Sharks & Rays

Tope (school shark)

Cazón (tiburón vitamínico)

Galeorhinus galeus

Saltwater

At a glance

Typical size

20–50 lb.

Depth

10–500 ft.

Best time

Daylight.

Found in

13 areas

Spot it, size it up and learn its habits.

Identification: A slim gray shark with a long, pointed snout, big eyes, small sharp blade-like teeth, and a very large lower tail with a deep notch near its tip (the tip looks like a second small lobe).
Typical size: 20–50 lb.
Maximum size: About 6½ ft and over 80 lb.
Diet: Fish (mackerel, whiting, flatfish), squid and crabs.
Behavior: A wandering shark that travels in packs (often all females or all males) and migrates long distances; slow to mature and long-lived (over 50 years).

Where, when and how deep to look.

Where to find it: Found from United Kingdom & Ireland, France, Spain & Portugal (Azores, Madeira & Canaries), Italy & Malta, Greece & the Adriatic, Morocco & West Africa, Scandinavia & Iceland (Norway, Sweden, Denmark), Southern Africa, South-East Australia & Tasmania, New Zealand, Southern Brazil, Uruguay & Argentina, Southern California and Central & Northern California. Temperate coasts worldwide: the UK and Ireland, the Bay of Biscay, the Mediterranean, southern Africa, Australia and New Zealand (school shark), southern South America and California (soupfin shark).
Habitat: Temperate coasts worldwide: the UK and Ireland, the Bay of Biscay, the Mediterranean, southern Africa, Australia and New Zealand (school shark), southern South America and California (soupfin shark).
Depth: 10–500 ft.
Fishing depth: On or near the bottom.
Best season: Summer (May–September) in the UK and Ireland.
Best time: Daylight.
Best tides: A moving tide carrying the bait scent.
Best weather / conditions: Calm, settled summer days.

What to tie on and what to throw.

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

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Step by step, from first cast to landing.

Go where it lives: Temperate coasts worldwide: the UK and Ireland, the Bay of Biscay, the Mediterranean, southern Africa, Australia and New Zealand (school shark), southern South America and California (soupfin shark).
Rig up: 20–30 lb class boat rod, or a heavy surf rod from shore. Light wire or 150–200 lb mono trace.
Pick your bait: Whole or half mackerel, flatfish or squid. Lures: Rarely used.
Fish it: Anchor over sandbanks or channels, put out a mackerel chum bag and fish a whole mackerel on the bottom; let the tope run before you tighten on a circle hook.
Time it: Daylight. A moving tide carrying the bait scent.

Fishing techniques: Anchor over sandbanks or channels, put out a mackerel chum bag and fish a whole mackerel on the bottom; let the tope run before you tighten on a circle hook.
BigJoe's tip: Use circle hooks and keep the shark in the water when you unhook it. Tope release very well when handled quickly.
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: Sharp teeth and rough skin; grip by the tail and behind the head with gloves.
Regulations: Listed as Critically Endangered by the IUCN. In England it is illegal for anglers to keep tope caught on rod and line, other UK and EU waters restrict it heavily, and many anglers release every one; Australia and New Zealand manage school shark under quotas. Release it carefully. 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 for its fins and liver oil worldwide. Every released tope matters.

Tap an area to open its fishing map.

Sources & photo credits