Charter operator Adam Finlay gets followed by whale shark

Sharks usually spell disaster on a fishing trip but this Townsville fisherman’s latest experience was one of many highlights on a successful trip.

Sharks usually spell disaster on a fishing trip but this Townsville fisherman’s latest experience was one of many highlights on a successful trip.

Audacity Charters operator Adam Finlay was fishing with mates on Sunday when a majestic whale shark, the largest fish in the ocean, gracefully swam alongside his boat.

The experienced fisherman said the shark was a small specimen, believing it measured about 5.5m.

“He’s probably the second smallest one I’ve seen. The big ones are up to 20m, or 18m,” Mr Finlay said.

“He come around the boat, about 40 minutes he followed us. We ended up moving about 2km and he followed us.”

Mr Finlay said the shark brushed itself against the boat but did not slow the fishing.

He said much larger whale sharks in the past had “really rocked the boat”.

“They just think you’re another whaler,” he said.

The charter operator had been fishing in Townsville waters for about 10 years. He said he had seen about 25 whale sharks in that time.

Mr Finlay said there were good numbers of whale sharks along the east coast but it did not hold the same congregations of sharks as the west coast.

Whale sharks live in continental shelf and offshore waters in tropical and warm temperate waters.

Despite their huge size, whale sharks pose no threat to humans and feed on small crustaceans, squid and fish using filtering screens in their gills.

Mr Finlay rounded off his day out fishing with a good bag of red emperor and nannygai.

Originally published as Charter operator Adam Finlay gets followed by whale shark