NCKA Member RHYAK on Shark Week tonight

Just happened to turn on Discovery a moment ago and there was a long interview with Ryan (RHYAK) and some in depth analysis of his attack down south last October. Researchers are using DNA analysis to link the shark that attacked Ryan with other attacks in the area. Pretty interesting. The show was called "Return of the Great White Serial Killer" and it should air again later tonight.

I caught an episode last night where they were diving at Guadalupe Island off the Islander!  They followed a shark that was supposedly 20'+ & looked to be preggo.  That thing was a friggin SUBMARINE!

October is a beautiful month for trout fishing in the high Sierra.

I find Shark Week episodes sometimes a little too dramatized for my taste.

Ralph Collier, the top gws researcher, said the shark that attacked Ryan was "over 20ft long" and the largest shark to attack a human, on record. 

If you look past the "drama" involved in making these shows, the footage of the sharks & the research being performed is quite stunning.  I got a good laugh at the 'plexi box' that they built to use to observe the sharks from.  I've seen thicker plexi used in 50 gallon fish tanks  & their use of a bungee cord to latch the door shut was 'pure genius' 

plexyglass, glue and 4,000lb shark should not be used in the same sentance.

I caught an episode last night where they were diving at Guadalupe Island off the Islander!  They followed a shark that was supposedly 20'+ & looked to be preggo.  That thing was a friggin SUBMARINE!

Bit of a threadjack

I have been on a 100 foot plus boat to Guadalupe Island. The GW's were all around the boat constantly. They ALL looked "preggo". Honestly they looked like VW buses with fins!!!  You lost every other 100 pound Yellowfin (well at least half the tuna) to those sharks. The Great Whites are so graceful. One calmly turned to the boat (after we pulled the fish out of her mouth) then clamped ever-so-lightly on the gunwale/bottom of the boat and  sharpened her teeth for awhile...the noise was SCARY !!!

ps  Their bites were surgical ....all of a sudden your fish just got lighter and quit fighting. We ate tons of ground tuna burgers on that trip.

They talked briefly on how the female sharks skin is twice as thick as the male GWS because the male bites the female to secure during mating hence the scars usually found on the head of the larger (14'+) Female GWS.  I was astonished at the number of GWS they had circling the Islander on the show.  At times, at least 7 that they could see & numerous ones that were just shadows below them in the deep water.

  That's 15 min of Fame I will gladly do without....
  gives me the chills..

  That's 15 min of Fame I will gladly do without....
  gives me the chills..

Ditto, I really wish it never happened however, I am extremely grateful that I came out uninjured and I am still able to get back on the plastic and enjoy the water.  This sport to me therapy, I love fishing and grew up on the water with a pole in my hand but kayak fishing the big blue has brought something to me that is not replaceable.

Lots of guys ask how much $$ to be on the show which is a big 0. To me its about getting the facts out there and hopefully finding out if it is really the same shark that keeps returning to Surf Beach that is so close to home for me.

 I think it's incredible that you are still stoked to head back out to the salt. Being featured on Shark Week is pretty cool too.
 

I see that episode airs again tomorrow. I missed it before and wanted to see it.

Hey man, you survived an attack by the biggest baddest predator in the world! That puts you on the same level as Chuck Norris in my book.