Sharkbanz Deters Sharks from Man and Fish
Sharkbanz, the world leader in shark deterrent technology, is casting its line into the recreational fishing market to educate anglers about a new science-based product that keeps one of nature’s most aggressive predators at bay.
Recognized world-wide by surfers, swimmers, and beachgoers, Sharkbanz already offers a wearable device, the Sharkbanz 2, that uses patented magnetic technology developed by marine biologists to deter predatory sharks with amazing consistency.
The result of over a decade’s worth of research in the USA, Australia, and South Africa on the efficacy of permanent magnets as a shark deterrent, this technology has also proven effective at deterring sharks in fishing applications, reveals Sharkbanz co-founder Nathan Garrison. “Based on our proven technology and testing success, we recently introduced the Sharkbanz Zeppelin for anglers – the world’s first and only shark deterrent fishing tackle. It’s a compact, easy-to-use device that helps reduce the age-old problem of shark depredation, otherwise known in fishing circles as ‘Paying the Taxman.’”
Originally designed for bottom-fishing applications, the travel-friendly Sharkbanz Zeppelin wards off aggressive sharks looking to tear into catches being reeled to the surface. Streamlined, cylindrical and weighing just 6.5 ounces, it requires no batteries, no charging, and can be used as a sinker or tied into the leader approximately 18 to 24 inches from the tail of your target fish. The shark deterring Zeppelin provides an approximate 3- to 6-foot electromagnetic field that overwhelms a shark’s electroreception, creating a highly unpleasant sensation that stops the ocean’s Taxman in his tracks and causes it to turn away before slicing off a free meal. The device does not harm sharks or other sea creatures, does not repel other fish, and is effective at any depth.
“This is groundbreaking technology, and we are excited to be working with Sharkbanz on this front,” says Traditions Media president and cofounder Noel Vick. “Many anglers are familiar with this scenario: You hook a nice snapper, grouper or other bottom feeder, crank it halfway up – and feel a big bump before the line suddenly goes slack. That’s shark depredation, and it often results in half-a-fish being reeled to the surface. In some areas, it’s tough to get any bottom feeder into the cooler because the sharks are so aggressive and abundant. Now, you can fish right through them and watch as they turn away just before zeroing in for the kill. In addition to saving your catch, the Sharkbanz Zeppelin prevents tackle loss, and serves as a conservation tool to protect sharks from being hooked while lessening the number of bottom-fish needed to ice some tasty fillets.”
Professional anglers have already begun to take notice of the Sharkbanz Zeppelin’s ability to ward off predatory sharks.
“In the past ten years, sharks have become a serious problem for the fishermen down here,” says Captain Billy Delph of Delph Fishing, who fishes from Key West, Florida, to the Dry Tortugas. “At first, I was a huge skeptic, but after a lot of testing, I figured out how to implement it most effectively, and I can honestly say it works very well in most sharky conditions. Definitely, a must-have in your saltwater arsenal.”
Capt. Chris Mendola of Far Out Charters in Key West had a similar experience. “We see about 95-percent of the bottom fish we hook go to the sharks on some of our reefs and wrecks, but the Sharkbanz Zeppelin kept them at bay. At one point, we had three sharks follow one hooked fish, and they all turned away.”
Australian charter skipper Capt. Terry Maxwell, who sails out of Exmouth, also reports tremendous success using the Sharkbanz Zeppelin in shark-infested waters. “Without the Sharkbanz, we were getting sharked right away. With the device, we’ve had nothing but success. Where I might lose 16 fish to sharks and bring home 14, now I’m losing three and filling my limit much faster. The Sharkbanz Zeppelin is a godsend that can help us keep our fisheries in sustainable condition.”
That’s exactly what the team at Sharkbanz wants to hear. “We’re all about education, science, and helping people enjoy the ocean in better harmony with sharks,” sums up Garrison. “We are trying to solve the problem of shark depredation in a way that respects these highly efficient predators, fish stocks, and anglers so we can co-exist.”
Jeremy Mallette is co-founder of International Sportsman. An avid hunter and outdoorsman, he has spent more than a decade in the outdoor industry, from hiking and camping to silencers and hunting. His father taught him to shoot at age six, and he received his first firearm at age eight — a 1942 Colt Commando .38 special revolver. He enjoys yearly trips to Kansas for pheasant hunting, spending time with his children at the deer lease, and collecting unique firearms.