Species ID

Backdoor_bandit's picture
Backdoor_bandit started the topic in Monday, 1 Apr 2019 at 12:34pm

Howdy gang,

Looking for some info on what this might have been... **Not an April fools joke**

Surfing bells this morning (1/4/19) at around 7.30am when I felt a serious tug at my leg rope.
Felt like something pretty significant was caught, and pulling down. It yanked me hard enough to flop off my board and go under a little.
I popped back up and got the top half of my body back on the board, when I saw this thing 'breach', I guess you would say...
Initially thought it was a dolphin because of the size, then a shark because it seemed skinnier.

However, it was more brown than grey, and when it gave a thrash around to finally release itself after about 5 seconds (felt longer), I got a decent look at its tail, which seemed more like a fanned out fish tail than the split tail of a shark, or flat tail of a dolphin.

Was maybe 1m in length, or bigger. Really hard to say given the brief look, and that I was shitting myself.

Any ideas what this might be?

stunet's picture
stunet's picture
stunet Monday, 1 Apr 2019 at 1:45pm

I wouldn't know a tuna from a tuba, but maybe some of the fishoes on here...?

Blowin's picture
Blowin's picture
Blowin Monday, 1 Apr 2019 at 2:25pm

Did it have breasts and an alluring song ?

carpetman's picture
carpetman's picture
carpetman Monday, 1 Apr 2019 at 2:41pm

Port Jackson?

Brown and spotted, slightly different tail to your "typical" shark. Size about right.

Backdoor_bandit's picture
Backdoor_bandit's picture
Backdoor_bandit Monday, 1 Apr 2019 at 3:41pm

Not a tuba, tuna or Tina unfortunately. Perhaps a Jackson though.

GuySmiley's picture
GuySmiley's picture
GuySmiley Monday, 1 Apr 2019 at 3:52pm

Thresher shark?

goofyfoot's picture
goofyfoot's picture
goofyfoot Monday, 1 Apr 2019 at 7:24pm

Vic Local shark

Rabbits68's picture
Rabbits68's picture
Rabbits68 Monday, 1 Apr 2019 at 10:39pm

“Did it have breasts and an alluring song ?”

Sorry, but that needs to be acknowledged. Brilliant!

fartpaddler's picture
fartpaddler's picture
fartpaddler Friday, 12 Apr 2019 at 11:22am

could have been a 7 gill shark? they are brown(ish) and from what I know from local fishos they are dumb and just bite anything. apparently they are crap to catch because they are like a dead weight when hooked which might explain the heavy pull you felt? also they have a 'fanned out' sort of tail.....

Backdoor_bandit's picture
Backdoor_bandit's picture
Backdoor_bandit Sunday, 14 Apr 2019 at 2:07pm

A google search and close up of the tail makes me think it was defo a 7 gill. Right colour and movements too. Also heard of others around the area having little encounters with them too. Mystery solved I reckon.

eat-your-vegies's picture
eat-your-vegies's picture
eat-your-vegies Sunday, 14 Apr 2019 at 4:44pm

Definitely a massive pointer.
They will have to cancel the bells Beach pro and re schedule it at ulus.

tubeshooter's picture
tubeshooter's picture
tubeshooter Sunday, 14 Apr 2019 at 7:57pm

I've heard better descriptions of a yeti . As a fisho I can't help here .
Any chance it was a seal?