Go Shark Fishing in Cornwall

Cornwall has a reputation as a bit of a hot spot for shark fishing. Around the coast of Cornwall there are a number of sharks and, when you're shark fishing, you're most likely to be catching a porbeagle or blue shark, although you might occasionally see a thresher shark. Basking sharks are also in abundance in the area, but these are watched, not fished.

Overall, 21 species of shark are known to live around the UK waters, of which about 12 are known to live around Cornwall. This means it is possible to encounter quite a few at different times of the year... or even to be in the right place at the right time for a 'one off' spotting of a rare shark.

Although there's increasing reports of people spotting a Great White Shark off the coast of Cornwall, it's never been proven (to date!) and certainly one well-known video was a fake as the owner had video'd the great white shark off the coast of Africa.

That said ... there's plenty of regular sea-going fun to be had from shark fishing in Cornwall. Shark fishing is a day-trip out, in a sea-faring boat, with an experienced captain.

Charter Hire

Most boat owners will let you book the shark fishing boat just for yourselves, as a charter hire. When the boat's not booked for private, charter hire, they charge by the person.

Typical charges per person are £40-60/person, for a whole boat charter for the day you can expect prices to be £250-320.

The shark-fishing season in Cornwall runs from May to November, although it's the temperature of the sea which dictates when shark fishing is possible. Within these months, some of the best shark fishing in Cornwall is from late June through to October.

Some shark fishing is done for you to keep what you catch - but most boat owners operate a "catch and release" policy. Make sure you know what the boat owner expects before you set out, or you could be disappointed if you intended to rush straight home to cook shark steaks on your BarBQ. Remember to take a camera with you to capture your wins!

Most shark fishing trips will be roughly 9am-5pm, although the tide and weather will play a part in these timings.

Questions to Ask About Shark Fishing

To be sure you're getting what you expect from your shark fishing day trip, here are some questions to ask before you book:

• What are the hours we set out/return?
• How far will we travel before fishing, how long will that take?
• Do we get to keep the fish/sharks we catch?
• What sharks, and other fish, are we most likely to catch?
• What clothes/kit should we bring?
• Can we drink alcohol on the boat?

If you're organising a stag party - and you're all keen on fishing, then why not think about going shark fishing for a day as part of your stag do.

With more and more stag parties lasting a whole weekend, it can be a great way to spend a whole day together.

Christian Bier: Shark: Picture of the Year Finalist, 2007Shark