How To Clean A Mako Shark Jaw

Author: Chester Gamble

How To Take Out Shark Jaws!!!

Photo credit @ American Yakers Facebook 2017.

American Yakers have caught hundreds of sharks. We release 99% of the sharks we catch. When we do harvest one; American Yakers goal is to use 100% of the fish. The jaws can be an awesome trophy to help relive the moment for many years to come. There are a lot of good videos online that support below article. Here is how I am able to keep my jaws.

(1) How to get them out of the sharks mouth: I start at the snout of the shark. If you raise the lip there is a clear visual of the jaw line. Take a strong knife or screw driver and stab a hole between the large tendons. Continue with the knife leaving an inch of meat on the bone. This will ensure you don't take to much. Be careful with the teeth! Not only will they cut and/or stab you. But they are in rows. If you cut to close a row could come out. Inside the mouth. There are tendons that keep the jaws from opening to far. Try not to cut them. They will keep the jaws looking more natural.

(2) Use a new razor blade to cut outside meat and gums off the jaws. There are many rows of teeth hidden under the gums. Inside the jaws you can see the hidden rows. Use another new blade to run behind the teeth to pull the gums between the teeth. (I like to use needle nose pliers to pull) this process take some time to get them as clean as possible. Bullbuster braid line can be use to floss the teeth if needed.

(3) To get them white and free of smell. Start with a large tub. Fill 75% water to 25% bleach. Completely submerge jaws for 2 min. Then let airdry for 45 min. Repeat this process 10 times. This gets any meat chunks off and stops the smell. Lay the jaws on something to keep them open. I like a large corner of cardboard box. While drying jaws will shrink a lot and harden. For the next week. Use hydrogen peroxide gel and a toothbrush to coat everything. Once a day for seven days. Apply the gel. Every coat you will notice them getting whiter. Let sit for another week in a dry place. If you are mounting to a board drill holes before using a self tapping screw. Once dried the jaws are vulnerable to crack.

Notes: I have tried to use ant hills to clean my jaws before. The first time the neighbors cat got tangled in them like a mouse trap and died. Lesson learned. The second time I put a box with a rock over but the ants ate the entire thing. I had a bunch of teeth and no jaws the next morning.

If you would like a couple teeth pulled. Take them from the inside row. It will not be a noticeable and will prevent others from falling out. With the teeth you pull. Use a new sharp drill bit to make a hole. I like to use the line I caught to shark on to make a necklace for everyone how helped catch, clean and carry the shark.

If you have any questions or would like to kayak, shark or surf fish San Diego area hit me up on American Yakers on Facebook. Ask for Chester. Thank you.

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