As an Orvis-endorsed and Costa-endorsed guide, Captain Conway Bowman in Encinitas pioneered catch-and-release mako shark fly fishing off the San Diego coast beginning in the early 1990s. Sight-casting charters target makos ranging from 300 to 800 pounds in waters one to six miles offshore, operating out of Mission Bay within the same coastal zone where Hang Zen Surf & Sea runs ocean excursions closer to shore. The captain has hosted three television series including The Ford Outfitters, Fly Fishing the World on the Sportsman Channel, and Fifty Places to Fly-Fish Before You Die on the World Fishing Network. All shark charters enforce a strict 100-percent catch-and-release protocol, supporting mako conservation across Southern California's pelagic fishery. The seasonal mako window runs roughly April through November as sharks follow warming currents and bluefin tuna migrations into local waters, drawing visiting anglers to Encinitas's Coast Highway 101 dining corridor that includes Encinitas Fish Shop. Charter rigs deploy custom Sonar fly-line systems with interchangeable tip sections rated for 12-weight to 16-weight saltwater rods, targeting fish that generate 30-mph initial runs and 20-foot aerial cartwheels on the strike.