Dogfish is a prevalent species discovered all across the UK, especially in areas such as the south and west coasts of the British Isles. Depending on the type, you can also spot them in the Mediterranean, where they are known as Portuguese Dogfish or black Dogfish.

It has a long tan or light brown body peppered with dark, small spots with two set-back dorsal fins. Unlike other species of British sharks with rays, segments or spines in their fins, the Dogfish doesn't have any, only five-gill slits on either side of their body. They are known for laying eggs in pouches.

Anglers have the luxury of spotting and catching an abundance of Dogfish, as they are willing to snap up any bait you offer on your rig. 

Whilst this is great for those wanting to catch or tag them; however, they can also be perceived as a pest species as they often seize the bait meant for much larger species or those highly regarded among skippers and anglers.

Dogfish live and feed in shallow waters close to the seabed; they are pretty unfussy scavengers, eating anything they can find whilst hunting day and night on shellfish, fish, worms, prawns and crustaceans. 

They can be found in the UK in shallow water, barely venturing deeper than fifty metres, and mostly preferring mixed or sandy ground. Dogfish has large populations throughout the Mediterranean, in Scandinavian waters and on the coast of Northern Africa. 

Bull Huss sharks come from a family of sharks predominantly discovered on Britain's Southern and Western coasts. Yet they aren't as commonly found in our seas as Dogfish, as they grow too much greater sizes, which is why anglers highly regard Bull Huss.

The Bull Huss is a long species with large yellowy-brown spots across its body. Most acquainted with deeper water, they feed at night, spending plenty of their hunt searching for small fish, cuttlefish and sand-eels.

Yet spend plenty of days hidden on the seabed, seemingly asleep or in the cracks and crevices of rocks whilst waiting for marine worms, shellfish, crabs and prawns to feast on. Like Dogfish, they birth their young in protective egg cases known as mermaid's purses. 

You can discover Spurdog sharks in deep waters across the UK; however, when hunting to feed, they often move into more shallow water, especially when in close proximity to a shore angler. 

Spurdogs are slender grey-brown species of shark that sometimes have white spots; they also possess two distinctive dorsal fins to contain spikes of venom.

Spurdog searches for bottom-dwelling fish or those that linger or inhabit the seabed, such as cod and flatfish. Some may venture into the midwater during the summer, looking to feed on sand eels, sprats and herring, as these are most abundant when the weather and waters are warmer.

There is evidence that shows how spurdogs will move around in groups referred to as shoals to cover much large distances when hunting for food. The spurdog is a venomous fish and one of the few found in the UK, alongside weever fish and stingrays, that can cause damage to humans. 

On summer nights, you may encounter spurdogs swimming slowly underneath the water's surface. 

Whilst slim, Tope is a mighty species and highly prized by numerous skippers and anglers across the UK and various other countries for its prestige and immense fighting power.

It keeps a greyish upper body with a brownish tinge, a white stomach and a notched tail. Its two dorsal fins and powerful pectoral fins make for an intimidating feat, paired with a mouth full of small sharp teeth.

Tope tend to fish on a broad range of fish, including pouting, dab, flounder, herring, tuna and mackerel, alongside the occasional crustaceans and squid. You can successfully catch smaller forms of Tope from the British shores, yet larger topes are generally caught by anglers each year whilst boat fishing. 

The smooth-hound shark possesses a large and slightly smaller dorsal fin, pointed snout and prominent eyes.

Due to its diet of primarily shellfish, molluscs and crustaceans, its mouth consists of crushing plates compared to the sharp fang-like teeth we are typically used to seeing. It gained the nickname "gummy shark" because it almost appears to have no teeth.

Anglers and skippers have typically discovered its most prominent distribution existing around the South and West of England. Whilst of a small population, its range gradually increases over the years. 

The sleek-bodied blue shark has a pointed snout, long tailfin and large eyes, with a dark blue back that blends in with the water. It is a widely distributed species in oceans and seas worldwide, yet conservationists have uncovered that they are absent from polar and arctic regions.

They generally swim through deeper water, searching for prey like squid, shoaling fish and other smaller fish. Blue sharks are quite the nomadic species, travelling great distances in small groups and migrating worldwide as occasional visitors.

The blue shark often utilises the Atlantic gyres and gulf stream to preserve their energy whilst travelling. The South West of England and Ireland tend to possess much warmer waters, yet they are sometimes sighted in the northern British Isles. 

The porbeagle shark is a compact, stout species with a crescent, narrow-shaped tail. Its typically grey body and white underside create the image of a shark that we are familiar with.

When the sea is warm in the summer months, porbeagles can be found across the British Isles, mainly in offshore, deeper waters where it tends to search for food such as squid, cod, flatfish, mackerel and herring. 

They have no issue swimming closer if the prey is abundant by the shore, and you may be able to catch them in a single trip. 

The thresher shark is an immensely built grey shark with tinges of purple and blue, making them appear iridescent. It possesses quite a broad head and large eyes that make it appear constantly startled.

However, this isn't a species we recommend underestimating due to its potentially cute appearance; most sharks of this kind are predatory and can be discovered in temperate, tropical and sub-tropical waters.

Thresher sharks are usually found in British waters during the summer when our seas are at their warmest, as they are a pelagic species. They are seen each year, yet they aren't considered common in the UK. 

Basking sharks are of around 22-28ft are an enormous species of shark under the sub-group of filter feeders; the largest fish found in UK waters is typically a black or dark grey shade with a giant gaping mouth open and pointed snout. 

It is one of the second largest fish after the great white shark, making them the perfect predator.

