Battle to the end

 With a fairly uneventful days fishing after loosing a decent size shark at around 12 and with a feed of whiting in the esky . I was thinking of packing up for the day as there was no live bait left only some old thawed out gardies . Threw one out with the hook through the nose for the he'll of it . Nothing touched it for about half hour so thinking the crabs had got it . Wound the line in to find the guts missing and T hats it. Threw it back out not expecting much.  10 minuit later my rod went nuts and with a good half hour fight a monster of a shovel nose broke the surface . Was between 6 and 7 foot long but I estimate it to be over the 100 kg Mark as it's a solid beast . Couldn't lift it too high .

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RUSS and SANDY. A family that fishes together stays together

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sea-kem's picture

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Date Joined: 30/11/09

 That is a beast of a shovel

Sun, 2021-09-12 18:23

 That is a beast of a shovel Russ. 

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Livewire's picture

Posts: 264

Date Joined: 25/11/16

Cracker

Sun, 2021-09-12 19:45

 Battled a few of those bad boys in shark bay. They can pull some string!! Well done.

NORUN NOFUN's picture

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Date Joined: 15/08/11

They go hard, I had the

Mon, 2021-09-13 06:56

They go hard, I had the misfortune of snagging a lure in the dorsal fin of one whilst fishing a creek in the Kimberley, luckily for me the lure gave way after a short battle and got my favourite lure back lol

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 Nice for stretching the arms

Mon, 2021-09-13 09:51

 Nice for stretching the arms Russ!

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anypuddle's picture

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 Cracker shovelnose! I enjoy

Mon, 2021-09-13 14:28

 Cracker shovelnose! I enjoy reading your post's.  Thanks

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Faulkner Family's picture

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 Cheers guys. Yeah they go

Mon, 2021-09-13 17:55

 Cheers guys. Yeah they go hard for sure. Got a nice bruise where the rod butt was sitting throughout the tussle.  Would have to be my biggest land based capture and was great to see it swim away strong

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RUSS and SANDY. A family that fishes together stays together

Faulkner Family's picture

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 I have been told these

Tue, 2021-09-14 15:36

 I have been told these aren't bad eating. Anyone tried on. 

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RUSS and SANDY. A family that fishes together stays together

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 Pretty much grew up eating

Tue, 2021-09-14 16:20

 Pretty much grew up eating them. The old man used to catch one that size about once a fortnight. Not a lot of meat for the size of them. 

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Faulkner Family's picture

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 The meat to size ratio would

Tue, 2021-09-14 16:56

 The meat to size ratio would be low with the size of the head. Are they similar to regular shark or a unique taste 

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RUSS and SANDY. A family that fishes together stays together

anypuddle's picture

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Date Joined: 22/01/12

 We used to get them

Wed, 2021-09-15 17:44

 We used to get them regularly down at quinns,  not anymore.  I killed one and wouldn't do it again like stingray. Too cool to have them in the ocean I reckon. Just my personal take.

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anypuddle's picture

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 Also lifting them and banjo

Wed, 2021-09-15 17:48

 Also lifting them and banjo sharks etc clear off the ground for photos if there going to be release should be avoided. You can hear there back bones/ cartilage whatever clicking as it separates.  Couldnt be to good for them.

 

That shovelnose is a monster , what a trophy!

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Faulkner Family's picture

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 Wouldn't have lifted it too

Wed, 2021-09-15 19:43

 Wouldn't have lifted it too high even if I could. 

I have caught a few smaller models and released them all. Would never kill one for food just curious . They are a cool looking fish. Definitely one pb that will take some beating

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RUSS and SANDY. A family that fishes together stays together

anypuddle's picture

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 Yep . Didn't mean you where

Wed, 2021-09-15 19:47

 Yep . Didn't mean you where hurting it. Good stuff.

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Good Shovel

Wed, 2021-09-15 20:56

I got a phone call from a complete stranger yrs ago wanting me to take him beach fishing @ "my backyard". I hesitated at first and then agreed to take him. He caught the WA state record for Shovelnose Ray which was weighed on certified scales that night. He had certified scales with him because he was the weigh master for a fishing comp being held.

Anyway, after the long fight on lightish gear all attempts to re-swim the fish failed, I took him home and spent a couple of months eating it. Not bad tucka.

And a +1 for never lifting a shark up by the tail, you can hear and feel the vertibrae seperating, not good for the critter that will most likely die slowly and painfully even though you think your doing the right thing.

https://www.afma.gov.au/sites/default/files/uploads/2014/11/Shark-Handling-Guide-2016-Update.pdf