Pacific Spiny Dogfish Shark
Caught in the commercial fishery off the outer Washington coast with longline, troll, trawl, and jig handline gear. Also caught by recreational harvesters off the outer Washington coast and in Puget Sound.
At 24 months, Pacific Spiny Dogfish have the longest gestation time of any known cartilaginous fish.
Description and Range
Physical description
Pacific Spiny Dogfish are a small coastal shark with a single, prominent, mildly venomous spine at the front of each of its two dorsal fins. They are typically light brown to grey with a white belly; occasionally their upper body is mottled with white spots. Their snout is long, flattened and pointed. Teeth in both jaws are flat with sharp edges, forming a continuous cutting edge. This species lacks an anal fin.
Pacific Spiny Dogfish grow to 140 cm (55 in) in length.
Geographic range
Pacific Spiny Dogfish are frequently encountered in shallow bays ranging from the Bering Sea in the north to central Baja California in the south. They are commonly found from 15 to 1244 m (46-4080 ft) but can be encountered much shallower.
How to fish for pacific spiny dogfish shark
Spiny dogfish can be taken with light tackle in the vicinity of the bottom over mud and sandy bottoms. They often occur in schools and tend to aggregate around prey, such as herring. Several ounces of lead are typically needed to keep the bait (e.g., clam, herring) or lure on the bottom and wire leader (or heavy monofilament) is recommended to avoid the shark's teeth shearing the leader.
State record
- Weight
- 20.25 lbs
- Angler
- Roger Petersen
- Location
- Middle Bank, Island County
- Date Caught
- May 22, 1998