Sharking trip pretty slick for a first-timer

August 13, 2009 By TOM SCHLICHTER Special to Newsday

'Can you believe this slop?" Paul "Pablo" Peluso asked incredulously as we powered through Moriches Inlet and pointed our bow toward a series of submerged ridges known as The Fingers, some 20 miles southeast. "The weatherman called for one- to two-foot waves; these are four- to six-footers."

The ocean forecast also called for partly sunny skies, but a heavy blanket of low-lying clouds draped the horizon. Still, the resolve of Peluso, from Mastic Beach; Chris "Napster" Nappe, of Aquebogue; and my 17-year-old son, Ryan, remained undampened as we pushed offshore in search of shark.

Setting up a drift in 72-degree water, we quickly established a chum slick and deployed two Penn 50's plus a Shimamo 30 setup. Ryan, on his first sharking trip, was to be first up as Peluso and Nappe arranged the baits under balloon floats at 30, 60 and 80 feet below the surface.

With the spread out, Nappe noted the shark bite some days is nearly predictable.

"We'll probably get a hit between 8 and 9 a.m., a second one around 10 a.m., and then another one or two between 2 and 2:30 p.m.," he said.

It was 8:45 a.m. when the middle rod, sporting a skipjack bait, ticked off a slow click, click, click. Peluso grabbed the pole, set the hook and passed off to Ryan, who proceeded to crank in a feisty 50-pound Mako that we released.

Right on cue at 9:58, the same reel went off again. I passed on my turn, opting to give Ryan a second shot, and in short order a 65-pound mako was de-hooked and released.

As we waited for a third chance, Peluso expounded on a couple of simple ways he tries to tip the odds in his favor when sharking.

"We use bunker oil to add extra potency to our slick," he said, "and we keep the slick unbroken at all times - even while refilling the chum bag. We also like to use skipjack for bait as it really excites the Makos."

At 2 p.m., the deep rod screamed. Nappe grabbed the stick and graciously passed his chance to Ryan. This time an 80-pound brown was at the end of the line, making for a tougher fight and a third release.

The day's last strike, as predicted, came around 2:30 p.m. This time, Peluso responded - and again passed the rod to our first-time sharker, who needed 15 minutes and a bit of muscle to wrestle the 180-pound brown to the boat for release.

In the cockpit, heading home, it was hard to tell who seemed most satisfied with a great day on the water: Peluso and Nappe, who had given up their turns on the rod to christen a new offshore angler, or my son, who had whipped a pair each of Makos and browns on his first sharking trip.

There was little doubt, however, as to whose arms were most tired.

Also I found this fascinating Shark tracking GPS study