[Troutfisch]

Went offshore yesterday with a buddy of mine and at a wreck 33 miles out of Sabine he hooked into a big shark while we were snapper fishing. The fight lasted around 25 minutes with the fish making a few good runs before we could get him close enough to snap some pictures. After we got him in for his close-up we cut the line above the leader and watched him swim off (can't believe it didn't break off seeing as the line was only 20 lb test and we only had a 3 ft. leader on). We estimated it to be around 10-11 ft. long - the pictures just don't do her justice.

Anyways, was wondering if it was a blacktip or a spinner. Considering the size of the shark I was certain it was a spinner but now that I'm looking at these pictures more closely it's head seems broader and more resembling that of a blacktip. Then again I've heard blacktips seldom get over 9 ft. and thus I am pretty confused. If any of you seasoned sharkers on this board can point me in the right direction I'd appreciate it.

 

[BeachBumCSF]

10' is bit big for a spinner or blacktip. However, it has the markings of a spinner shark. Silky is possible, but I do not see an interdorsal ridge, but the pics do not favor see that feature.

Question, is it possble that in the excitment, the seem bigger then what it really was. Hell of a fish, though.

My best guest from these pictures ---> Spinner shark

 

[Troutfisch]

Well prior to this shark we caught four small blacktips from 3-4 feet long and this fish was easily 3 times as big as some of them. We didn't realize he was so big until we got him alongside the boat and I was only a few feet away from him. Easily the biggest one I've ever released - that's for sure!

 

[BeachBumCSF]

Congrats on the catch!

 

[scrambler]

Hard to tell from the pics. It looks like a spinner but the state record is 7 1/2 feet long so it is not likely a spinner if it was 10-11 feet long.

 

[Public Enemy]

Dang nice Shark

 

[dryespo]

My guess is a lemon shark..But hard to say from pics. Pretty common fish.

http://www.oceanlight.com/html/lemon_shark.html

 

[Sponge]

I'm very sure it's not a lemon.

My guess is a lemon shark..But hard to say from pics. Pretty common fish.

http://www.oceanlight.com/html/lemon_shark.html

 

[BeachBumCSF]

My guess is a lemon shark..But hard to say from pics. Pretty common fish.

http://www.oceanlight.com/html/lemon_shark.html

I disagree....doesn't have that particular markings on the fins. Can't see the second dorsal to seal the deal on it. I am 99.99% sure it is not a lemon.

 

[Redfishr]

spinner................but not that long,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,IMO

 

[BeachBumCSF]

spinner................but not that long,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,IMO

I wasn't their and it seems like a nice fish. However, I think the excitement factor played a role in the length.

 

[mastercylinder60]

and, because of refraction, everything looks closer and bigger underwater when looking down into it from a boat.

 

[Troutfisch]

After further review I must agree with BeachBumCSF and Redfishr - it is indeed a spinner shark. The anal fin (shown in the first picture I took - although is hard to make out) has a black marking on it, which is absent among blacktips (see below picture - top shark is a spinner, bottom shark is a blacktip). Also the long pointed snout is another indicator according to the Florida Museum of Natural History Ictheology Department (which btw is a great site for fish identification).

As far as the size of the shark goes I'll admit I was excited when we got him to the boat but this shark was not 7 feet long or less. It had to be at least 8 - 9 feet long for sure. Check out this quote from the website of the Florida Museum of Natural History Ictheology Department on Spinner Shark growth rates:

Spinner sharks reach a maximum total length of 9.8 feet (3 m) and a maximum weight of 198 pounds (89.7 kg). However, the average size of these sharks is about 6.4 feet (1.95 m) and 123 pounds (56 kg). Female spinner sharks mature at 5.6-6.6 feet (1.7-2.0 m) TL and males mature at 5.2-6.7 feet (1.6-2.0 m) TL. Upon reaching maturity, the spinner shark grows approximately 2 inches/yr (5 cm/yr), reaching maximum size at 10-20 years of age. This species is generally smallest in the northwestern Atlantic and largest in the Indian Ocean and Indo-West Pacific.

Either way I could really care less how big the shark was - it was just amazing to watch my buddy fight it all the way to the boat and to release him back into the deep.

Thanks for all the help everyone.

 

[S.O.B.(Salt On the Brain)]

Not a silky

I saw a LOT of silkys in the Caribbean, They have a short rounded dorsal, and VERY long pectorals, and are very slender, much like a blue shark. A little fatter, and a darker gray-blue than a blue shark. It might be a dusky, but I'm not as confident on my dusky I.D.

I have a pic of what may well be the same kind of shark. About 7 feet long, heavy like a bull shark, but the second dorsal is too small, and the snout just a little too pointy.

Lance.

 

[Redfishr]

It was defianatly a great catch...............and a bigun

 

[bk005]

Great catch and some awesome C&R pics.

 

[marsea]

That's a spinner for certain. I can see a black tip on that anal fin and black tips on both dorsals and a Z-line in that middle picture.
Eric S

 

[Freshwaterman]

Definately a Spinner..

 

[kunder3006]

nice catch

 

[POWER FISHER]

my gess would be a smooth dogfish