Tope

Tope are a type of shark with a long streamline body and a mouth full of razor sharp teeth that prey upon fish as its main diet.
They can grow up to 6ft and weigh up to 100LB the current shore record is around 77lb.
Tope are a hard fighting fish and well regarded by anglers for giving such a good account for themselves. Make sure when you fish for tope to let them take the bait and start running with it before you set the hook.

Rigs:
Pulley rig: 100lb rig body & 150lb mono trace or a wire trace on the end leading to a 6/0-8/0 hook .
Running ledger: 100lb rig body & 150lb mono trace or wire trace on the end leading to a 6/0-8/0 hook.

Baits:
Mackerel: Whole fillet hooked through once and whipped up.

Flounder: Probably the best bait for Tope have a whole or half a flounder whipped up and hook through once and whip on hook shank.

Pouting /small codling / poor cod/ whiting/ herring: All good baits either fillet and whip up and hook once and then whip up the hook shank to keep attached or whole small fish with hook through lower jaw up and out the top then hook behind the head and out and whip shank into place.


Grounds:
Tope love nothing more than fast flowing water and sand running onto rocks where they can chase prey and corner them, they will also stalk gulley’s in sand banks preying on fish travelling and feeding in these areas.
Tope can be caught also over mixed ground or areas that contain a lot of flat fish like flounder, dab and plaice etc.