On friday, James (Bigreels16), his cousin michael and I headed out to go target some big sharks. We went to our bait stop to go snag rays and on my second snagged ray when I went to pick it up by in the eyeball socket to take it to the truck and debarb it like I have always done but this time I got stabbed. I never knew a ray could put their barb in their face like a skorpion. Needless to say it went 1 1/2 to 2 inches in through the side of my hand. Within 1 minute I no longer could move my hand and a few minutes later I couldn't move my right arm at all. Fortunately one of Florida's best hospitals was a few minutes down the road so we drove to the ER; I wasn't gonna take chances after knowing that my father now needs surgery from not getting a catfish poke to his finger treated a few months ago. That screwed up that night since I was given a narcotic's and couldn't drive. Saturday morning I felt better with only a swollen hand so off we went. James' 14/0 went off first at sunset using a bat ray. On the sharks first run he heads out and then snaggs the hooks on some hard bottom. Later on something picked up my big ray and took off. About 100yds into the first run the shark comes off, I thought the hooks pulled. Well turns out my 17ft leader was only 10ft long now and the #19 wire had a clean break in it. I don't know exactly how the wire would just break and with no bend right next to the break so I have no idea what happend. So while I'm reeling in James' 14 goes off again and we got the shark this time. I hate when those little sharks eat big baits. It was a 6' 1" bull. I was letting michael borrow my 6/0 which has 800yds of line on it and 10 minutes after releasing the bull something picks up the bait which was dropped only 75yds offshore. Instantly I know something is different. This shark is peeling off line incredibly fast, isn't slowing down one bit, and is heading at a 30-45 degree angle to the south. Within a few minutes there is only about 75yds of line left on the reel, we're in lockdown and can't turn the shark. Thats when the line broke. I'm thinkin a big hammer cus' the thing never showed one bit of slowing down and was heading south very fast. I'd say a huge bull but I think a bull would of slowed down a little or took a breather and would have swam straight out. Why cant them big sharks pick up the baits on the big reels instead of the lil ones. We didn't get any more hits the rest of the night. Pics will be up when I get them.
Great report and looking forward to the photos. Sorry about the hand, but thanks for sharing the experience so we can all learn from it.
TEAM GETCHA GETCHA SHARKON
Thanks for the report and thanks for the insight into the bat ray's ability to sting like a scorpion,,,,,,I did'nt know they were that flexible.
More times then I can remember that short drop produces the biggest baddest runs that leave you cross-eyed and wondering "what now" .Shannon's giant hammer on Delray beach stripped a 12/0 then almost stripped a 14/0 and it was dropped no more then 100 yards out.With expierience you will gain a feel for when it's a big shark right away when the the blistering run begins, and then you to tighten up put heat on the fish way before you see the spool and hope the beast slows down and that your line does'nt have any frays in it.BEST SUGGESTION DON'T USE ANYTHING SMALLER THEN A 12/0 AND NO LINE LESS THEN 100 LB TEST.
SOUTH FLORIDA SHARK CLUB -President SFSC-Founding Member est 1983 SFSC-Website Administrator BIG HAMMER SHARK TOURNAMENT -Founder Rene Memorial Sharkathon -Founder NMFS Shark Tagger
Just to clarify the ray that got me was an Atlantic stingray. I've used southerns, bat rays, and the atlantics and thats the first time its ever happend to me. I'm not sure if southerns and bat rays have the ability to put their barb in their face but I'm not gonna take the chance. I'll keep pliers on me at all times when snaggin rays from now on.
Glad to hear about the good shark outing...sounds like lots of action.Sorry to hear about the ray hit...ouch....had one hit me once in the ankle and the pain went up my leg and into my chest....alot of pain....Dave
Let me tell you a little story about JD Hammer & a girl named Anne. They were sweethearts & had a lot in common. They both loved fishing & used to go to the Keys together often. One day on Big Pine Key JD caught a big ray for shark bait. She was walking behind him as he was dragging it back up the bridge. She was wearing rubber flip flops. She ended up kicking the barb & it was deeply embedded in her foot. They couldn't remove the barb, so he cut the stinger off about a foot above the barb, ran down the bridge to get his vehicle, loaded up his equipment, & took her straight to Fisherman's Hospital. In the ER they were told that she needed surgery & they couldn't remove it at FH. I don't think that they even gave her a shot for the pain. He had to drive her all the way to Jackson Memorial Hospital to have it surgically removed. Not long after that, she broke up with him. I was hoping that she was going to be my new sister-in-law. I wonder if the ray incident had anything to do with it? 
It wasn't funny at the time. I felt really bad for her. It probably hurt so much she couldn't kick him in the azz with the other foot. 
Hilarious fishergirl
SOUTH FLORIDA SHARK CLUB -President SFSC-Founding Member est 1983 SFSC-Website Administrator BIG HAMMER SHARK TOURNAMENT -Founder Rene Memorial Sharkathon -Founder NMFS Shark Tagger