The sevengill shark is a big, heavy-set predator that turns up in southern Australian waters and gives offshore anglers a proper workout. They are respected more than loved by most fishers, but they are an impressive catch and hard to forget once you hook one.
In Australia you will mostly find sevengills along the southern half of the country, from bays and large estuaries out to inshore reefs and deeper coastal ground. They turn up around rocky headlands, reef edges, channels and drop-offs, and they are just as comfortable cruising shallow water as they are working deeper areas offshore.
Sevengills are opportunistic hunters and scavengers, feeding on fish, squid, rays, smaller sharks and carrion when it is available. They do a lot of their work by scent, then move in with short bursts of power rather than long chases.
Tide changes usually fish best, especially around channels, reef edges and bay entrances where current pushes food and scent into their path. Low light helps, so dawn, dusk, overcast skies and night sessions often produce more action than bright middle-of-the-day conditions. Light to moderate wind is generally better because it keeps the water fishable and lets you hold baits where you want them, while strong wind can make boat control and bait presentation messy. Smaller to moderate swell is usually the sweet spot offshore, enough movement to stir things up a bit but not so much that it makes the water unfishable or unsafe.
Use heavy tackle with strong mono or braid, solid wire trace or very heavy leader, and big circle hooks pinned through fresh fish fillets, whole fish heads, squid or oily tuna baits. A simple running sinker or dropper rig works well depending on current, and fresh bloody baits usually outfish old frozen stuff.
Unlike most sharks, the sevengill has seven gill slits instead of the usual five, which makes it look a bit prehistoric.