The great white shark is the Apex Predator of the sea as it is at the top of the food chain. These predators feed on and actively seek zooplankton, shrimp, larvae and copepods. They are usually found in the northern and southern hemispheres but tend to avoid warm waters surrounding the equator.

Such species tend to be highly migratory, yet they are more spotted in British waters of the British Isles during the summertime but travel to deeper areas in the wintertime. 

The angel shark is a relatively strange-looking breed that appears halfway between a ray and a shark, with its long, flat body and many fins that look somewhat like wings. 

In the UK, the angel shark was previously referred to as Monkfish; this was its mistaken identity; however, the name was replaced by a different species.

The Monkfish can now be very easily distinguished from the angel shark, mainly due to the difference in their appearance, which is anything but angelic.

Angel sharks are critically endangered as they are often caught in set net fisheries and trawl; their species reproduce incredibly slowly, with relatively slow movement, which unfortunately makes them susceptible to decline. 

The Shortfin Makos are powerful, dark grey and white sharks with large gill slits, an impressive streamlined structure and a high body temperature. 

It's a vast species that many perceive as one of the fastest sharks worldwide, swimming speeds of 31mph, which is why it's shocking to find such a breed roaming our British waters on rare occasions.

Whilst rarely encountered, it is a species discovered from time to time across Ireland and the UK; as the temperature of the sea gets warmer, there is a significant rise in these sharks. Mako sharks like to prey mostly on tuna, swordfish, and various others as they can catch fast-swimming prey in the food chain. 

Many anglers across the UK tend to utilise stand-up rods when shark fishing. You'll find that many rods created for UK boat fishing aren't the most efficient for big game fishing, and therefore, they don't possess the necessary power it will take to catch larger fish or greater-sized sharks.

It's possible you'll prefer rods filled with rollers, as these will generally ease the strain of your line during the brawl with your catch. A host of anglers have switched over time to bent butt rods. 

These are most suitable for catching much larger fish as they successfully lower the rod and water angle, ensuring you have enough power and can use the rod's lower parts more adequately.

For those that prefer to do their fishing from charter boats, you'll discover that often the safety rails that circle the boat will be far too high to utilise the bent butt rods, so we recommend choosing a straight butt or any other alternative. 

A longer rod that reaches lengths extending further out will always be best for when you need to keep the fish or shark away from the end of your boat after fighting it.

Professionals would encourage you to search for the most powerful rod you can find. 

Many opt for high-quality multiplier reels when fishing, especially those with wide spools, as they allow for efficient line capacity and promise two-speed gearing.

Such makes your fishing experience much smoother, especially if you wish to catch a large fish that has swam deeper due to the incoming tide and reach speeds that are too far for one gear. 

There are a few choices you can opt for when selecting the right shark fishing line for you. Many prefer reels loaded with braided lines that are hollow at the core that you can easily have replaced with a 50-100yard top-shot leader. 

Such line systems will allow skippers at a registered company and local anglers to feel the benefits of increasing their line capacity alongside the immense abrasion resistance and a mono top-shot. Another advantage this provides is that you can fill your reel with solid braid or mono, both of which have pros and cons. 

Many stores will sell you AFW 49 Strand Stainless Steel leader cables which are superior products and have proven to be so against other products on the market; however, whatever high-quality wires or crimps you can get your hands on should do the trick.

To start, it was initially designed as a trace wire and was used to prevent slippage by being pre-stretched; it's straightforward to work with, corrosion-resistant and flexible. 

For those engaging in general shark fishing, we suggest opting for 400lbs and advancing to 480lbs if you require more durability. Cheaper wires aren't going to stand repeated amounts of strain and tension without breaking or becoming severely damaged, so ensure you invest well. 

When it comes to snap links and swivels, it's unlikely that you can damage or break a barrel swivel, especially one of such high quality. Many fishing gear and tackle stores will supply ball-bearing, and traditional barrel swivels to aid your fishing experience.

Anything over 300lbs will be suitable for fishing; however, ball bearings tend to offer a much smoother action under load. 

On the other hand, snap links are a different situation; the rig can be separated between the rubbing leader and bite trace to create a safe distance in case the shark begins to roll, which they typically do. 

Terminal tackle hasn't developed much from previous eras of rigs that have been provided for over 20 years by Rok Max and various other UK manufacturers. The typical set-up consists of a 4ft bite trace of around 400lbs which is then skillfully attached to a 12ft rubbing leader of the 275-400lbs wire using a snap link and your preference of the main line.

We recommend avoiding mono traces as much as possible as there have been numerous instances of shark bites using such tackle whilst shark fishing. Suppose a shark rolls and ends up taking up the wire by 4ft; if it should roll another 4ft again up its mono trace, it could slice through the line. 

The link exists as a way to safely disconnect and separate the trace from the rubbing leader, ensuring the skipper or angler cannot get harmed. 

Many anglers now take to circle hooks when fishing for sharks as they rarely get swallowed by your desired catch, and many sharks will be securely hooked onto them by the corner of the mouth.

Your catch rate will be reasonable as long as you remember to reel down slowly; otherwise, striking as you would with a J-hook could cause the hook to bounce out of the shark's mouth, and you will lose or aggravate your catch. 

You may prefer floats or balloons that you can attach to the line. Balloon fishing allows anglers to float their bait to a vast range of areas and essentially cover more water and surfaces than other bobbers, ensuring you can drift further and much faster.

For those familiar with drift fishing, you'll be able to drift successfully with floats. Balloons can be inflated to create the buoyancy that you require, and controlling this resistance is a great feature, especially when dealing with sharks in an aggressive mood to avoid unprovoked shark attacks.