Great White Shark

Great White Shark (Carcharodon Carcharias) Description 

Great white sharks are the most notorious fish in the ocean. They were first brought into the limelight by the "Jaws" movie series, and admired by Discovery Channel Shark Week. They are easily identified by their white bellies, gray skin, bullet-shaped bodies, and rows of about 300 jagged, triangular teeth. The sharks have a skeleton entirely composed of cartilage and are equipped with leathery, tough, and scaleless skin. They are giant fish with a blunt torpedo body and a shrilly pointed conical snout, dorsal fins, and a strong crescent-shaped tail. They are incredible hunters with good eyesight, strong muscles, and a strong sense of smell. 

Habitat and Distribution 

Great white sharks are mostly found along the coasts of California, Hawaii, and along the Northeast Coast of the United States.  They can also be found in South Africa, Australia,  Brazil, the Azores, the Caribbean, East Africa, Northwest Africa, Madagascar, Sri Lanka, Mauritius, Northern Australia, the Philippines, Mauritius, and Hawaii. 

They live in almost all offshore and coastal water with water temperatures that range from 54-75 degrees, with the highest concentrations in the United States, Japan, South Africa, Oceania, Chile, and the Mediterranean. 

Size 

They can grow to about 15 to 20 feet or more and weigh more than 5,000 pounds. Some time ago, divers near the island of Oahu in Hawaii made an uncommon discovery, taking close-up pictures of what is assumed to be the world record white shark in history. The fish was estimated to weighs about 2.5 tons. Great white sharks can live as long as humans, 70 years or more, longer than scientists previously believed. 

Interesting Facts 

There are more than 450 species of sharks in the oceans today. They are social creatures that travel in schools. They try to avoid a fight with each other as only one bite can permanently disable the fish. This species can detect a single drop of blood in 25 gallons (100 liters) of water and can even sense a little drop of blood up to three miles. They use an organ known as the olfactory bulb and their keen sense of smell to detect blood. 

Great white sharks can swim at speeds above 35 mph and can swim to depths of 3,900 feet. 

 And they have no recognized natural predators apart from the killer whale, which will attack the shark only on very rare occasions. 

Fishing Techniques - How to Catch a Great White Shark

Great White Shark fishing is illegal in the United States as they are a protected species. 

However, if you have a permit, catching a shark is one of the most thrilling kinds of fishing. It is only for the strong and the brave, and for anglers who are prepared for the biggest adrenaline flow of their lives. These species are found in almost any kind of saltwater location. Good places to find them are near reefs where there are smaller fish they feed on. 

When fishing this species, make sure you have a strong tackle. It is important you have a tough fishing line; no less than a 100 pounds test line plus a rod that won't break with big game fish. Have some chum with you to throw them into the water to attract them.  Mackerel would be the choice bait.