Please, you live in New England and it looks like nuclear winter out there. Your boat is hauled, the temperature is in single digits and the wind is gusting to 45 mph. Even the saltwater bays are frozen over. Let's face it, as the wind chill plummets to -40f, the last place you want to be is "on the water."

Do not think for a moment that the commercial long-liners would let a little weather get in the way. It's great fishing this time of year or so I am told. My friend Chris Jensen, a research biologist contracting to the NMFS, just got back from 6 weeks at sea. He was aboard a 150 foot long-liner fishing near the Grand Banks. Chris called to let me know that the long-liner had landed several huge Porbeagles sharks among the hundreds of smaller fish. The average size porbeagle landed on the trip ranged from 250 to 350 pounds but two of the largest tipped the scales at 611 and 613 pounds. Had either of the sharks been caught on rod and reel under IGFA rules, there would be a new "all-tackle" world record (it currently stands at 507 pounds). Shark tagging research indicates that the porbeagle sharks found on the Grand Banks are also present in our waters during the late spring and early summer months. The size of these two fish helps confirm my belief that we have a world-class record breaking fishery in our own back yard.

While most inshore anglers are unaware of the Porbeagle shark, there is a growing number of offshore fisherman learning to catch these elusive deep water predators. Last June the Boston Big Game Fishing Club hosted its 1st annual Porbeagle Shark Fishing Tournament from Scituate Harbor, Massachusetts. The tournament was the very first US tournament to specifically target porbeagle sharks. The tournament winner, Peter Sprague, landed a 234 pound porbeagle from his 25 foot Boston Whaler named "Reel Wicked." Several other vessels landed fish or released fish at boat side during the one day event.

It was only a few years ago when my friend Capt. Tom King stopped in for a chat about boats, fish and fishermen (the ongoing theme for most of us). As we reminisced, I told a "true" story about a fish that grabbed my hooked cod just feet under the boat. It swam off with such power and speed that it almost wrenched the rod from my hands. I feared my cod rod would snap in half as I lodged it against the gunwale trying to prevent it from going overboard. Finally the star drag was eased off and I moved the rod to the bow mounted fighting chair. Moments later the line went slack with only the weight of the cod jig and teaser. Every year I had encounters of this nature mostly during the month of June. Each time the fish would somehow break off without revealing its identity. Most of the time the teaser and the expensive Norwegian jig were lost. On one occasion I was left with half a cod and could clearly see the tooth marks of a large shark. Tom convinced me that these were not just blue sharks as I had assumed, but rather the lesser known porbeagle shark.

Learning about the porbeagle is not as easy as learning about other fish indigenous to New England waters. Very little is published about them. The other problem is that there is a dearth of local knowledge as few fishermen know how, when and where to catch them. In the paragraphs that follow, I hope to provide some basic knowledge and proven techniques to help you catch one of the finest big game trophies in New England.

The scientific name for porbeagle is Lamna nasus. It belongs to the family LAMNIDAE that also includes the shortfin mako, longfin mako, white shark and pacific salmon shark. Commercial fishermen often call the porbeagle a "fako" because it so closely resembles the mako. Porbeagles are also commonly referred to as the mackerel shark.

The porbeagle looks similar to a fat brownish-blue mako and is frequently incorrectly identified as a mako. As compared to a mako, the most obvious differentiated physical features of a porbeagle include a slightly turned up nose, larger black eyes, a somewhat tattered dorsal fin and smaller teeth with double cusplets. The porbeagle has two lateral keels on the caudal base where the mako has just one. Additionally, the porbeagle has a small white patch on the trailing base of the dorsal fin. In the water, the whitish colored patch on the dorsal fin can be fairly pronounced and quickly identifies a shark as a porbeagle.

One of the most interesting aspects of the porbeagle is its ability to sustain a body temperature higher than the surrounding water. This "warm-bodied" or thermo-regulating capability allows the porbeagle to sustain an internal body temperature up to 18 degrees warmer than the surrounding sea water. This physiological adaptation helps the porbeagle to thrive in the cold deep waters of New England.

Ongoing scientific research indicates that male porbeagle sharks reach sexual maturity in their seventh year at approximately six foot fork length and roughly 175 pounds in weight. Sexual maturity for the female porbeagle is thought to occur at age fourteen after obtaining a fork length of seven feet and a weight ranging from 270 to 320 pounds. Female porbeagles give live birth to a litter ranging from one to five pups. Studies indicate that either gender may live up to 30 years. Porbeagles swim in several of the world's oceans inhabiting waters ranging from approximately 35§f to 60§f. Here in the Western North Atlantic, porbeagles are known to range from New Jersey to Newfoundland and beyond. However, they are only found in large numbers from Massachusetts North.

Porbeagle sharks frequently hunt their prey in small packs preferring cold deep waters (40 to 70 fathoms). They prey on the large schools of mackerel and herring following their migrations through Massachusetts waters in late May and continuing through July. The return migration begins in late Autumn and continues into the early winter months. Several other ground species including cod, cusk, hake, flounder and squid are also favorite food items for the porbeagle.

