Swan Shark Sighting

[john jones]

Yesterday Davo and I fished around Belmont/Maylands.Picked up a couple of bream from snags.We moved over to the jetty below the sandringham hotel.I switched the motor off and drifted for a short distance.I stood up to cast and this Swan River Shark rose to the surface,about a metre from the boat.It had a quick look at us did a 180 and bolted.It looked to be 4 to 5 feet long.

It seems to area for them.

Last time I,ll be dangling my feet in the water.

John.

[Davo]

Yeah that was a spin out....I missed seeing it but saw the size of the water movement it left and knew it had to have been a decent size.

What a glorious morning it was to be out on the swan yesterday.......bugga all wind, calm as waters....just like ocean outlook predicted.....actually it was very pleasent out there all day, just a shame the tide was so low to start with.

Cheers for a great day John...had an absolute ball.

Here's a pic of one of John's

Hey guys.
I'm pretty sure that the Swan River Shark is the same family of sharks as the one that killed that old guys in QLD recently.
It is a Swan River Whaler, or Zambesi Bull Shark.
There have been attacks reported from ascot and there was one recently down south! It is a very viscious shark!

Dave

[Matt Ireland]

hey all
Pretty good chance it would be a bull shark, they're pretty common and can even live in freshwater. If its not then it would probably be a bronze whaler, a close relative of the bull shark as they also frequent rivers and can handle freshwater for awhile.

In fact there was a photo in the local paper last year of a bronze whaler above lismore. Im not sure about how far upriver this is but I know its about 3-4 days canoeing i think its like 220kms upstream (but i might be wrong).

By the way, both of these sharks can be extremely aggresive.

Matt

[wandtheswan]

Hey John nice fish hey.
i got a good flatty yesterday that was about 45cm.
my mate Jeff got a little bream around redcliffe and i hooked up but lost my fish
anyways ill catch up with you guys at the next Wednesday Bream Session with all the bream nuts!!

Wandy!!

[Craig H]

When fishing with bait near the Redcliffe Bridge a few times over the past couple of weeks, I've seen numerous 'large disturbances' in the water... and damn close to the shore as well! Also on a number of occasions, I've had a prawn soaking about 2-3 metres in front of reeds, and something has just swept past, grabbed my bait/line and snapped my Fireline clean as soon as the line straightens/gets tension on it. This has happened about 4 or 5 times and leaves me scratching my head. Would these sharks go for a prawn?

I'll be thinking twice about wading out into the water to retrieve a snagged sneaky next time, haha.

[wandtheswan]

mmmm all them fly fishos will be thinking twice along some reed beds for bream fishing

my dogs wont be swimmin for tennis balls anymore(like putting out live bait for sharkies )
WANDY!!

[torvic]

Craig H,

If I were you I'd set up a mulloway outfit or somehing tanky next time you set out to that place. Use a wire leader or something and who knows what it is!

Never fought a river shark before...do they fight hard or simply swim towards you retain its freedom the easy way?

[Mitch]

1972 was the last recorded attack in the Swan if my sources are correct, a young girl was bitten on the leg infront of the rowing club at Garratt Road Bridge, I think she was either swimming or beside a rowing boat, not sure. A tooth was left inbedded in her leg, a Bull shark was believed to be the culprit.

And regarding what Craig was saying, when Bear and myself saw the school of them a few weeks back, I remember one cruising within 2 metres out from the bank. Considering they would also be scavanging around when not chasing the mullet/bony herring schools no doubt they'd gobble down a prawn if they came across one.

Yeah good point Wandy, won't be taking the shetland for a paddle down at Garvey either! hah :-)

Would it be worth while trying to catch one (a shark). Would you keep it or let it go. do they taste good

hahahaha Mitch you shuld take the shetlands down to the river man, just walk them around and DohDohDohDoh they might even love bream on lures man!

About the sharks, there are plenty of them in the river. Ive caught about 4 myself over the years and seen about 5 or 6 other caught all up. They fight good and a few of them even jumped doing back flips and all.

This one was caught at the casueway a few years ago........

[wandtheswan]

Ira have the river sharks taken softplastics before???
AFRAID TO WADE!!!

WANDY!!

[wandtheswan]

ah iv got kayaking tommorrow arvo
all this is very good for me to take a dip isnt it???
ehheh just poke them in the eye!

[Mitch]

Dude, you ever used a shetland as a casting platform? Can't get much better, it's kinda like fishing from "The Tub"- a true experience. Why use petrol when all you need is a bit of grass and a few carrots to feed your ponies on?

Wicked photo Ira, you got any more?

[bubble]

I had a 10 ft model look at me a couple of weeks ago at the Seaway on the Gold Coast. As you know we have had two fatal attacks in the past month or so....
Scared me so much I spun round smashed my foot against the console and broke a couple of bones in my foot.
They are great fun on light gear and yes you can eat them.....
called Flake down south

Bubble