Brown Smoothhound Shark
Bown Smoothhound
Species: Mustelus henlei (Gill, 1863); from the Latin word mustelus (weasel colored) and henlei (referring to Professor J. Henle, a 19th Century biologist). Class Chondrichthyes, Subclass Elasmobranchii, Superorder Galea, Order Carcharhiniformes, Family Triakidae—Hound sharks.
Alternate Names: Sand shark, mud shark, paloma, dogfish or Henle’s shark. Called cazón pardo or cazón hilacho in Mexico.
Identification: Similar to the leopard shark and gray smoothhound except that the first dorsal is further ahead on top of body, equidistant between origin of pelvic and pectoral fins. Their coloring is red-brown or bronze above, silvery below.
Size: Length to five feet but most caught from piers are less than three feet in length. The IGFA World Record fish weighed 6 Lbs. 8 oz. and was caught at Long Beach in 2012.
Range: From the tropics and the Gulf of California to Northern Washington. Most smoothhounds found north of Point Conception are brown smoothhounds. Relatively uncommon north of Humboldt Bay.
Habitat: Typically found in bays and sandy-beach areas but captured to a depth of 971 feet. May move out of San Francisco Bay in the winter months depending upon the rain and the degree of salinity in the bay waters. Likes to eat crabs, shrimp and small fish.
Hans Jones Jr with a brown smoothhound
Piers: Extremely common at San Francisco Bay piers, one of the most numerous fish at some piers. Best bets: all piers along the San Francisco waterfront, Oyster Point Pier, Port View Park Pier (Oakland), Berkeley Pier, Ferry Point Pier (Richmond), Marin Rod and Gun Club Pier, Angel Island Pier, and the Fort Baker Pier.
Shoreline: A frequent catch by anglers in San Francisco and San Pablo Bay.
Minnow Magnet with a brown smoothhound
Boats: A frequent catch of boaters and kayakers in Morro Bay, San Francisco Bay, and Tomales Bay.
Bait and Tackle: Will hit almost any bait although squid seems the best! Fish with medium-size tackle and hooks size 4 to 2/0. If possible, fish at night.
Brown Smoothhound from the Dumbarton Pier
Food Value: A mild flavored flesh with firm texture suitable to several methods of cooking. It does need to be cleaned properly and kept cool before cooking.
Comments: Although most smoothhound sharks are thrown back, they are a fine meal when cleaned and prepared properly.
Bown Smoothhound
Species: Mustelus henlei (Gill, 1863); from the Latin word mustelus (weasel colored) and henlei (referring to Professor J. Henle, a 19th Century biologist). Class Chondrichthyes, Subclass Elasmobranchii, Superorder Galea, Order Carcharhiniformes, Family Triakidae—Hound sharks.
Alternate Names: Sand shark, mud shark, paloma, dogfish or Henle’s shark. Called cazón pardo or cazón hilacho in Mexico.
Rita and a brown smoothhound
Identification: Similar to the leopard shark and gray smoothhound except that the first dorsal is further ahead on top of body, equidistant between origin of pelvic and pectoral fins. Their coloring is red-brown or bronze above, silvery below.
Size: Length to five feet but most caught from piers are less than three feet in length. The IGFA World Record fish weighed 6 Lbs. 8 oz. and was caught at Long Beach in 2012.
Brown Smoothhound at the Marin Rod & Gun Club
Range: From the tropics and the Gulf of California to Northern Washington. Most smoothhounds found north of Point Conception are brown smoothhounds. Relatively uncommon north of Humboldt Bay.
Habitat: Typically found in bays and sandy-beach areas but captured to a depth of 971 feet. May move out of San Francisco Bay in the winter months depending upon the rain and the degree of salinity in the bay waters. Likes to eat crabs, shrimp and small fish.
Hans Jones Jr with a brown smoothhound
Piers: Extremely common at San Francisco Bay piers, one of the most numerous fish at some piers. Best bets: all piers along the San Francisco waterfront, Oyster Point Pier, Port View Park Pier (Oakland), Berkeley Pier, Ferry Point Pier (Richmond), Marin Rod and Gun Club Pier, Angel Island Pier, and the Fort Baker Pier.
Shoreline: A frequent catch by anglers in San Francisco and San Pablo Bay.
Minnow Magnet with a brown smoothhound
Boats: A frequent catch of boaters and kayakers in Morro Bay, San Francisco Bay, and Tomales Bay.
Bait and Tackle: Will hit almost any bait although squid seems the best! Fish with medium-size tackle and hooks size 4 to 2/0. If possible, fish at night.
Brown Smoothhound from the Dumbarton Pier
Food Value: A mild flavored flesh with firm texture suitable to several methods of cooking. It does need to be cleaned properly and kept cool before cooking.
Comments: Although most smoothhound sharks are thrown back, they are a fine meal when cleaned and prepared properly.
Last edited: