimens of shark tend to be more active during the nighttime hours.  For the above reason, a 13 inch Paulie’s Offshore Teaser Strip with a fillet bait attached is always placed as one of my deep baits.  This product is very effective in stimulating the sharks' visual capabilities and has be reflected by an increased hookup ratio on makos and threshers.   If you haven't tried sharking during the hours of darkness, you just might want to give it a go, but be sure to make it a point not to fall overboard as the critters can see pretty well in the dark even if you can’t.
   The bulbous Ampullae of Lorenzini are found in the snout of a shark and aids these predators in finding their prey by allowing them to home in on the weak electrical fields produced by the nervous system of forages species. Sharks employ these unique electro-receptors to help locate their intended prey.  These organs are found under the large skin pores found on the snout of the shark and have been found sensitive enough to detect within the frequency range of up to eight hertz, or fields of voltage gradients as low as a one hundredth of a volt per centimeter.   For this reason, shark anglers in the know try to keep at least one live bait in the chumslick which will be continuously emitting nervous impulses which are simple electrical discharges.  These live baits are often the main entrée on the menu board which are the first to be homed in on when the toothy critters come looking for a snack. The prey's nervous system betrays its presence, especially when their bodies put them on high alert when sharks are around, in an attempt to escape their inevitable fate. 
  The lateral line (Lateris) system alerts sharks to the low frequency vibrations of struggling fish.  This organ systems consists of many small canal like openings that run down along the sides of a shark's body.  Each canal is filled with seawater and contains clusters of receptor cells.  Once again, a live bait in the slick will often become the one that rings the dinner bell loudly enough to garner a shark’s attention.  It’s entertaining to know that some southern shark aficionados use underwater speakers to play what they swear are the sharks' favorite tunes- Jimmy Buffet's melodies.   In actuality, there's an electronic device called ‘The Mako Magnet’ that puts out low frequency sounds that mimic a baitfish’s distress.  This gadget works only too well as I had an early version devoured by an over eager customer several years ago.

   Another ploy that works is to use the sound of the washdown pump’s spray on the water surface to simulate the sound of a breaking baitfish school.   Year’s ago, shark anglers would often toss M-80’s into their slicks to send out an acoustical and vibration ‘footprint.’   This technique is not recommended today as more than one shark angler who tried explosives as an attractor ended up with a few digits less than they started with. 

    While mako flesh is comparable to that of the swordfish in regards tablefare, smaller makos, and almost every other specie should be tagged and released as part of the National Marine Fisheries Service Apex Predator Tagging Program.  The tagging and releasing all of sharks not destined for table or a tournament scale should be a priority.  Contact the following address for the Apex Predator Tagging program below for information  on how to go about the procedure and  the materials needed to participate in this worthy venture:

                                          APEX PREDATORS PROGRAM

                                          NOAA/NMFS/NEFSC

                                          NARRAGANSETT LABORATORY

                                          28 TARZWELL DRIVE

                                          NARRAGANSETT, RI 02882-1199 USA

    Many shark species are now in peril and a very strong conservation ethic must be followed.  If your not going to eat it these fish should be released preferably with- or even without a tag.

    Basically, the more erudite an angler becomes about a shark’s sensory capabilities, the more sharking success they’ll experience.   There’s no doubt that those who acquire an understanding of shark behavior and then uses this knowledge to employ a variety of tactics will attract more of these predators into their chumslicks.   By having a sound understanding of what the various elements that stimulate a shark, anglers can become aware of the elements that will increase the probability of a strike.  Although it can take quite a bit of time to acquire the knowledge of exactly what makes sharks tick, that information will pay dividends when it comes to capturing what may become the angling highlight of the summer season, or even a shark tournament’s winning entry.

    If this article has spurred a little interest, you can easily enter the realm of one of the most magnificent piscatorial adversaries that inhabits our many of our near coastal waters by contacting a licensed charter captains whose vessels (including the BILLFISH) prowl the regional offshore waters in search of these magnificent animals.

                                           The Keys to Salt Water Angling

   Immediately following my seminar presentations on the ins and outs of capturing shark and tuna at a recent sportsman’s show a number of individuals approached me to inquire about some additional secrets in regards to capturing finned quarry on both the inshore and offshore arenas.

   The secret of success in saltwater angling is really pretty simple since fishing is not related to the intricacies to the study of nuclear physics.  There's an old adage that says that 90% of the fish are usually caught by 10% of the fishermen while the majority of anglers spend tremendous amounts of time as well as their hard-earned money on the latest
tackle and electronics in the futile pursuit of finned quarry.
  Simply stated, it’s the attention to the small details before the day of the trip that makes the big difference. It's really the wise angler who pays close attention to the small bits of intelligence that allows ‘the big picture’ of the open ocean battlefield to be seen with much more clarity.  This is especially true when it comes to big game fishing for those who are seeking to capture tuna, sharks, or billfish.

