Proable Shark Sighting 4/9 La Jolla - Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Water’s Edge

PaulMcD · 04-10-2006, 04:48 PM

In all the WSB excitment, I forgot to mention one other thing in my report - not to alarm anybody but just so everybody has a heads up.

while paddling through the preserve in about 25' of water to the pier in the morning to make bait, what I believe was a fat gray shark - about 10' - was sighted. At first I thought it was a big dolphin on steroids, but the tail swam side to side, and did not invert or swim sideways like dolphins usually do when they're checking me out on a 'yak, surfboard or kitbeoard. For a couple of minutes afterwards I continutally scanned around for one, or a pod surfacing for air but never saw it happen.

Basically it swam on an intercept course about 6' underwater from the beach side, got under me and cruised along directly under me for 3-4 seconds before pulling ahead quickly and sounding. I could see both fins off of both sides of my 'yak as I paddled. Freaky. Short and very wide.

Keep your caught fish out of the water for the time being, and maybe your limbs. I almost jumped overboard at one point later that day to try to wash all the WBS slime and blood off of my wetsuit, but remembered what I saw so I waited until I was back at the launch site before I did that.

I don't know my sharks very well, but if I had to guess, I would say it was a Great White due to it's light gray coloration, thickness and size.

-Paul

Iceman · 04-10-2006, 04:56 PM

Ryan(said he saw a 200#er) maybe that mako was not a mako after all. A "small" great white would be more likely in 60 degree water.

nmbrinkman · 04-10-2006, 05:02 PM

:shock:

PaulMcD · 04-10-2006, 05:03 PM

I don't think it was the same one. This one was really wide - 200 pounds seems too low a number. I'd guess a thousand minimum.

I'm looking online for some pictures and it did look like this, but smaller:

My ProExplorer is a fat pig of a kayak, and this shark was wider than my 'yak was.

-Paul

PaulMcD · 04-10-2006, 05:09 PM

Almost this size - about two foot shorter is my best guess.

-Paul

Ryan The Sealion · 04-10-2006, 05:51 PM

haha yeah I saw 1 today too :lol: About 500 yards from the pier... I saw it's dorsal from reeeeeaaallly far away and kept thinking it was a bouy or some trash..then as I got closer I saw 2 fins :shock: dorsal and tail.. fins were between 4-5 feet apart.. and I assumed it was a mako so when I got within range I fired the jigstick at it twice :lol: It sunk out after I almost tagged it in the head

, but now that you mention GWS, I remember the grey color was a bit light to be a mako :shock: GWS never even crossed my mind, but now after rethinking this AM I'm almost positive it was

Spinal Tap · 04-10-2006, 05:59 PM

Diver buddy of mine saw a GWS at the Torrey Pines reef lat October. He got close enough to see that thing eye to eye at about 40' down. The GWS have a much bigger girth, so based on your description it was probably a GWS.

Ryan The Sealion · 04-10-2006, 05:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PaulMcD

I don't think it was the same one. This one was really wide - 200 pounds seems too low a number. I'd guess a thousand minimum.

yeah I only got about 50 yards away.. I just estimated 200 to be on the safe side..what I saw was about a 6-8'++ shark

Wasn't worried about what kind, just wanted to hook it :lol:

andy- Ur right.. GWS is more likely @ this temp, but just FYI I got a small 60# mako 2-3 weeks ago on my buddies boat off the powerplant in 58* water

Ryan The Sealion · 04-10-2006, 06:16 PM

Hey andy do GWS count in the ironman contest..? :twisted: :lol:

PaulMcD · 04-10-2006, 08:15 PM

I'm still chuckling - "Ryan the Sea Lion" throwing an iron at a GWS. :lol:

-Paul

Ryan The Sealion · 04-10-2006, 08:32 PM

:lol: It definately wasn't the same shark you saw if urs was as big as that man-eater in the photo :shock: Either way I probably woulda got spooled, but it woulda been fun...

PaulMcD · 04-10-2006, 08:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ryan The Sealion

then as I got closer I saw 2 fins :shock: dorsal and tail.. fins were between 4-5 feet apart..

It definately wasn't the same shark you saw if urs was as big as that man-eater in the photo

You sure? Using the guy in the photo as a reference, the fin and tail seems to be less than 5' apart. I'm assuming the guy is of average height - 5'9 or 5'8 back then.

