Anna Maria Island -West coast shark hunt

Well the kids had Friday and Monday off from school and the temptation to visit some old stomping grounds mixed with a kid friendly vacation seemed like just what the shark doctor ordered to heal the itch of shark fever.A cold front was on the way and i figured we could give it a whirl just the same an see what the west coast had in store for us.The oppurtunity to finnaly meet Zasik (Nick Wyatt) and Captnfcrazy (Charles)and his son was icing on the cake .We loaded up the gas hog with kids and gear and headed west across Alligator Alley then north on 75 to pick up Aaron (941 sharker) to complete the welcoming party an provide the push i needed to brave the fast approaching cold front.The always eager young buck Aaron was anxious to get on the sand and make it happen so after arriving on Anna Maria Island and checking into our hotel room right on the water,we set up our gear and went to work on getting our baits out on the kayak.We got started right before sundown and the later it became the colder it got on that beautiful white sand beach.

loading up for our venture westward

On the beach and working to get it done before sundown

My daughter Natalie posing for a quick pic

The beach and the back view of the apartment we rented on the water

Sollimon junior bundled up for the cold breeze

Aaron with the bonita he caught at the Skyway bridge the week before ,,,,now turned into shark bait

Preparing to yak out the shark baits Aaron knows to wear the lifevest

Spectacular afternoon on Florida's west coast

Aaron paddles out into the sunset

The bitter cold has us all bundled up but still freezing in the low 40's

We are met on the beach by our latest shark club member Zasik(Nick) who goes shark fishing and lugs his gear on his scooter with the addition of a rod rack and a milk crate,,,,,,just proves "where theres a will theres a way"

Nick Wyatt and i finally meet and fish on te beach.

The first night we are met on the beach by Sollimon (south beacher)his wife and kids who greet the wife then stay mostly indoors because the tempature is dropping and making it unpleasant to hang out outside .That night we put out my 16/0 and 14/0 with frozen jack crevalles for bait,Aaron puts out frozen bonita on his 14/0 and 9/0 and Sollimon puts out frozen jack on his 14/0 .Aaron a young apprentice but a true blue soldier of a shark fisherman finishes yaking out the baits and hauls a$$ for a hot shower inside the apartment because he says he can't feel his toes ,,,,it's dark and the near freezing tempature is starting to chill my bones to the core and i wonder if could still do what Aaron did-yak out 5 or 6 baits back to back in freezing conditions,,,,,,, i guess i could if i had to i tell myself .The few cold beer i drink only make me colder and conversation is not enough to make me forget the numbing cold that surrounds me as i sit and wait for a bite that never comes.Why am i fishing in the middle of the coldest front of the year?Because i love to even if it means feezing half to death.By 12:30 that night we were off the beach since we have plans to get an early start on the following day.

Searching for Hitler the Hammerhead

The next day our plans are to drive north to reaquaint ourselves with the Tampa bay area it's beaches,piers and inlets the fabled place where Hitler the 18 foot hammerhead shark eats the 100 lb plus Tarpon in one bite.I drive, and i search for places that have potential ,where the water looks deep,where there are access roads and parking,where in the future when i know the tarpon are here could possibly have proof of an 18 foot hammerhead. Our search takes us north to a few piers on Anna Maria then north again to Fort Desoto park where the pier i knew as a young man has been rebuilt into one of the best looking piers in Florida.I am thrilled to see the pier in the daytime and to notice it's proximity to the deep shipping channel ,a place where i know for sure holds monster hammers during the right time of the year.The mouth of Tampa bay ,next to a deep inlet and wide open beaches without obstructions ,,,,,all ingredients for finding and conquering the biggest of hammerheads,,,,, I tell Aaron this place when the right moment comes we're gonna fish hard because it truly holds the promise of a world record sized
hammerhead.Giving away spots ,,,,,,No i don't look at it that way i simply challenge any fisherman that think they have what it takes to go and do it!!!,,,,,,CATCH A WORLD RECORD HAMMER FROM SHORE.It's an invitation for the few that truly could,,,,i for one would be happy to see it happen no matter who it is.

Holmes beach looking north

One of many beaches we visited

The Anna Maria island rod and reel pier and the Skyway bridge in the background,,,,this place feels right for a huge hammerit

The pier viewed from shore

Another view of the pier

An upclose pic

moving north on the freeway to visit Fort Desoto Park

The Skyway bridge comes into view

The old bridge now rightfully converted into a fishing pier

Ft DeSoto Gulf pier - the entrance

A view of the pier from the shore

Aaron and i on the pier boardwalk

The front of the pier looking out

side view

view from the t looking towards the shore

view looking East Nick (zasik) and i

the view looking towards the shipping channel and the Gulf of Mexico

The shorter bay pier with it's mooring for the island ferry is less attractive and set further inside the bay

The bay pier from viewed from the beach

A close up view of the bay pier

The entrance to the Reddington long pier now renamed Dubai long pier(to piss off the county commisioners who did not allocate any funds to help keep it afloat as a landmark)

the shallow end of the pier

a different view of the Reddington pier

walking out to the T for a closer look

This pier has been a meeting place for west coast shark fisherman for many years and has survived many hurricanes and it shows in it's battered appearance.Why can't local goverments help preserve a part of Florida fishing history?

The row boat and the winch used to lower it into the water that is used by the West coast Anglers to row out shark baits from the pier.Only members of the West Coast anglers are allowed to shark fish from this pier.

the view from the T. Aaron and Nick pose for a pic

a view from the T looking towards the middle of the pier

a pier with a center hole

a view of the south from the Reddington pier,,,notice another private hotel pier in the background.

a view of the north side with what i think is left of the Indian Rocks pier in the background

one of the many causeways over inlets on the way back south to Anna Maria

Another overpass and inlet with a jetty for fishing

A Clearwater beach with a parking lot that allows parking until 1 am HuuMMM!

That afternoon we get back to the beach late and again get the baits out to try our luck.We start up the bar b q and cook some grub to warm our cold bones as Aaron again takes on the task of yakking out the baits.Nick,Aaron and I are waiting for Charles and his son to join us for some cold weather sharking and when they do at 8 pm again Aaron the superman of the west coast dons his wetsuit and takes out two more baits in surf that is higher then the previous night,,,,what Co___nes this kid has ,,,,what heart.Keep an eye out for this kid cus he's on the way up.Anyway that night the wind is blowing but it's less cold and we hang out have a warm bar b q dinner and by 1 am no bites and we are off the beach but satisfied we gave it a fair chance.This is wintertime sharking folks it's very hit or miss.We got a lot out of this trip in refernece to reaching out to our shark fishing family on the west coast and also got to scope out some fantastic places to fish in the not so distant future.

on the beach the second night

My wife and i staying warm by the bar b q,a good method of staying warm in these conditions.

Group picture with Charles(captnfcrazy)his son,Nick ,Aaron and i.