 Success in salt water angling begins with an adherence to some basic rules that come with a guarantee to put fish on the deck and smile on the faces of your crew.  In the realm of real estate sales the value of a property is dictated by a simple formula that's based upon the premise of ‘Location, location, location.’   The same philosophy holds true when you head out upon the bounding blue. The basis of success in angling begins with the ability to find the areas that the fish are holding during a particular part of the season or during a specific tidal stage.  

    While nothing beats the day after day knowledge that is picked up by those who make their living upon the water, there's a simple way of keeping your facts and acquired knowledge straight.   Never underestimate the importance of keeping a good fishing log as it will pay higher dividends at a much higher interest rate than those found at your friendly neighborhood savings and loan institution.   After a period of time, not only will it indicate the time and stage of the tide when the fish will bite, but also the type of lure or bait that will be the one that works. While it's not an infallible means of cornering your quarry, it gives you an objective way to determine when and where you may want to start your day's fishing foray, what bait or lures to use, and the best techniques to try.
      Water temperatures are also a key factor in catching your quarry.   While water temperature parameters are more critical in regards to the offshore arena, all fish have a "comfort zone" that they'll gravitate to whenever possible.  A prime example and the one that makes the critical difference is the barely discernable difference in water temperature between the incoming tide and that of the ebb.   Tide tables can be an invaluable tool as a slight two or three degree difference between the incoming or on the outgoing tidal flow can set up a completely different undersea ecosystem in the time frame of a scant few hours.
   Knowing the water temperature preferences and/or parameters that certain species favor is another way to put a bend in a rod, especially when angling upon the offshore arena.
While this might require a visit to your local library to gain that arcane information, it's definitely worth the time expended.   During the angling season, offshore water temperature charts can be gleaned from either subscription services or via free internet websites (such as Terrafin SST-View or Rutgers University’s ‘Cool Room’) that collate and interpret infrared satellite
"shots" of surface water temperatures.   Contrasting temperature gradients that lie adjacent to one another are often the place where both tuna and sharks, or the bait schools that they feed on often congregate.  Knowing exactly where these temperature differences lie is often the key to catching you're the species you seek.
   "Matching the hatch" in regards to bait or lure selection also makes for the difference between fishing and catching. Most species will key on one specific type of bait at any given time of the day or season.   Determining what the fish are feeding on can be as simple as paying attention to what's jumping around on the surface or by opening up a fish's stomach to determine exactly what's been on the day's choice of entrees.   Switching over to baits or lures that mimic what the predators are feeding on will often be the ticket to angling success, especially on the days when the fish are a little reticent to bite.
   However, the real secret to successful angling should start before the fishing trip is made.   Attention to detail which translate into the proper preparation of the tackle at the dock is of paramount importance since it's the attention paid to the small details that often makes the difference between landing a trophy fish or seeing it swim away.   While spare parts should be readily available in the case of a tackle "meltdown," reel maintenance should never be an expected part of any fishing foray.   Reel drags should be carefully checked and set properly before any trip begins.  
   Fresh line should be spooled on the reels at the beginning of each season, or before you head out in search of a trophy winning catch in a tournament.   Line that's been repeatedly exposed to the sun's damaging ultraviolet rays can lose both its flexibility and test strength, and line that's been heavily used can have any number of nicks in it.   Either way, without dependable line, the end result will be a lost fish.  The proper line test that's needed to do the job properly is another consideration.  Line that's too heavy can interfere with casting and lure presentation while line that's too light will certainly catch, but simply will not hold onto your trophy.   Particular attention should be paid to see that all knots are correctly tied, as the whole of the fishing setup is only as strong as its weakest link.
   Hooks should be chosen carefully so that the correct one to do the job is always attached to the end of your leader or onto your lures. Barbless and circle hooks are just two examples of hook styles that fill a particular need, make sure that you're using the correct hook for the fish you're looking for.   All hooks should be sharpened correctly so that will penetrate some of the toughest parts of a fish's anatomy, the mouth and jaw structure.   While some brands or styles of hooks are more costly than others, be aware that this is an area where quality rather than quantity will often dictate whether you land the fish of your dreams.
   Finally, the mindset of a good fisherman is often the most critical component of a successful day spent on the water.   Careful observation and the interpretation of the many changeable environmental factors will frequently dictate a modification of a day's fishing strategy.   It's the hard earned knowledge of time spent on the water that provides the impetus to move on to another area, or to switch to a different bait or tactic that takes some time to learn.
   The difference that separates a really great angler from others who are considered good fishermen is their ability to recognize and utilize all of the intangibles that precipitate a strike by undersea inhabitants that react solely to instinctive behavior rather than reason.  As noted above, those individuals are in the minority since angling experience will be the major determining factor in regards to the greatest rates of angling success.  

