Alternate Names:
Gray shark, sand shark, paloma, or dogfish.
Identification:
Very similiar to the leopard shark, but the coloring is a light gray back
fading to a lighter belly; with no bars or spots.
Size: To just
over five feet in length (64.25 inches). Most caught off piers are under
four feet in length.
Range: From Mazatlan,
Mexico to Cape Mendocino.
Habitat: Most
common south of Point Conception in bays or sandy-beach areas.
Piers: Most pier-caught
grays are taken from piers south of Dana Point. Best Bets: Imperial Beach
Pier, Ocean Beach, Crystal Pier, Oceanside Pier, Belmont Pier, Santa Monica
Pier and Ventura Pier.
Bait and Tackle:
Medium tackle with a size 2 to 4/0 hook. Best baits are live or frozen
anchovies, squid, mackerel or clams fished just outside the second set
of breakers.
Food Value: A
mild flavored flesh suited to several methods of cooking. The best method
is probably grilled. It does need to be cleaned properly and kept cool
before cooking.
Comments: Late
afternoon to early evening hours seem to be the best time to fish for
this species.
