At the time of writing, the Thresher Shark (Alopias vulpinus) is rated as "Vulnerable", so anglers need to take this into consideration and, ideally, avoid targeting them until numbers recover. Make use of heavy tackles and harnesses to minimize fighting time. You should also use circle hooks in order to increase the probability of hooking the shark's mouth, which is safer for them. Anglers will often see their bait slapped out of the water first by thresher sharks, before they actually bite. It is for that reason that thresher sharks are often hooked on the tail. When hooked, expect it to put up a fight, sometimes even leaping out of the water. Catching a Thresher Shark is arguably easiest by trolling a hookless dead mackerel slowly. You should stop the boat and start to pull your bait out of the water as the Thresher Shark moves in to attack your offering. When possible, manoeuvre the boat behind the shark and then gain line without putting too much pressure on the shark. It is advisable not to take Thresher sharks onboard but to release them alongside the boat. It is best to release the shark after it has fully recovered.