Here in Massachusetts bay, you can find porbeagle sharks in 200 to 300 feet of water east of Stellwagen Bank. They can also be found off the waters of New Hampshire near Jeffrey's Ledge. I am confident that there are numerous other locations throughout the Gulf of Maine that can provide excellent porbeagle shark fishing as well.

You are probably asking yourself, so why haven't I seen these hordes of hungry sharks? Most likely, it's because you have not been in the right spot at the right time or maybe you have had an encounter and were not aware of it. Consider the fact that porbeagles prefer cold deep water and they prey on several species of ground fish. As you reel fish up from the depths, you are ringing the diner bell for porbeagle sharks. If you have ever reeled a cod halfway up to the boat and suddenly felt the line break, it may not have been the line or your knot that failed. Porbeagles are notorious for biting off cod as anglers reel them up from deep water.

You can use live bait, dead bait or even troll for porbeagles. However, I have found cod fishing and porbeagle shark fishing complement one another. On a typical day of porbeagle shark fishing, I leave the Scituate docks shortly after sunrise then steam off to my favorite cod fishing grounds east of Stellwagen Bank. Upon arrival, I shut off the engines, begin drifting and request that my crew start jigging for cod. In my opinion, the most important strategy for luring porbeagles to the boat is keeping the cod rods busy. As cod is reeled from the deep water to the surface, a virtual conveyor belt is created which attracts sharks. Porbeagles prefer deep water but it's common to lure them to the surface as they attempt to snatch a hooked cod. As short cod are released back into the water, they too attract porbeagle sharks on their return trip to the bottom. I often wonder if the short cod reach their destination or are picked off as they swim the gauntlet of hungry predators.

A five gallon bucket of chum is hung over the side to help sweeten up the water around the boat. My chum consists of either ground mackerel or ground herring. I mix lots of menhaden oil into the chum as its being ground up to help improve the overall potency of the mix. While some people will argue that chum is not necessary, I believe it helps keep porbeagles around the boat after they chase a cod up from the depths. I also use a Mako Magnet, by S-Squared Instruments, which emits a low frequency vibration designed to mimic the distress noises of injured fish.

My shark rods are 50-130 pound standup rods from Versitex with single speed Penn International 50TW reels. The reels are loaded up with 80 pound test white dacron line. I prefer dacron over monofilament because it's easier to manage and I like the white color for its high visibility (the sharks do not seem to mind). The line is terminated with a 12 foot double line and a bimini twist. A large 600 pound snap swivel is then attached to the double line. I use a shark leader consisting of approximately eight feet of cable with a crimped offshore loop on one end and an oversized barrel swivel crimped to the other end. The oversized swivel is easy to hold onto and will allow the wire man to control the fish more easily as it comes boat side. The lower section of the leader is made up from a six foot section of single strand #15 wire that is attached to the barrel swivel with a haywire twist. I use a 12/0 Mustad 3407 shark hook that is also attached with a haywire twist. While the overall length of the leader may seem in excess, I have found that it's far better to have too much leader than too little as fishing line (dacron or mono) is easily cut if it contacts the rough skin of a shark. Additionally, the end of the leader and the hook is cut away every time a shark is released. Therefore, the leader length is shortened by approximately six inches after each release. After the lower section of the leader is reduced to a couple feet, it is replaced with a new six foot section of single strand wire.

The hook is baited with a whole dead mackerel. Take extra care to hide the hook inside the body of the mackerel but make sure the hook point is exposed. Porbeagles can be finicky when it comes to grabbing your bait. Sometimes the mackerel's head is removed and sometimes I soak the entire bait in menhaden oil. Both of these tactics put extra scent into the water which help entice a strike. Dog fish seem to have a real fancy for headless mackerel and will often riddle them to the bone. If dogfish are present, I stop using the menhaden oil and leave the mackerel's head intact. I have two other tactics when dealing with dogfish, either move the baits higher in the water column or move the boat to a new location.

Although I have seen porbeagle strikes at various depths, I have concluded that most strikes occur either close to the bottom or very near the surface. With this in mind, I set baits at approximately 15 feet and 50 feet up from the bottom. I also keep another rod set up with a pitch bait for the porbeagle that suddenly appears at the surface. To see a large porbeagle swim freely under the boat is wildly exciting. Its presence can induce crazed yelling, general pandemonium and a frenzied primal competition for the optimum viewing location. When this happens, stay focused. You won't want to waste a moment in getting the pitch bait out to the fish as it's not likely to stay around the boat for very long.

A 16 ounce lead weight is used to sink the bait to the appropriate depth and is attached to the leader with a rubber band. Additional weight may be necessary when the drift is fast or under high wind conditions. Sometimes a sea anchor is used when the wind and sea conditions are real bad. Be cautioned as sea anchors, chum and sharks don't mix well. If the chum builds up inside the sea anchor, it will look like Swiss cheese after the blue sharks are done with it. On my boat, the chum often comes in if the sea anchor goes out.

