Catch of the day

[Gob]

Just when you thought it was safe to pull your catch from the water ...



A spectacular photo believed to have been taken off Kaiteriteri Beach near Nelson in New Zealand proves it's a shark-eat-shark world out there – and that you should always watch your tail.

The image, posted on social media site Reddit, shows a small school shark on the end of a fishing line being bitten into by a much larger blue shark just as it's about to be lifted into the boat.

Reddit user Mancubus uploaded the photo on December 28 with the headline: "Caught a small shark … next minute".

The picture quickly shot to the site's front page, garnering nearly 1000 comments before it was picked up by both the Daily Mail and Huffington Post news websites.

With few details available about what happened, readers were quick to guess what was going on, some believing the bigger shark was only trying to save its baby.

Others labelled the technique "reverse fishing", while a few said the photo had to be a fake.

Department of Conservation shark expert Clinton Duffy, a marine scientist, said the shot actually captured a common event.

"Blue sharks often steal fish off people's lines at this time of year and they also commonly eat other shark species."

Duffy said the smaller shark was probably better known to New Zealanders as the white bit between the batter in their fish and chips – proving we're not the only ones partial to its taste.

The school shark, a juvenile, was likely about 80cm long while its bigger enemy was about two metres. Both were common species in New Zealand waters, although the blue shark was becoming a rarity due to the practice of shark-finning, Duffy said.

"It's quite encouraging really to see a picture like that," he said.

And if you're wondering why the sharks have white eyes – Duffy says that's due to a special membrane that protects their eyes as they go in for the attack.

[rubato]

I think it's called "fishing" and you use the littler ones as "bait" to catch the bigger ones. Am I right?

yrs,
rubato

[Miles]

I think it's called "fishing" and you use the littler ones as "bait" to catch the bigger ones. Am I right?

yrs,
rubato

Had there been a third one on the line I think I would definately stick to fishing for native brook trout.

[Gob]

I think it's called "fishing" and you use the littler ones as "bait" to catch the bigger ones. Am I right?

As usual, no.

[oldr_n_wsr]

I've had more than one "catch" bitten before I got it into the boat. Had a few Mahi Mahi, cut in hlaf by barracuda while reeling them in. A fish on the line is in distress which is a beacon to other fish to come and get a piece.

And yes, smaller fish are often used for bait to catch bigger fish, although I have never used a small shark to catch a bigger shark. Bonitta pieces for mahi mahi, maidenhead (bunker) for striped bass and bluefish, etc.

[Miles]

Around here we use minnos for pike and walleye.

[MajGenl.Meade]

In Cleveland OH we use pike and walleye for pike and walleye. But you know, some folks like to land a minnow and call it something bigger....

[Miles]

I have never felt the need to inflate the size of any fish I ever caught. The only competition I am in is with the state imposed legal size. I'm in it for the meat............

[Long Run]

It was a great shot, though the camera makes both sharks look much bigger than the article indicates, not that I'd like to encounter either.

[oldr_n_wsr]

I use minnows for Crappy and Large mouth Bass. No Pike nor Walleyes in my lake although there are pickerel.