The 1975 Steven Spielberg movie "Jaws" famously warned beach-goers to stay out of the water for fear of sharks. But what if the hunter becomes the hunted? Shark fishing is a challenging sport for the enthusiastic angler.

Much of the appeal of shark fishing lies in the prospect of bringing home a trophy fish of an impressive size. Before setting out, the fisherman will want to ensure that all the proper gear is packed. This includes appropriate bait, such as mackerel. Additionally, it's important to have tackle that will support a shark's weight, which will often exceed 300 pounds. Wire cutters, floats and chum bags are all important items to have if you are fishing for sharks from a boat.

You'll need to be patient once you're out on the water. While sharks sometimes bite quickly, it's not unusual for it to take several hours to hook one. Once a shark takes the bait, teamwork comes into play. Whoever is reeling the shark in will need to be wearing a harness, and others on the boat should give him a wide berth to fight with it from the other end of the fishing line. Once the shark is drawn in closely, someone else will have the task of getting the shark tied down for the remainder of the journey, being careful to wind in the wire in such a way that any danger of going overboard is minimized.

Release any shark that you don't intend to eat unless you are participating in a competition, in which case you'll have to pay attention to the size of the shark you have caught to determine whether it is a viable catch.