After the bait reaches its appropriate depth, a balloon is tied onto a loop in the dacron line in such a way that it pops off when a shark grabs the bait. The balloons are drifted away from the boat at a distance of approximately 25 and 75 feet (depending on sea conditions). This helps prevent entanglement of the shark baits and also keeps them away from the cod jigs that are flying around under the boat.

The reel is set with just enough drag tension to prevent free spooling as the balloons bob up and down in the waves. Porbeagles are notorious for picking up the bait and then dropping it when the leader or line tension is felt. This has earned them the reputation for being difficult to bait.

An e- mail from Dave P. in Maine. Hello Tom, Porbeagles were certainly around last Saturday. I had six big ones (7-8 footers) run off with the bait, but couldn't get a hook into any one of them! They were swimming off slowly, holding the bait gently in their mouths. Each time I started to reel, they would drop it...then follow it back to the boat! Talk about frustrating, and exiting. The baits had double rows of teeth marks, just small punctures. Deanna saved the day at least, taking a picture to prove I'm not full of shit, or just dreaming.

After you get a pickup and the reel begins to sing, try to resist the temptation to set the hook immediately. Porbeagles have tough jaws and a puzzling ability to avoid hooks. They often swim off with the bait without swallowing it. I like to set the hook after they have stopped their initial run.

Setting the hook entails slowly reeling up the slack line until you feel the weight of the fish. Then with several strong quick tugs, set the hook as if you are driving it through a piece of leather. If the fish doesn't become hooked, sometimes you can invite another strike by slowly reeling the bait toward the surface.

Immediately following the pickup, all the rods need to be cleared including any other shark rods. If you leave a rod down, you are almost sure to end up in an entanglement with the hooked shark. A hooked porbeagle usually makes an impressive run into deep water. Unlike the unpredictable mako shark, the porbeagle usually fights from deep water directly under the boat swimming in a circular motion. They are powerful fish capable of giving a formidable battle for an extended period of time. The average fight may last around twenty minutes but be prepared as you could be on for hours if that world record monster grabs your bait.

The decision to release or take the fish needs to be made long before the shark is at boat side. If you do not intend to eat the fish release it! Although the porbeagle population appears to be healthy here in the Western North Atlantic, tagging information is still very sparse. I encourage you to tag any porbeagle not destined for the dinner table. Tags are available from: NMFS, Apex Predators Program, 28 Tarzwell Drive, Narragansett, RI 02882 401-782-3320.

Handling a large shark at boat side can be dangerous and a little tricky. I like to have two people involved in addition to the angler when releasing a shark. After the fish is at boat side, the angler steps back from the gunwale allowing the wireman to grab the leader. The drag pressure on the reel is reduced to help prevent the line from breaking and the angler from being launched overboard if the wireman suddenly drops the fish. The angler also has the responsibility of taking up the line to the leader and keeping the rod tip up in the air to prevent the leader from twisting around anyone or anything. After the large barrel swivel is in hand, you can tag the fish and then cut the leader just above the hook. Be cautious, if the sharks bites your hand it most likely won't let go!

In 1999, the NMFS adopted new guidelines that allow one shark per vessel per day with a minimum fork length of 4.5 feet. A porbeagle that measures 4.5 feet is likely to weigh no more than 70 pounds. If you intend to land a porbeagle, I encourage you to release the small ones and target fish that are six feet or longer and weigh 175 pounds or more. What ever size shark you feel is appropriate, I ask that you take only what you intend to eat.

When landing a porbeagle, I prefer a cockpit harpoon over a fly gaff or straight gaff. A well-placed dart behind the dorsal fin will allow you to gain quick control. After the fish is tail roped, I cleat off the line mid-ship and allow the shark to succumb to oxygen deprivation. You can bleed the shark if you desire, but it's not a necessity.

If your vessel lacks a transom door and you are not equipped with a block and tackle you can still lift a porbeagle into the cockpit. Tail rope the shark mid-ship, make a lasso from a dock line (place the bitter end through the spliced loop), and then put the lasso over the shark's head and one pectoral fin. As you pull on the line the lasso tightens around the shark and won't slip. A heavy shark can be inched out of the water and into your boat with one person lifting with a gaff and with others pulling on the rope. Once aboard, an empty five gallon bucket can be secured over the shark's head (a shark muzzle) to prevent a bite injury.

Porbeagles make excellent table fair and taste similar to mako and sword fish. Processing a porbeagle entails gutting the fish and then removing the head, tail and fins. The back bone and blood line are removed and then the fish is cut into quarters. I like to allow the meat to sit for a full day while under refrigeration or on ice. The texture of the flesh seems to improve as the meat relaxes. The shark quarters are cut into inch thick steaks with the skin intact, just like sword fish. Prepare the steaks by marinating them in a Caesar's salad dressing. Grill them on high heat until golden brown or use your favorite sword fish recipe.

I consider the porbeagle a big game trophy and feel privileged each time I encounter one. I hope every angler that reads this article will develop a similar level of admiration for this magnificent predator. Good luck with your fishing and keep an open eye for a world record porbeagle swimming under your boat.