If you plan to catch a shark, you need to own or find a 35- to 40-foot boat with enough deck space to stow your gear and handle bulky shark carcasses.

The Typical Shark-Fishing Vessel has:

• A longline winch forward or amidship
• A weatherproof deck with self-bailing scuppers
• A boom with block tackle for hoisting the sharks aboard.

For large shark fishing, take the following:

• A 9/0 Penn reel or equivalent
• 120-pound test line
• 80-pound International Gamefishes Association rod

For smaller sharks, take this:

• A stout 5- to 6-foot boat pole
• 50-pound test line
• A standard reel (not spinning) capable of handling 200 yards of 50-pound test

Tips on Preserving Shark Meat

Proven Recipes for Shark

Handling & Cleaning Shark