The Kirbyhunter Loc: Monterey county, California

I'm from monterey and enjoy catching any type of fish if its fighting I'm enjoying.
My most enjoyment is catching the hour or two long leopard shark fights.
With most of them Weighing in or around 15 to 30 pounds,with an average length of about 3 1/2 feet to roughly 5 1/2 feet.
I have caught a lot of different kinds of fish but thous lepord shark in and around the mosslanding jettie are one of the finest fights of all time

fishyaker Loc: NW Michigan (Lower Peninsula)

Those are indeed a very cool shark! Beautiful colorations and fighting a fish for over an hour would be memorable! Thank you for sharing your story and welcome to the fishing Stage forum!

NJ219bands Loc: New Jersey

Nice 👍

ranger632 Loc: Near Yosemite Park Ca.

Now that looks like fun, what bait and what do you do with them.

Designerbuilder1 Loc: Chico Ca.

Hi, hopefully you are releasing them. I tagged sharks for 10 yeas in the Bay and their numbers are dwindling. It's fun to catch them but use a barb-less hook and strong enough line to get them in fairly fast. Take a quick picture and then let them go. Watch "Shirley The Seven Gill Shark" on YouTube and you will see a large shark that I caught for the Aquarium of The Bay on pier 39 in San Fransisco. I know a lot about catching big sharks (100lbs to 600lbs) in a way that let's them live so the fishery will stay strong. Let me know if you need any information,Steve

Fishinfoolyes Loc: Menlo Park

Steve, I’d say that shark is gone. Like you, I worry about the sustainability of fish populations. Salmon is exhibit one - and depending on what side of the story you are, it’s all BS, or the stock is in trouble. Sharks like this, maybe more clear. When I sailed from Hawaii to Anacortes, WA we saw only an occasional seabird likely because of an absence of food, Pribiloff seals a thousand miles from any land, and one only Mahi Mahi. Zero other fish seen or caught (for food). Fish factory boats from Asia and now China are running nets 5-10 mile long, most still without the safety holes for turtles,etc, to escape. There’s no question that the oceans are in trouble. I “regular” and fly fish both salt and fresh, and my hooks are almost always barbless, and all river catches are released. I was at Loch Lomond in the Santa Cruz hills yesterday. Trout were deep at about 70-100’ I was told. There were delightfully only about 20 people around or on the whole reservoir, and checking with the the ranger at the very end of the day, he said that one person caught one bass. He said too much pressure and fished out. Believe him or not.

Designerbuilder1 Loc: Chico Ca.

I agree, fishing the sea of Cortez, I used to see 50 sharks a day and now I go out 50 miles and I see zero. That’s why, like you I try and help when ever possible.

PaulFish Loc: Southern California

They are fun to catch and tasty to eat if take the time to go through the process to eat them.
You are my kind of fisherman. Enjoy!

bapabear Loc: Blaine, Washington

Welcome aboard. I went to Seaside high back in the 60's. I spent a lot of time at Moss Landing. The main bite back in those days seemed to be skate and starry flounder, The few sharks i caught, except one, were off the wharf in Monterey. That one exception I caught in the Moss Landing lagoon from an 11 foot pram. The shark was much bigger than me. There were two of us in the boat. We beached the boat and landed the shark on the beach. The shark was released hours after being hooked. I do not know to this day what type it was, but it swam away as if never hooked. Like giant halibut, I don't think I whipped it, I just convinced it to swim my direction.
I look forward to hearing more and seeing photos from your area.

Designerbuilder1 Loc: Chico Ca.

Attached are some of my shark tagging photos. Many are over 8' and from 200lbs and up. Largest we weighed and released was 440lbs. I miss my tagging days!!!

bapabear Loc: Blaine, Washington

That looks like a blast. I am ready to go!!

bapabear Loc: Blaine, Washington

What kind of sharks are those with the spots?

bapabear Loc: Blaine, Washington

The small spots, not the leopard pattern?

Designerbuilder1 Loc: Chico Ca.

Seven Gill Sharks, Watch "Shirley The Seven Gill Shark" On you tube. I was hired by the Aquarium of the Bay to help them put a large Seven Gill in their aquarium on Pier 39 in SF

ranger632 Loc: Near Yosemite Park Ca.

Monterey and Seaside has change a lot from the 60's, wife and I do a lot of kayaking in Elkhorn Slough in Moss Landing and Monterey Bay. As a kid we went on vacation every summer in Monterey , always thought it would be a great place to grow up. Sent some time at Ford Ord but that wasn't as much fun as Monterey.