The bottom line is that there's probably a GWS out there checking things out now. I'm gonna put on an iron on my spongebob rod/reel for my out outing.

-Paul

Ryan The Sealion · 04-10-2006, 08:58 PM

:shock: yeah ur right...it prob was alot bigger shark than I thought...all I saw were the fins, and I just gave a guess of the size...I am most likely way off..

I saw this little mako finning b4 we killed it.. He's got a good 3 feet between his fins and wasn't even ~100lbs., so this just confuses me more

04-10-2006, 04:48 PM	#1
PaulMcD Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 16	Proable Shark Sighting 4/9 La Jolla In all the WSB excitment, I forgot to mention one other thing in my report - not to alarm anybody but just so everybody has a heads up. while paddling through the preserve in about 25' of water to the pier in the morning to make bait, what I believe was a fat gray shark - about 10' - was sighted. At first I thought it was a big dolphin on steroids, but the tail swam side to side, and did not invert or swim sideways like dolphins usually do when they're checking me out on a 'yak, surfboard or kitbeoard. For a couple of minutes afterwards I continutally scanned around for one, or a pod surfacing for air but never saw it happen. Basically it swam on an intercept course about 6' underwater from the beach side, got under me and cruised along directly under me for 3-4 seconds before pulling ahead quickly and sounding. I could see both fins off of both sides of my 'yak as I paddled. Freaky. Short and very wide. Keep your caught fish out of the water for the time being, and maybe your limbs. I almost jumped overboard at one point later that day to try to wash all the WBS slime and blood off of my wetsuit, but remembered what I saw so I waited until I was back at the launch site before I did that. I don't know my sharks very well, but if I had to guess, I would say it was a Great White due to it's light gray coloration, thickness and size. -Paul

04-10-2006, 04:56 PM	#2
Iceman Administrator Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: 1-2 miles off the point Posts: 6,948	Ryan(said he saw a 200#er) maybe that mako was not a mako after all. A "small" great white would be more likely in 60 degree water. __________________

04-10-2006, 05:02 PM	#3
nmbrinkman Work Sucks! Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: San Diego Posts: 559	:shock:

04-10-2006, 05:03 PM	#4
PaulMcD Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 16	I don't think it was the same one. This one was really wide - 200 pounds seems too low a number. I'd guess a thousand minimum. I'm looking online for some pictures and it did look like this, but smaller: My ProExplorer is a fat pig of a kayak, and this shark was wider than my 'yak was. -Paul

04-10-2006, 05:09 PM	#5
PaulMcD Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 16	Almost this size - about two foot shorter is my best guess. -Paul

04-10-2006, 05:51 PM	#6
Ryan The Sealion Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 308	haha yeah I saw 1 today too :lol: About 500 yards from the pier... I saw it's dorsal from reeeeeaaallly far away and kept thinking it was a bouy or some trash..then as I got closer I saw 2 fins :shock: dorsal and tail.. fins were between 4-5 feet apart.. and I assumed it was a mako so when I got within range I fired the jigstick at it twice :lol: It sunk out after I almost tagged it in the head , but now that you mention GWS, I remember the grey color was a bit light to be a mako :shock: GWS never even crossed my mind, but now after rethinking this AM I'm almost positive it was

04-10-2006, 05:59 PM	#7
Spinal Tap Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 132	Diver buddy of mine saw a GWS at the Torrey Pines reef lat October. He got close enough to see that thing eye to eye at about 40' down. The GWS have a much bigger girth, so based on your description it was probably a GWS.

04-10-2006, 06:16 PM	#9
Ryan The Sealion Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 308	Hey andy do GWS count in the ironman contest..? :twisted: :lol:

04-10-2006, 08:15 PM	#10
PaulMcD Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 16	I'm still chuckling - "Ryan the Sea Lion" throwing an iron at a GWS. :lol: -Paul

04-10-2006, 08:32 PM	#11
Ryan The Sealion Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 308	:lol: It definately wasn't the same shark you saw if urs was as big as that man-eater in the photo :shock: Either way I probably woulda got spooled, but it woulda been fun...

04-10-2006, 08:58 PM	#13
Ryan The Sealion Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 308	:shock: yeah ur right...it prob was alot bigger shark than I thought...all I saw were the fins, and I just gave a guess of the size...I am most likely way off.. I saw this little mako finning b4 we killed it.. He's got a good 3 feet between his fins and wasn't even ~100lbs., so this just confuses me more