Smart Sharks?

[jurelometer]

Up in the top half of Australia where the shark population is healthy, there are spots where the sharks show up as soon as you cut the motor.  No fun to get a bunch of fish torn up in the hopes of maybe catching one or two.

This seems to only happen randomly in the Sea of Cortez in Baja, as the shark  population is much more pressured by commercial fishing.

I don't know if sharks or other fish are that smart in the way that we humans define intelligence, but they are well adapted to stuff like associating environmental cues to food sources.

-J

Western Australia we went to try and catch the near shore Tuna species (memory failing me again for name, Donny will know) burt we kept on cathing some pesky fish including queen fish and tried very hard to wind our lures away from them, but not always sucksesfull     There were huge bronze whaler sharks and they were on you in seconds.    All preditors need to learn the easiest way for them to catch their prey.

Probably Thunnus tonggol, AKA Longtail Tuna, AKA Northern Bluefin (not remotely similar to other tuna species referred to as bluefin). A slim  blue colored tuna, averaging maybe 10 bs or so - 30 lbs is a big one but the can get up to 80.  A fabulous  gamefish, and a real challenge on the fly as they are especially boat-shy, even for a tuna.  They get them in West Australia, but I think that Don's home waters might be a bit south of their range.

As for queenfish- there are a couple different species in the northern half of Australia, but the big one (Scomberoides commersonnianus) is a great gamefish too.  They will come into the shallow flats,  are aggressive feeders, and put on quite a show when hooked.  It is sort of like catching a school sized mahi in three feet of water!  In places in Australia where the fishing is really good, some fishermen see queenies as a nuisance because they keep eating your fly or lure ahead of your intended species.  It is a good problem to have  if you ask me.

I really, really, really want to get to Australia again.  It has been too long.  The northern half has a lot of the species that Gregg sees in Hawaii, but with much less fishing pressure.  And the southern half has interesting species too, including my "local" favorite - yellowtail.

-J

[Gfish]

Kinda sounds like Needlefish Don. I love those things here. Almost impossible to hook in the jaw as it is solid bone, teeth with a thin layer of skin. They hang-out over the deeper reef and seem to be attracted to the splash of a lure hitting the water. They fight like crazy and are lightning fast. I have lost many lures to them biting through my line.

Could'a been a great Barracuda. Actually kinda likely. Was in about 30' of water and made it out to 45' trying to escape the breakers. Thinking also Gray Snapper which can get to 80lbs. but they have never seemed that hyper.

[oc1]

I've only caught one needlefish here.  It managed to tie itself up in the leader.  We seem them jumping all the time.  It's not really a jump.  More like a thrown spear going just above the surface.  They can go a long way too.  There are stories of people being stabbed and killed by jumping needlefish.