Sharks
Sharks can be found along the New Jersey coast. The most common shark species in our waters are the Blue Shark, Mako Shark, and Tiger Shark. Although there are other species of sharks in the Atlantic, they are much rarer to see. Shark fishing is for the experienced "Big Game" fisher. They can be very aggressive when reeled in.
Although we don't fish for sharks on our NJ Party Boat, The Big Mohawk, we do see them.
Blue Shark
The Blue Shark is the most common shark found off our coast. They prefer cool to temperate waters. Larger mammals are not the common prey for Blues. They prefer to trail shrimp boats and whaling boats, feeding on waste and bait discards. However, they are one of the most aggressive sharks when aggitated.
Mako Shark
There are two versions of the Mako, the longfin and the shortfin. The shortfin mako is the the more common species found in our waters. It will often hunt inshore, making it prey to boat captains and charter fishing trips. The mako ranks among the most dangerous of sharks. Only experienced sport fisherman should try landing a mako. The mako becomes furious when hooked, and will jump 20 to 30 feet out of the water. They are even known to ram or leap into the boat.
Tiger Shark
Tiger Sharks prowl both the inshore and open waters of the Atlantic, making their way north as the waters warm. They are possessed of a relentless drive to attack and eat any easily available prey and are not overly discriminating. This makes them extremely dangerous to swimmers, as they will prowl the shallow shore waters. The Tiger Shark will eat anything, even inedible materials such as nuts and bolts or license plates. Tiger Sharks may try to ram or jump into the boat before they are even hooked, in an attempt to get to the chum that is being released. These eating machines should also be left to the professional sport fisherman.
Here is some information for those of you interested in scientific terms and additional details:
Blue Shark
Family: Carcharhinidae
Genus and Species: Prionace glauca
Description: Blue sharks are light-bodied with long pectoral fins. The top of the body is deep blue, lighter on the sides, and the underside is white. They can grow to 12.5 feet or more.
Shortfin Mako Shark
Family: Lamnidae
Genus and Species: Isurus oxyrinchus
Description: The shortfin mako shark is a sleek spindle shaped shark with a long conical snout. This shark has short pectoral fins and a crescent shaped tail. Its second dorsal fin is much smaller than the first. The teeth are slender and slightly curved, and are visible even when the mouth is closed. Dorsally it is a metallic indigo blue while ventrally it is white. Its size ranges from 6 to 9.2 feet.
Tiger Shark
Family: Carcharhinidae
Genus and Species: Galeocerdo cuvier
Description: Tiger sharks are the fourth largest predatory sharks, growing up to 14 feet in length. A tiger shark can be easily identified by its dark stripes, which are similar to a tiger pattern. These stripes do lighten with maturity. Its dorsal fins are distinctly close to its tail. Its color ranges from blue to light green with a white or light yellow underbelly.