Dana Point Marina, San Diego,

We travelled to San Diego to hunt mako sharks on 12 weight fly line. Armed with orange and red bait patterns, steel tippet and our Scott 12 wt rods, we boarded Conrway Bowman's 26 center console Triton and headed west 8 miles into the blue Pacific Ocean in search of an amazing game fish, the Mako Shark. The day was cloudless, blue sky and a light 5 to 10 breeze.

The Method. The concept is to put out a mile plus line of chum while drifting and wait. On morning one that wait was 15 minutes before our own Captain Greg Arnold was double hauling the Scott with orange bait pattern at a 100 plus blue mako shark. "Hookup" first cast. Greg explains: "these fish are fearless. They're not shy as the approach the boat through the chum slick."

The Run. What is amazing about the fish is the power, the beautiful blue, the super slick body and the "run". This fish peels off 150 yards of backing in seconds. She runs out and jumps. there were 3 runs off a hundred yards. All you can do is hold on. Thrilling stuff.

The Landing. We are fishing barb less. and we don't harm the fish. Conway uses a tool to extract the hook from the shark unharmed. Impressive to watch him unhook a thrashing 150 pound toothy beast. This day in August we cast to 10 fish and landed 7. We were back at Dana Point by 4.

Conway Bowman of San Diego is our guide. He does his Mako fishing in waters off San Diego from May through November.

Labels: Dana Point Marina San Diego, Fly Fishing for Sharks, Mako Sharks, Mako Sharks on the Fly, Sharks in Dana Point Marina San Diego