Mako Shark Advice

[Teakwood]

We have a large mako (12ft) which has shown up in dorset and has been buzzing divers and even brushing them. there are lots of confirmed sightings over the last month or so. it seems to hang out at some of the best spots

Does anybody have any experience of the behaviour of this type of shark towards spearfishermen?

Thanks

 

[gonetobaja]

Makos and Oceanic Whitetips are very bold.

If you have the same one that is hanging around and getting used to testing spearos limits it is only a matter of time before he starts to go after shot fish and then....who knows?

A shark like that may test a spearos limits and find out that a fully outfitted Riffe MT4 with some tuna floats can make him into steaks.:martial

 

[crusty]

Absolute Physco crazed axe killer of the Ocean. and thats when they are not angry.
There are two sharks that i dont want to come up against in the ocean, Great Whites and Makos. ( Makos are also called Blue Pointers).

I have been buzzed by a Mako once before, the shark shield i had on made no differance and the only thing that stoped him was a jab to the head with a 3/8 shaft, and then he turned around and make anothet run.
( we were burlying up at the time)

Talking to other divers how have had a few run ins with them ( they are common in our waters) they all say the best thing to do is get out and move to another spot, once they get the sniff of blood and go into kill mode only a very well placed power head will stop them, and they are to much of a beautiful fish to do that to.

Hope i havent scared you to much

Crusty

 

[Teakwood]

So your shark shield did not discourage it? That is a real worry as i have been sheepishly wearing one these last few weeks. i have found it scared off tigers and galapagos even with speared fish in the water when used in bluewaters but i never once thought i'd be using that kind of gear in the uk.

it sounds like the mako is a real problem then, i may give those spots a miss even with shark shield

 

[miles]

Hiya

Be very wary of MAKO's!! They don't respond very well to being pushed away with your spear. With other sharks, pushing them away with you speargun will have the desired effect, but with a mako, you're only going to aggitate him!!

Best advice, if its a 12' mako, LEAVE the area IMMEDIATELY!!

Mako's are generally open water sharks. Just make sure that it is indeed a mako and not the relatively harmless blue shark. Things to note are the tail of a mako. It has a sort of flat part just before the tail and they always seem to swim with their mouths slightly open, exposing those curved teeth!!

One trick that does work well with smaller 2-2.5m mako's, is to cut off a tuna's head and drop it overboard. The mako will then chase it as it sinks and then simply does not return!!! Anything bigger than 2.5m and i get out of the water IMMEDIATELY!!!

Regards
miles

 

[birdmanjack]

We had some good video footage on TV in Australia with Rob Torelli and a Mako. He was wearing a shark sheild but had to continually push the shark off with his camera. The sheild seamed to make no difference.

 

[Huan]

Mako's are uncommon in the NE Atlantic, A close relative is the Porbeagle and they look very similar.
I am not saying that it isn't a Mako but that it is entirely possible that it is a Porbeagle, which are quite common around the coast in the UK and in Ireland.
Dentition and position of the pectoral fin in relation to the dorsal fin are a good way of positively Id'ng a fish.
the Makos dorsal fin starts at the back edge of the pectoral fin.
The Porbeagles dorsal fin starts halfway from the pectoral fin.
A Porbeagles dorsal fin has a patch of white at the bottom rear , a Mako does not have this white patch.

 

[naiad]

Absolute Physco crazed axe killer of the Ocean. and thats when they are not angry.
There are two sharks that i dont want to come up against in the ocean, Great Whites and Makos. ( Makos are also called Blue Pointers).

That's just what I need! Really makes me want to go diving in Dorset. rofl

 

[foxfish]

I just came across this, interesting post!

 

[Salehthefish]

Hello & welcome on db. I am not sure about mako shark but my instructor shows us his Pics with tiger shark in south africa and they could touch it in addition to that they are planning to dive with white shark soon what I am wondering about is the behavior of shark always the same or varies as the human behavior?

All best
Posted via Mobile Device

 

[Don Paul]

Hello & welcome on db. I am not sure about mako shark but my instructor shows us his Pics with tiger shark in south africa and they could touch it in addition to that they are planning to dive with white shark soon what I am wondering about is the behavior of shark always the same or varies as the human behavior?

All best
Posted via Mobile Device

I've dove with most sharks, big Makos all look hungry and pissed off, I am afraid of them.Any shark that bites the caudal keel of sword fish gets my complete respect.

Cheers, Don

 

[bikendive]

Well put Don!
Got any pics of the creature?

 

[Don Paul]

Well put Don!
Got any pics of the creature?

Just one on old school Hi-8 sorry, I have only ever seen two while freediving, but both were amp'ed up and would dart in like a rocket, swim way, and return. I swam to the boat and found a new spot to spearfish for the day.

Cheers, Don

 

[azapa]

oh great, and guess what 3m shark was caught up in fishermens nets 200 meters from my beach house (and every weekend spearing spot) this time last year.....

"just let an old thread lie" Foxy....

 

[foxfish]

Well they are not common sharks around here, British rod caught record is 500lb but, as you point out the thread is 5 years old.
I just thought as it is winter I would dig it up!

 

[podge]

That Shark was/is defiantly there and was/is a large Mako! A little while ago it chased a well known Dorset spearo off a wreck not far from one of the Harbour entrances.
Shark shield or not I’m buggered if I’d want to bump fins with it!!!blackeye:blackeye

 

[downdeep]

Hi Mate,new on here.I agree in principle withe gonetobaja apart from the trying to shoot him of course.Trust me on this,try that and your the one who is going to come off much worse.Had a 6 footer buzz me whilst spearfishing once in the big blue.they are so fast the eye has trouble keeping up with it let alone training a long gun on one.It would only shug it off any how.A good way to commit suicide with a 12ft specimen.This shark is considered a man killer all over the world.They are very,aggressive especially when provoked.Treat with the utmost respect and stay out of its way.

 

[downdeep]

A 12ft porbeagle?Not likely.

 

[Pursuit]

I recommend

 

[downdeep]

Fortuneately power heads are illegal in the u.k.One would get into serious trouble using them or even owning them.I still would not mess with a 12ft shark let alone a mako.Why anyone would want to kill such a magnificent animal is beyond me,they get a hard enough time from commercial fishermen as it is.After all it is there ocean as well.Everyone to there own devices though.