HERE IS SOMETHING I FOUND ON HER
For several years now, whenever a giant hammerhead shark shows up in shallow Gulf waters, the ancient tale of "Old Hitler" is resurrected. Is it the unique head shape of this malevolent looking shark, or simply misconceptions about the hammerhead itself? I received an email from Richard Clem, who told of a chilling encounter with "Old Hitler" that he had some 35 years ago.
Cap Mel,
1964 while shark fishing in the ship channel just east of Egmont Key I came within inches of Old Hitler. He does, or did, exist, I can assure you.
We used to shark fish a lot in that area. Usually between the 90' deep hole at the north east corner of Egmont and a small rock pile just off the south west tip of Mullet Key, er that's Fort Desoto Park now. Blacktips with their jumping action on the rocks and Sand and Lemon sharks with a rare hammerhead in the deeper water. An occasional Tiger and Mako were caught a little further out in the Gulf but not often. They could be very large. Back then it was also common to spot enormous Jewfish while diving and spear fishing around the pilings of the Skyway Bridge. Something I rarely did again after facing Old Hitler face to face that summer day in 1964.
We were in my father's 18 foot Osgood (built in Gulfport at the Osgood works near the Gulfport marina) with a 40 - 50 pound Sting Ray hanging out the back on a large hook which we used as chum and bait. We had gigged the ray on the flats near Tarpon key on the way out that morning. We had several lines out and had had a few small sharks on (always released) earlier. All of a sudden a school of sharks came up, finned the surface for 30 seconds or so and dove. Most were 5 - 8 feet long, not sure what type.
Then it happened. Old Hitler paid us a visit.
Right behind the boat an enormous hammerhead shark surfaced and attacked the ray hanging out the back. My buddy pulled the ray in as fast as possible fearing that the shark might damage the boat. The shark then hit the motor, a 60 HP McCullough two or three times, I guess because the engine was painted white and the Ray smell was all over it. Anyway, the animal then circled the boat once and came alongside, stretched out right beside us. I could have reached out and touched it!!!
Now remember, we were in an 18 foot boat. The fish was several feet longer than it was. It was HUGE! I have no idea what it would weigh but would love to have an educated guess by someone knowledgeable.
And one more thing, the shark had a broken dorsal fin. It kind of tipped to one side when on the surface.
Lastly, two weeks later my father had the boat in the shop for some bottom work and when they lifted the boat off the trailer with a fork lift, a big chunk of bottom fell out, rotted through. All I could think of was what would have happened if that had occurred when we were in Old Hitler's neighborhood.
Capt. Mel, I was 18 years old and a senior at Boca Ciega High School when this happened and I swear every word is gospel truth.
Questions,
How long do hammerheads live, how large do they grow, and, most importantly, does anyone else have any other stories about Old Hitler that date back to about this time period?
Love your show,
Richard Clem
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Dear Richard:
That was quite a spine tingling story about your long ago encounter with the great hammerhead shark. However, it is not unusual. This giant shark species is very common in sub-tropical waters, often reaching 15-feet and exceeding 1000 pounds.
Each one, when sighted, tends to be identified as "Old Hitler," particularly along the Suncoast. Though the hammerhead is a loner, there are several "Old Hitlers" swimming the shallows along the Gulf Coast from spring to late fall.
This wild looking species of shark has been a fascination for marine biologists.
Here's what Dr. Bob Shipp has to say about hammerheads in his book "Dr. Bob Shipp's guide to the fishes of the Gulf of Mexico:"
"The unique appearance of hammerhead sharks is responsible for the development of a rich lore about these animals. Sharks are swift, graceful, and strong, but because their paired fins are nearly rigid, they are unable to brake very effectively, nor can they wheel about and "turn on a dime" like their bony fish colleagues, thus, the well publicized circling behavior of sharks in preparation for a final attack. The enlarged head of the hammerhead appears to be a development, which increases agility and maneuverability. This allows them to more effectively pursue healthy prey. Some authors have theorized that the broadened head may improve sensory perception, especially smell and vision, and may be used to stir the bottom and locate prey there.
The abundance of hammerheads, along with their agility and adequate size, argues for their consideration as a potential threat to man, although the relatively small mouth and preference for fish is some consolation."
And this from Dr. Bob Hueter, Mote Marine Lab's shark expert:
"To my knowledge, no one has yet validated the age/growth curve for the great hammerhead, the species that "Old Hitler" ostensibly is. The juveniles appear to grow relatively fast, attaining a size of 6-7 feet in probably 2-3 years. So they might mature in about 6-8 years, but we really don't know. As far as longevity, a lifespan of 20-30 years is likely, but again we have no real solid information. Unbelievable in this day and age that we still have so many unanswered, basic questions about these animals. "
I'm sure this isn't the end of the tale. As long as there are these massive, unique-looking sharks roaming our near coastal waters, "Old Hitler' will continue to fire up angler's imaginations
YOU ASK ANYONE ABOUT HER LIKE LARRY MASTERYS OR HIS DAD AND THEY PULL OUT THE PHOTO THAT HAVE HAVE OF HER
ANYONE GOT A PICTURE ON HERE OF HER?