  When all's said and done, the real secret to successful angling is that truly great fisherman create their own luck through diligence in their preparation, attention to detail, adaptability, and a strong belief in their own angling abilities.   With the summer angling season upon us, those who take the time to follow the simple steps that were covered above will find that their catch ratio, especially for the big game species, will show a marked improvement.

                                                   A  Journey to the Edge
     Most residents of the coastal areas running from southern New England into the Mid-Atlantic States into are probably unaware that the waves breaking upon the local shoreline actually lie many miles to the north and west of what was the original margin between the present day beaches and the actual, ragged edges of the Continental Shelf, or ‘The Canyons.’  As the summer fishing season progresses, rabid bluewater anglers also use the acronym,’ The ‘Edge’ for these locations, as well.  These undersea structures are teeming with aquatic life since their locations are often the place where warm water ‘eddies’ that break off from the Gulf Stream merge with the much cooler waters of the North Atlantic.  When these confluences of water temperatures occur over the bottom structure of these undersea canyons, a boundary line, or temperature ‘break,’ along with upwelling currents are often the end results.  These water temperature contrasts create an ecosystem that sets the stage for protoplankton blooms that attracts the smaller, forage fish.  In turn, the smaller baitfish attracts the larger predatory fish such as the various members of the tuna and billfish families, and even semi-tropical species such as Mahi-Mahi and wahoo. All of these pelagic species are the gamefish that hard-core canyon anglers lust for. 

    The edge of the Continental Shelf is simply a submerged plain composed of sediments and bedrock that’s located along the seaward margin the southern New England and the Mid-Atlantic states.  South of Cape Cod this zone is a smooth, very gradual slope that is located roughly 75- to 90 miles south of both the Cape and Long Island, as well.  Each of these canyons was the former mouths of coastal rivers that flowed towards the Atlantic from melt water during the latter part of Ice Age times.  In the southern Gulf of Maine, the canyons’ edges are very rugged and run to the south as far as 200 miles out from the coastline of Maine to a huge offshore piece of bottom structure known as Georges Bank.

       The shelf edge south of New England and the Gulf of Maine is marked by many steep-sided cuts called ‘Submarine canyons.’ The bottom structure of each of these abysses have names with Block Canyon lying closest to south coastal RI and SE CT, roughly 75 miles SSW of Block Island.   Atlantis, Veatch, Hydrographers, Lydonia are to be found further to the ESE with Hudson, Tom’s, Wilmington, Washington, Baltimore, Norfolk, and a host of others lying to the SSW.  There are 15 major and minor canyons along the southern flank of Georges Bank alone. Like present day rivers courses, they were cut by swift flowing rivers, probably during a period of intense erosion about 50 million years ago that also excavated the landscape ashore.

    The seaward edge of the continental shelf is located along the 100-fathom (600 foot) depth contour that marks the sharp transition between two different geological boundaries from the relatively shallow depths of the continental shelf to the deep waters of the Atlantic Ocean basin.  Beginning at the 100 fathom line, the sea floor plunges to the true depth’s of the Atlantic Ocean’s bottom.   It goes from 600 to 6000 feet in a horizontal distance of just under 10 miles. This steep embankment is known as the continental slope and is the area that is frequently the most heavily fished area on most canyon trips.  The base of the slope is located along the 1000 fathom depth contour.  

