GREAT SHARK SPORT

Loads of blues and a 6ft porbeagle on multi-tip rod

This 133lb blue shark caught by Jason Heenan (above) is a boat record for the charter vessel Reel Deal, skippered by Dan Hawkins out of Ilfracombe.

Jason was on a two-day trip, and his crew included the maker of Wally’s Shark Rigs, Mike Wallis of Cirencester. The party caught 28 blues to 80lb on the first day. On day two, the highlight was Jason’s 133-pounder.

On another trip, Shane Tandy of Westonsuper-Mare, Somerset, caught a 115lb blue shark from the same boat.

Bass record-holder John Locker and his wife Hannah (below) have been enjoying some superb shark fishing. The couple from Truro were fishing out of Penzance on Lo Kie Adventures, skippered by Kieren Faisey. They boated multiple porbeagles and blues over two weeks, with their last trip producing 43 to more than 100lb.

A few weeks earlier, John fished on his own boat in Falmouth Bay, and caught a 39lb ling.

Meanwhile, an angler fishing for black bream with light gear managed to bring a porbeagle shark to the side of the boat.

Steve Fitzpatrick, of Cliffe, Kent, was aboard Al’s Spirit out of Weymouth, Dorset, and fished a multi-tip rod and size 2 Aberdeen hook baited with a squid strip.

“Amazingly, I managed to mouth-hook and bring to the boat a six-feet long porbeagle estimated by skipper Adrian Brown to weigh between 85-100lb,” said Steve. “I got her right alongside and touched my rig before she smashed me up. It was witnessed by five people.”