Hook, line and sinker: Men filmed dragging Tiger Shark to shore in WA South West amid trophy fishing warnings

Two men have been captured on film dragging a tiger shark to shore in the state’s south, prompting calls for shark fishing to be banned at popular beaches. Dozens of people crowded around the pair as they tirelessly fought with the several metre long shark on Wednesday afternoon at the popular south west Bunker Bay beach. It was reported the animal was released back into the ocean with the hook and line still attached to it’s mouth. While it’s not illegal to fish for sharks off WA beaches where there are no local government restrictions, one Dunsborough surfer said it was not the right time or place. Blair Ranford, who was watching as the men hauled the tiger shark to shore, said it is a common practice at the beach and warns it puts other swimmers in danger. “This is the stock-standard trophy shark hunters looking for the biggest, baddest thing they can get,” Mr Ranford said. “They’re paddling out baits with a kayak, literally right in front of the [Pullman] resort. “Unfortunately, it’s not a one-off occurrence — this happens a lot.” As hundreds of West Aussies flock to the regions to enjoy yet another long weekend, Mr Ranford said Bunker Bay was already populated with tourists enjoying the school holidays. “There was a girl in the water swimming and I saw her get out and had a bit of a shocked look on her face that there was someone catching a shark right where she was swimming,” Mr Ranford said. “I know most locals down here, if you ask them, don’t want this going on on their beaches where they surf, where they swim, where their kids are. “It’s inevitable we have sharks in the ocean, but we don’t want to be baiting them up to stay in the area. “We don’t want to be baiting up to attract particularly great whites in the same tactics used to attract these tiger sharks.” It comes as a popular beach in the state’s north closed on Saturday due to a shark sighting. Surf Life Saving WA closed Yanchep Lagoon, about an hour away from Perth, just after 10.30am. The species and length of the shark was not reported but the beach remains closed until further notice. The shark patrol helicopter has finished up for the season as summer comes to an end, with swimmers warned to take caution in the waters and check SharkSmart before going in.