Sharks & Rays

Porbeagle shark

Marrajo sardinero

Lamna nasus

Saltwater

At a glance

Typical size

100–300 lb.

Depth

Surface to 1,000 ft.

Best time

Daylight.

Found in

11 areas

Spot it, size it up and learn its habits.

Identification: A heavy, torpedo-shaped mackerel shark with a pointed snout, big black eyes, a crescent tail, a white patch at the rear base of the first dorsal fin, and a second keel on the tail base (the mako has only one).
Typical size: 100–300 lb.
Maximum size: About 10 ft and over 500 lb.
Diet: Mackerel, herring, cod, squid and other fish.
Behavior: A warm-blooded shark that hunts in cold water and is known for rolling in the line and fighting hard and deep.

Where, when and how deep to look.

Where to find it: Found from United Kingdom & Ireland, France, Spain & Portugal (Azores, Madeira & Canaries), Scandinavia & Iceland (Norway, Sweden, Denmark), Arctic & North Atlantic Islands, Italy & Malta, Morocco & West Africa, Newfoundland & Gaspé, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick & PEI, New Hampshire & Maine and Rhode Island & Massachusetts. Cool offshore and coastal waters of the North Atlantic, from Iceland and Norway to Morocco, and from Newfoundland to New England; also the southern oceans.
Habitat: Cool offshore and coastal waters of the North Atlantic, from Iceland and Norway to Morocco, and from Newfoundland to New England; also the southern oceans.
Depth: Surface to 1,000 ft.
Fishing depth: Mid-water, often 30–100 ft.
Best season: Summer and autumn off Ireland, Cornwall, Wales and northern Scotland.
Best time: Daylight.
Best tides: Tide races off headlands and reefs.
Best weather / conditions: Calm to moderate days offshore.

What to tie on and what to throw.

Best bait: Whole mackerel or a mackerel flapper under a balloon or float, over a chum trail.
Best artificial lures: Rarely used.
Tackle setup: 30–50 lb class stand-up outfit.
Hook size: 10/0–12/0 circle hooks.
Line: 50 lb mono or braid.
Leader: Wire trace with a rubbing leader of 300 lb mono.

The rod, reel, line and lures BigJoe would use.

As an Amazon Associate, BigJoe earns from qualifying purchases. It costs you nothing extra and helps keep this guide free.

Step by step, from first cast to landing.

Go where it lives: Cool offshore and coastal waters of the North Atlantic, from Iceland and Norway to Morocco, and from Newfoundland to New England; also the southern oceans.
Rig up: 30–50 lb class stand-up outfit. Wire trace with a rubbing leader of 300 lb mono.
Pick your bait: Whole mackerel or a mackerel flapper under a balloon or float, over a chum trail. Lures: Rarely used.
Fish it: Drift with a mackerel chum trail and baits set at different depths under balloons. Fight the shark from a harness and release it in the water.
Time it: Daylight. Tide races off headlands and reefs.

Fishing techniques: Drift with a mackerel chum trail and baits set at different depths under balloons. Fight the shark from a harness and release it in the water.
BigJoe's tip: Keep the shark in the water at the side of the boat, cut the trace close to the hook or use a long de-hooker, and let it swim off.
Catch and release: Catch and release: wet your hands, keep the fish in the water when you can, and release it quickly. Use circle hooks and a dehooker.

Is it good to eat, and how to prepare it.

Safety, rules and taking care of the fishery.

Safety warnings: Big teeth and a powerful body; never bring a big shark aboard.
Regulations: Listed as Vulnerable (Critically Endangered in Europe) by the IUCN. Keeping porbeagle is banned in EU and UK waters; it is catch-and-release only, and other countries restrict it heavily. Every country sets its own rules: sea fishing licenses or registration in some countries, a national or regional license plus a local permit for fresh water, and minimum sizes everywhere. Check before you fish.
Conservation: Overfished nearly to collapse in the North Atlantic. Release every one.

Tap an area to open its fishing map.

Sources & photo credits