'It was pretty hair-raising stuff. I had been sitting there for about four hours before I felt a huge pull on the line and my canoe suddenly shot off through the water'


By Stephanie Darrall


Catch of the day: Rupert Kirkwood had been fishing a mile off the coast of Ilfracombe, North Devon, in his 16ft kayak when he hooked the five-stone shark


A vet fishing from a kayak was dragged half a mile out to sea after hooking a 6ft shark.

Rupert Kirkwood, 51, was towed around for 15 minutes after a 70lb Tope after it took his bait and headed for the deep.

He had been fishing a mile off the coast of Ilfracombe, North Devon, in his 16ft kayak when he hooked the five-stone shark.


'It was pretty hair-raising stuff. I had been sitting there for about four hours before I felt a huge pull on the line and my canoe suddenly shot off through the water.

'These creatures are known to do a runner and it's just like Jaws - the line flew off the reel. I just had to hold on and wait for it to tire. Eventually it did, and I was able to lean in the water and pull it on board.

'You have to handle them very carefully and I nestled my hand under the tail and pectoral fin before landing it.

'The weight was incredible. I had to be extra careful as one snap of the jaws and I could easily lose a finger or hand.

'It was thrashing around on the canoe before eventually becoming quite still.'

The self-professed 'wildlife nut' and conservationist regularly sits in his canoe and fishes for mackerel as well as bird spotting.

Father-of-four Rupert, who also works as a farm vet, has been canoe fishing for around ten years and landed the beast using mackerel bait.

The Tope was released back into the water unharmed. Rupert added: 'It was thrilling to catch something that big and knocks spots off anything I have landed before.

'It was amazing to catch such a large specimen and was a real rush.'

He told the Western Morning News he had been sitting on the sea off Ilfracombe in poor weather for four hours without a bite when he felt a 'great tug' on the line.

Mr Kirkwood, from Holsworthy, Devon, has been fishing using the small kayak for around 10 years.

His adventures on the boat have seen him paddle the entire coastline of Cornwall and part of the north Devon coastline. He has also used it to sail from Cornwall across to the Isles of Scilly, a distance of 28 miles.

The Tope shark, or school shark, can grow to more than 6ft in length and weigh more than seven stone.

They are found all around the world and generally live further out into the sea but can come in close to the shore. They sometimes live in small schools and are listed as a vulnerable species.

The shark Mr Kirkwood caught was later released unharmed.
Shark experts have predicted that great white sharks will soon be spotted in British waters.

President of the Shark Trust Richard Peirce said the waters off the coast of the UK are an ideal hunting ground for great white sharks, who are already 'occasional vagrant visitors'.

He said it is only a matter of time until his theory that the predators visit British shores is verified.

The shark expert has investigated more than 80 reported sightings of great whites in British waters over the last 14 years but only seven were found to be credible.

Fishermen in Cornwall have reported great whites sticking their heads out of the water, known as 'spy-hopping'.

Fishermen on three different boats described a sighting of a great white within three weeks of one another.

Angler Richard Kirkwood poses with the 6ft Tope which towed him through the sea off the Devon coast for 15 minutes

Caught: The shark dragged Rupert Kirkwood half a mile out to sea before he was able to haul it out of the water


source:dailymail