Shortfin Mako
The shortfin mako is one of the rarest encounters in Irish sea angling — only a handful have ever been recorded on rod and line in Irish waters, making any capture a genuine event.
The few confirmed catches have come from offshore blue-shark grounds off the Cork coast, mostly aboard charter boats. It's not a target species in any practical sense, but anglers fishing for blue shark should know what one looks like.
Scientific Name: Isurus oxyrinchus
Also known as Mako, blue pointer, bonito shark
- Metallic blue to dark grey back with bright white underside; snow-white colouring around the mouth and under the snout — more vivid than a porbeagle.
- Conical, sharply pointed snout; large, smooth-edged hooked teeth; noticeably large black eyes.
- Single caudal keel and a strongly lunate (crescent-shaped) tail — the porbeagle has a secondary keel, the mako does not.
- Irish captures have run close to 2 metres; the species reaches over 3.5 metres in females, with males smaller at maturity around 1.9 metres.
What to know
Habitat Distribution
- An oceanic, open-water shark found in warmer offshore waters; in Irish waters it appears only when surface temperatures climb into the high teens Celsius — the 2013 Union Hall capture was made in 18°C water.
- Recorded in Irish waters only off the south Cork coast, with Kinsale and Union Hall accounting for all confirmed rod-and-line captures.
- Not a resident species — individuals passing through Irish waters are likely on wide-ranging Atlantic migrations; a tagged fish from the 2013 Cork capture was recaptured off Lisbon, Portugal the following June, having covered over 1,400 km.
Key Locations
- Kinsale, Co. Cork — three of the four confirmed Irish rod-and-line records came from offshore grounds here, the earliest dating to 1965.
- Union Hall, Co. Cork — a tagged mako was caught and released from charter boat grounds here in 2013, later recaptured off Portugal.
Specific Spots
- The same deep offshore grounds fished for blue shark off Kinsale and Union Hall — open water well clear of the coast, where warm surface currents push in during summer.
- Makos follow concentrations of fast-moving baitfish and tuna; if the blue-shark grounds are holding mackerel or tuna sign, the chance of a mako encounter increases slightly.
Shortfin Mako FAQ
Answers from onWater's species guide.
What are the best lures and bait for Shortfin Mako?
Whole fresh mackerel on a wire-trace rig is the bait that has accounted for Irish captures, the same setup used for blue shark drifting offshore. A rubby-dubby (minced fish and oil) chum slick, standard practice on Cork charter boats for blue shark, is what draws these fish within range.
When is the best time to fish for Shortfin Mako?
All confirmed Irish captures have occurred in July and August, when offshore surface temperatures are at their peak. Outside of midsummer warm-water windows, the chance of encountering one in Irish waters is effectively zero.
How do you catch Shortfin Mako?
No angler realistically targets mako in Ireland, the species is encountered by chance while drifting offshore for blue shark on Cork charter boats during the warmest summer months. The standard approach is a whole mackerel bait under a rubby-dubby slick in deep water well offshore.
What do Shortfin Mako eat?
Feeds primarily on fast-moving bony fish, mackerel, tuna, bonito, and swordfish, as well as squid and smaller sharks. The Irish captures were made on whole mackerel bait, which is also the standard blue-shark offering.
Where do Shortfin Mako live?
An oceanic, open-water shark found in warmer offshore waters; in Irish waters it appears only when surface temperatures climb into the high teens Celsius, the 2013 Union Hall capture was made in 18°C water.
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