The Mako Shark
In sports, which has a greater draw -- professional sports or amateur sports? Which is more captivating, big leagues or minor leagues? In this competitive world, you’re always drawn to the best of the best. When it comes to fishing for sharks, Makos are the best.
Mako sharks are very fast fish. They are quick thinkers and quick to adapt to their environment and circumstances. They demonstrate an attitude. They are at the top of the food chain, an apex predator. Their warm-blooded bodies (unlike other species of sharks) turn them into the ferocious hunters, worthy opponents for any man.
Makos are not your typical sharks. Just looking for Makos is a superior challenge, they can be very hard to find. You have to hunt them by finding their feeding areas. You have to think like a Mako to find a Mako, which makes the hunt challenging.
Once you do find Makos, things get interesting. Your quarry may size you up, recognize the danger of the situation and not get tricked into biting your hook. When you do manage to hook one, he may turn on you, charge your boat, and take a few bites out of the hull. Once hooked, unlike other sharks, Makos will come after their tormenters instead of just trying to get away.
Makos seem to possess an intellect that is greater than other sharks and big game fish. When you fight a Mako, you can see it pause to think, examine the area, and plan its next move. This results in spectacular battles!
Blue sharks are known as blue dogs and thresher sharks are known as bulls of the sea. Makos are living, breathing, sea monsters, with the intelligence and tenacity to enforce their own will. They are worthy opponents for any sport fisherman.
The Mako
The Mako shark is one of the oldest creatures in the sea, predating the dinosaurs. The Shortfin Mako (Isurus oxyrinchus) has prowled the oceans for millions of years.
Makos are often called the mackerel or bonito shark. The largest Mako caught off the U.S. West Coast was 351 cm (11.5 feet). The typical size of west coast Makos ranges from 213-244 cm (6-7 ft) but they can reach a size of up to 364 cm (143 inches).
The streamlined body of the Mako shark makes it a very graceful and speedy shark. Makos are the fastest sharks, capable of attaining speeds of up to 60 miles per hour. The Mako holds the speed record for long distance travel, approximately 2130 km (1320 miles) in 37 days, and an average of about 58 km (36 miles) per day.
The Mako’s luminous, metallic-cobalt color and their pointed snout are distinctive features. Their swimming pattern is also unique. Unlike other sharks, the Mako is warm-blooded, which allows for heat retention from muscular activity. Being warm-blooded allows the Mako to utilize their muscle mass more efficiently, resulting in faster swimming speeds.
Mako sharks are able to maintain body temperatures greater than that of the water in which they swim. In order to maintain a warm body in cold water, Makos assert a high level of activity and ingest large quantities of food. It’s common to land Makos with huge masses of food in their bellies.
A comprehensive book to all aspects of Shark Fishing.
