It’s very easy to fall into the trap of only fishing using techniques designed
to give you the best chance of attracting a Mako onto your hook. In the golden era for Mako’s, the 50s and 60s,
several anglers became obsessed with trying to catch one. Using the latest big game fishing tackle and
expensive lures, in the vein hope of trying to hook up on the ‘Blue Dynamite’
they would spend endless days and huge amounts of money trolling all day long.
One of these Mako obsessive anglers was SACGB member Anthony Hill. For weeks on end and for many seasons, he
would be seen by the rest of the Looe sharking fleet trolling on the horizon,
pulling lures all around the supposed Mako hot spots. This would totally
frustrate his chosen skipper who listened in to the other boats bagging up on
the blues. Day after day it was the same
result, nothing! His fellow anglers
would taunt him that they had caught plenty of sharks while he was wasting his
time chasing a dream. Eventually he gave
in to the constant leg pulling, and with a sinking heart he decided to have a
day’s rest from the stress of Mako hunting.
He booked a day out with sharking legend Bonzo Butters on the “SEA BIRD”
drifting for blues. The fishing Gods who
dish out all the best fish smiled upon him that day, for he returned to port on
the 13th June 1967 with a 296lb Mako! Keep shaking those bags….. Tight lines.
By Ian Harbage