All species
UK shore species
Tope
Galeorhinus galeus
Also School shark
Nightledger
Habitat
A few known beaches and estuary mouths with depth and baitfish. Not a general ‘any beach’ fish.
Season
Peak: Jun · Jul · Aug · Sep
Also possible: May · Jun · Jul · Aug · Sep · Oct
A proper shark from the shore on a handful of UK beaches and estuary mouths. They run, they take a whole fish bait, and they deserve to go back. Many anglers tag them.
- A true shark outline, not a catshark
- Long snout, large crescent mouth
- A large dorsal, a second smaller dorsal, a notched tail
- Even grey-bronze, no catshark spots
Shore fish from a small ‘school’ tope of 10 lb to fish well over 30 lb. Anything from the beach is a result.
- Colour
- Even bronze-grey, pale belly, no spots.
- Fins
- Tall first dorsal, crescent tail with a notch.
- Mouth
- Long snout, cutting teeth.
Ranked for this species, not as a universal law. Local crab runs and what is actually fresh matter more.
- MackerelA thin strip on a small hook; a side on a Pennel; a whole fish on a running tope rig.Strong target
- SandeelHead-hooked so it swims, or a Pennel through the head and the middle. Bind if you are casting far.Strong target
- HerringA side on a Pennel, bound. Whole on a tope clip.Good target
- SquidA strip on a flapper; a whole small squid or a wrap over fish on a Pennel.Possible target
- Fish-finder rigA running lead on a zip-slider so a big bait sits away from the weight. The usual tope and big-ray running rig.Intermediate
- Pennel rigTwo hooks on one bait — one in the head, one in the body. The way to fish a crab, a squid wrap or a big worm.Intermediate
- Running ledgerThe lead slides on the line so a shy fish does not feel the weight. Simple and sensitive close in.Beginner
Hooks: 6/0–10/0, strong. A wire trace.