In fact, it was done three times this year by the cast and crew of Expedition Great White, a National Geographic show that follows avid billfish angler and TV fishing personality Chris Fischer.

The crew hooked, subdued and tagged white sharks with special radio antennae by hand for tracking purposes, took DNA samples, and measurements for research. Seems that once Fischer and his crew hooked and landed the first fish he immediately called his friends at the IGFA and asked them what the largest fish ever caught and released alive was. Their figures suggested somewhere in the 2000 pound range on recreational tackle. The first white shark they had on board was estimated...

 ...by length and girth to weigh approximately 4,600 pounds.

Not many people catch great white sharks on fly rods - except maybe by mistake like our friend Conway Bowman. Something tells me that if Bowman hooked one of these bad boys there's nothing a wimpy little fairy wand is gonna do. I know, this isn't really a fly fishing related piece of news, but I couldn't resist the video, and hopefully their research will help these magnificent endangered species and possibly other large pelagic fish out in the long run.

TR

Comments (18)

from buckhunter wrote 2 years 23 weeks ago

I am pretty sure I saw that ship docked in San Diego a few weeks ago...

I can't wait to catch the entire NatGeo show.

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from jlyon.24 wrote 2 years 23 weeks ago

Awesome

+3 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from Judd McCullum wrote 2 years 23 weeks ago

That's one of the cooler things I've seen lately.

+2 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from jeffo52284 wrote 2 years 23 weeks ago

cant wait to see the full show. i saw a great white at the monterey bay aquarium they are amazing creatures.

+2 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from Mike Diehl wrote 2 years 23 weeks ago

Badum bump bump badum bump bump badum bump bump....

I think they need a bigger boat.

+5 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from MLH wrote 2 years 23 weeks ago

Fishing for National Geographic. What a gig.

+2 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from Jere Smith wrote 2 years 23 weeks ago

Trurly an amazing catch.

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from seadog wrote 2 years 23 weeks ago

To Mike D: somebody had to do it. Couldn't let this story go by without a Jaws joke. If you hadn't, I would'a.

+1 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from Kim wrote 2 years 23 weeks ago

wow, 4600 pounds! That's like 2 and 1/4 tons of sleek beauty and teeth, AMAZING!

+2 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from RJ Arena wrote 2 years 23 weeks ago

My hat is off to them. I could not get that close to a living white.

+1 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from jbird wrote 2 years 23 weeks ago

AWESOME! I want to see that show!

+1 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from 86Ram wrote 2 years 23 weeks ago

WOW!

+1 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from coho310 wrote 2 years 23 weeks ago

I rmember reading in Sport Fishing Magazine that a 3,000+ great white was once caught, but not officially cosidered as a record because the angler tied his boat up to a dead whale(I'll bet that smelled nice!)and fished for the sharks already feeding on the carcass. But congratulations to Mr. Bowman, nice fish! I've heard about this show and I think it sounds great, I need to get Nat Geo!

+1 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from fflutterffly wrote 2 years 23 weeks ago

you guys actually think this is cool to drag and 'beach' this shark? And I hope your comments about Bowman were in jest. Have you ever gone out with Conway? I don't even think 3/4 or even 7/8 of the people on this blog know who Conway is and the great job he does tracking and hooking shark on the fly! This isn't fly fishing, it isn't shark fishing... It's research with research boats, gear and tactics.

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from stick500 wrote 2 years 23 weeks ago

wonder who made that hook?

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from aragonnapoles wrote 2 years 23 weeks ago

Anyway fflutterffly;that research is amazing.

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from Mike Diehl wrote 2 years 23 weeks ago

"So, you're in sharks..."

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from fflutterffly wrote 2 years 23 weeks ago

yes Aragonnapoles research is amazing and of great interest to me, but don't equate it to fly fishing or guiding for sharks.

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from Mike Diehl wrote 2 years 23 weeks ago

Badum bump bump badum bump bump badum bump bump....

I think they need a bigger boat.

+5 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from buckhunter wrote 2 years 23 weeks ago

I am pretty sure I saw that ship docked in San Diego a few weeks ago...

I can't wait to catch the entire NatGeo show.

+4 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from jlyon.24 wrote 2 years 23 weeks ago

Awesome

+3 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from Judd McCullum wrote 2 years 23 weeks ago

That's one of the cooler things I've seen lately.

+2 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from jeffo52284 wrote 2 years 23 weeks ago

cant wait to see the full show. i saw a great white at the monterey bay aquarium they are amazing creatures.

+2 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from MLH wrote 2 years 23 weeks ago

Fishing for National Geographic. What a gig.

+2 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from Jere Smith wrote 2 years 23 weeks ago

Trurly an amazing catch.

+2 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from Kim wrote 2 years 23 weeks ago

wow, 4600 pounds! That's like 2 and 1/4 tons of sleek beauty and teeth, AMAZING!

+2 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from seadog wrote 2 years 23 weeks ago

To Mike D: somebody had to do it. Couldn't let this story go by without a Jaws joke. If you hadn't, I would'a.

+1 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from RJ Arena wrote 2 years 23 weeks ago

My hat is off to them. I could not get that close to a living white.

+1 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from jbird wrote 2 years 23 weeks ago

AWESOME! I want to see that show!

+1 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from 86Ram wrote 2 years 23 weeks ago

WOW!

+1 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from coho310 wrote 2 years 23 weeks ago

I rmember reading in Sport Fishing Magazine that a 3,000+ great white was once caught, but not officially cosidered as a record because the angler tied his boat up to a dead whale(I'll bet that smelled nice!)and fished for the sharks already feeding on the carcass. But congratulations to Mr. Bowman, nice fish! I've heard about this show and I think it sounds great, I need to get Nat Geo!

+1 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from fflutterffly wrote 2 years 23 weeks ago

you guys actually think this is cool to drag and 'beach' this shark? And I hope your comments about Bowman were in jest. Have you ever gone out with Conway? I don't even think 3/4 or even 7/8 of the people on this blog know who Conway is and the great job he does tracking and hooking shark on the fly! This isn't fly fishing, it isn't shark fishing... It's research with research boats, gear and tactics.

0 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from stick500 wrote 2 years 23 weeks ago

wonder who made that hook?

0 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from aragonnapoles wrote 2 years 23 weeks ago

Anyway fflutterffly;that research is amazing.

0 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from Mike Diehl wrote 2 years 23 weeks ago

"So, you're in sharks..."

0 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from fflutterffly wrote 2 years 23 weeks ago

yes Aragonnapoles research is amazing and of great interest to me, but don't equate it to fly fishing or guiding for sharks.

0 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

Post a Comment

 

All submitted comments are subject to the rules set forth in our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.