     Anglers on canyon fishing trips seldom venture far beyond the 1000 fathom line, but, if they did, they’d have to travel at least another 250 miles further to the south to find the deepest depths of the Atlantic.  This location, known as Hatteras Plain, would be found nearly half way to Bermuda where the bottom would be nearly 16,000 feet deep.  
    The steepness of the canyon walls has more or less protected them from bottom based fishing activity (trawling and dredging), and has preserved the sea bottom in a near pristine state and allowed sea life to flourish.  In addition to life found on the bottom, there is a habitat found much higher in the water column that is not found over the shelf.    Between 600 feet and the bottom there is a cold, low-light area known as the ‘midwater zone.’ Much of the life in this zone remains below the 600 feet during the day and ventures up towards the surface at night to feed under the cover of darkness.   Abundant shrimp-like krill and squid are commonly found at this level.    They, in turn, provide food for the predatory fish, whales, dolphins, and other endemic species that forage in the canyon environment.
    In addition to changes of the makeup of the bottom structure, there is also a transition in the properties of the seawater that is found at edge.   A sharp temperature break is usually found somewhere between the 100 and 1000 fathom lines. To the north of this line lies the cooler, less salty, high-nutrient shelf water while to the south lies warmer, more salty, low-nutrient deep ocean water.  This water mass is known as ‘slope water’ and is wedged between edge of the Continental Shelf and the average position of the Gulf Stream's northern wall which normally can be found around the 38.5 degree north latitude parallel.
     One indicator of the position of this frontal boundary is a vivid color change in the water. The water the north of the ‘Edge’ usually exhibits a greenish color and is frequently very cloudy.  In these relatively shallow waters, these nutrients are mixed by winds and tidal action which results in high levels of phytoplankton production. The chlorophyll in these tiny plants absorbs most of the blue from sunlight entering the water and reflects strongly in the green wavelengths. The vast numbers of plankton organisms also create a cloudiness that limits visibility in the water. Canyon anglers will often refer to this shelf-water as the ‘green water’ and refer to its lower visibility by describing it as ‘dirty water.’
      In the deeper water these tiny organisms tend to sink below the effects of the winds on the water’s surface to the level of protoplankton production. In general, this water supports only one-third to one-fifth as much protoplankton as the nearby shelf water. With fewer plants and low chlorophyll concentrations, the light scattered back from the water is mostly blue. It is also much cleaner due to fewer organisms and organic material held in suspension. This is called the ‘blue water’ and can vary from greenish blue to deep, azure blue, depending upon conditions.  Rutgers University’s Coastal Ocean Observation Laboratory-  provides satellite shots of both sea surface temperatures and chlorophyll concentrations at their website- http://marine.rutgers.edu/coolroom/fishermen.htm  that gives anglers a great deal of information in regards to the locations of eddies with water surface temperatures that the various species of pelagic species prefer.
    The color change usually coincides with a marked rise in water temperatures.   Boat crew’s can usually feel this temperature break as they’ll be a highly noticeable change in air temperatures. During the warmer portion of the year the change will be around six degrees going from the high 60’s- to mid-70’s F. At times, however, it can be much more dramatic - as much as twelve degrees between the 100 and 1000 fathom lines south of Georges Bank. Crossing through a gradient like this can be like going from Rhode Island to Georgia in a distance of only a few miles, and these ‘breaks’ are often where anglers will find the fish they’re looking for.
   There is a common believe that this warm, blue water is the actual Gulf Stream flowing up against the canyons south of New England’s as it flows eastward towards Europe.   However, looking any good satellite imagery of ocean surface temperatures for the Western North Atlantic will change this idea quickly- http://marine.rutgers.edu/coolroom/fishermen/fish_sst.htm .   The average position of the northern part of the Gulf Stream is usually located around 38- to 38.5- north latitude, putting it about 90 to 120 miles to the south of the edge of the continental shelf.
     When the Gulf Stream reaches the waters south and east of Georges Bank it encounters a 600 mile-long chain of extinct volcanoes known as the New England Seamount Chain. Their flat-topped peaks reach to within 5,000 feet of the surface from waters that are as much as 16,000 feet deep.   There are those who believe that the seamounts act like rocks in a stream which diverts the blue tropical into counter currents that flow north and westward.    These ocean features are known as ‘warm core eddies.’
     As many as three warm-core eddies form each year in this region between Cape Hatteras and the Grand Banks. They cover large expanses of ocean, reaching up to 100 nautical miles in diameter and extending from the surface to depths of several thousand feet. At their edges currents of up to one knot extend from surface to bottom.  Once separated from the Gulf Stream, they flow up against the shelf-edge and then drift slowly westward at speeds of one to four nautical miles a day.   After a few months, they’ll merge once again with the Gulf Stream again near Cape Hatteras.
   When a warm-core eddy enters the northeast canyons it brings along an entire community of tropical marine life.   A basic knowledge of warm water species can help the canyon anglers know when they’ve entered a warm core eddy.  A great indicator of tropical water is seaweed called Sargassum or ‘Gulfweed.’    It is not unusual to find scattered clumps of this yellowish weed from as far inshore as the 30 fathom line extending all the way out to the canyons.  Sargassum acts like a floating reef in the open ocean as this weed provides both food and cover for many small fish.
     Flying fish are another reliable indicator that tropical water is at hand. These fish can measure up to nearly a foot in length with long silvery ‘wings’ which are actually modified pectoral fins that allow them to glide for up to 100 yards.   Another tropical species known as Mahi- Mahi (dolphin fish) can often be seen hiding both under the rafts of weed and the orange floats that mark the offshore lobster gear.
   The purpose of this column has been to increase the awareness of the physical and environmental factors of the both the undersea structure and the ocean’s characteristics for those that fish the southern New England ‘canyons.’  Hopefully, it will help promote a better understanding of the importance that the layers of water that make up the and how they influence the distribution of the tunas, billfish, and other sought after species in the open ocean vistas that are to be found south of Cape Cod.   The key to success in capturing the species of fish that can be found swimming in the canyon regions is having a good idea of knowing where to look for the right kind of water, and to then be able to recognize what you’re actually looking at when it’s finally found.  Once you’ve found the right location, the fish that you’re seeking will be there, as well.