The tope is a slim grey shark with a long snout, a notched tail and a large first dorsal fin. Tope are a summer offshore fish off Sussex, with June to August the best months on the Kestrel Warrior seasons guide. British boat record: confirmed.
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About the tope
The tope is a slim grey shark with a long snout, a notched tail and a large first dorsal fin. The belly is pale. It is a proper shark, and a handsome one.
It grows to about 6 feet and 100 lb, though most are smaller. The Wildlife Trusts figure, quoted by Kestrel Warrior, is up to about 195 centimetres and 45 kilograms. It likes light mixed ground, sand and shingle with a strong tide, and it avoids very rough ground and shallow water. It is more common in the south and west of Britain.
Tope are mainly a boat species. Anglers use a heavy rod, a wire hooklength and a 5/0 or 6/0 hook. The best baits are bottom fish such as dab, whiting, pouting and flounder.
The important point is what happens next. Tope are a protected species and are listed as Critically Endangered by the IUCN. Rod-caught tope may not be landed in England. They are fished for by rod and line only, and every fish goes back alive. Unhook it quickly and let it swim off. That is the whole job, and it is a good one to do well.
On the boat
On Kestrel Warrior's seasons guide, June, July and August are the best months for tope off Sussex, fished offshore. It is mainly a boat species, taken on a heavy rod with a wire hooklength and a 5/0 or 6/0 hook, baited with bottom fish such as dab, whiting, pouting or flounder. Britain-wide months are not given in the record. Fish well and release them.
British boat-caught record
Confirmed record
- Weight
- 82 lb 8 oz (37.422 kg)
- Where
- Bradwell-on-Sea, Essex
- When
- 1991
- Angler
- R Chatfield
Confirmed British boat-caught record: R Chatfield, 82 lb 8 oz (37.422 kg), taken at Bradwell-on-Sea, Essex, in 1991. The official list gives the year only. The official weight-based boat records were frozen in June 2024, and newer claims are by length only.
How we label records: the British boat-caught records table explains confirmed, claimed and none listed.
Care and rules
Protected species: release. Critically Endangered (IUCN). Under the Tope (Prohibition of Fishing) Order 2008 (England) tope may only be fished for by rod and line, and rod-caught tope may not be landed. Unhook quickly and release alive. Rules change: check the current rules before you fish.
Did you know?
The record tope weighed 82 lb 8 oz, yet the Wildlife Trusts figure quoted by Kestrel Warrior gives a top weight of about 45 kg. Both numbers are on the page, so you can compare them.
Questions about the tope
What is the British boat-caught record for tope?
Confirmed British boat-caught record: R Chatfield, 82 lb 8 oz (37.422 kg), taken at Bradwell-on-Sea, Essex, in 1991. The official list gives the year only. The official weight-based boat records were frozen in June 2024, and newer claims are by length only.
Is tope caught off the Sussex coast?
Yes. Tope are a summer offshore fish off Sussex, with June to August the best months on the Kestrel Warrior seasons guide.
When is the best time to catch tope?
Off Sussex: June, July and August are the best months (Kestrel Warrior seasons guide; fished offshore).
How big does a tope get?
Up to about 6 ft and 100 lb, usually smaller. Wildlife Trusts figure quoted by Kestrel Warrior: up to about 195 cm and 45 kg.
Sources
- britishseafishing.co.uk Tope: britishseafishing.co.uk
- Kestrel Warrior: Sharks off Brighton: kestrelwarrior6.co.uk
- Kestrel Warrior: Sea fishing seasons Sussex: kestrelwarrior6.co.uk
- BRFC Sea Fish Records June 2026: anglingtrust.net
Picture: AshlieJMcivor, file page on Wikimedia Commons. Every picture in the guide is listed on the picture credits page.