CHAD
"2017 Team little rock
Never test the depth of the water with both feet"
I DO NOT SWIM IN THE OCEAN
GO BIG OR GO HOME
HERES ANOTHER STORY
By SCOTT BUTHERUS | TBO.com
Published: May 28, 2009
This circa-1917 photo shows a Great Hammerhead of unknown size that was caught in Florida waters.
Just off the sandy white beaches in the aquamarine waters of Florida lurks a monster with a head as "wide as a truck" that could "eat a 200-lb tarpon in two bites."
Or, so the legend has it.
Earlier this month, Port Charlotte's Clyde "Bucky" Dennis pulled his second world-record, great hammerhead shark from the waters of Boca Grande.
The mammoth fish was 13 feet, 6 inches long and weighed in at 1,060 pounds. Dennis already owned the International Game Fish Association's all-tackle record after he landed a hammerhead that weighed in at 1,280 pounds in 2006.
Many of Florida's shark anglers would attest that those fish were mere minnows compared to Old Hitler.
The tales of Old Hitler, the 20-foot plus great hammerhead that supposedly roams the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico between the Boca Grande Pass and Tampa Bay, have been passed down through Florida's generations. From salty old anglers to recreational fishermen, everyone seems to have a tale about the legendary beast.
Although large sharks of all sizes call Florida's waters home, no other species carries the mystique of the hammerhead, and with each monster sighting or record catch the legend of Old Hitler grows.
And as is the case with most local folklore, separating the fact from the fishtales can be a fruitless, if not fun, effort.
Spawning a mythology
The origin of the legends seems to have its roots in the deep channels of Boca Grande Pass. As with many tales of mythical creatures, the legend seems to gain credence from the geographical attributes of the region. The Pass is a small strip of waterway off of Gasparilla Island that connects Charlotte Harbor to the Gulf of Mexico. Several steep underwater ledges, some as deep as 75 feet, pockmark the pass and serve as a cauldron of activity for gigantic marine creatures.
During the 1950s and '60s, Boca Grande was a major hub of Florida's railroads and a major shipping port of several industries, including the local phosphate mines. The huge shipping vessels that traveled through the pass on a daily basis helped create an underwater channel on the harbor floor that would act as a funnel during the changing "hill" tides, pulling entire schools of baitfish and crustaceans into the pass and down into the deep ledges.
The abundance of food and available cover made it an ideal environment for large tarpon, which would crowd into the deep holes by the hundreds. The giant schools of tarpon then attract an even bigger predator, sharks.
Just like the dark murky waters of Loch Ness that fostered the imaginations of those looking for monsters, the deep ledges of Boca Grande, just a couple hundred yards from shore, offered a mysterious "what is down there?" atmosphere.
The legend grows
Although the exact origins of Old Hitler's legend are likely lost in the annals of bait-shack folklore, as long as their have been sports fishermen seeking tarpon along the Gulf coast, there have been tales of those fishermen losing their trophy-sized silver kings to the dreaded jaws of a mythical creature.
As the Gulf coast of Florida began to become more populated, rumors of a giant hammerhead floated up and down the coast. It was purportedly so big that ship captains and fishermen would call the local coastguard to alert them to a German U-boat invading the harbor.
"Old Hitler happened to be the biggest, baddest hammerhead in the Pass during or shortly after WWII," said long-time Charlotte tarpon guide Paul DeGaeta.
There have always been large sharks along Florida's coast, but this one stood out. The legend revolved around one gigantic shark that had a large gash in its top fin, an injury it sustained after a rumored run-in with a mullet fisherman sometime in the early sixties. The fisherman struck the shark with a machete after the creature mauled a net full of fish and began bumping the 15-foot vessel with its flat head. The hammerhead swam away with the large knife still embedded in its dorsal fin.
It wouldn't be the last time an angler had an encounter with a giant hammerhead.
Reel Animal's Billy Nobles encountered a monster while fishing the Boquillia Invitational Tournament a few years ago.
"Lenny Caccippio hooked a fish, when she comes to the boat an 18' hammerhead decides it's lunch time. I fire wall the throttle, raising the bow of the boat up 3-4 feet, striking the hammerhead with the motor and spitting blood and mud out the back in the prop wash."
DeGaeta recalled his own 'Hitler encounter' from 1982.
"I was surprised when I saw a huge fin appear in the boiling water, then a huge hammer surfaced. The shark's dorsal fin was so long it flopped over. The shark bit a 100-pound plus tarpon mid-section and tossed it in the air the way a cat plays with a toy."
Real life monsters
The waters off the west coast of Florida have a long history of producing hammerheads of man-eating, record-breaking proportion, especially from the Boca Grande area.
Bucky Dennis' latest record shattered the 80-pound class tackle record that was set by Andy Whitbread in May 2006, also in Boca Grande Pass. That fish was a recorded 13 feet, 4 inches long and weighed 750 pounds.
During the 1982 Greater Suncoast Shark Tournament, Allen Ogle landed a 991-pound hammerhead off the coast of Sarasota.
Dennis' first world record was a 14-½ foot, 1,280-pounder that he caught off the Pass in 2006. It was the largest hammerhead ever landed using a rod and reel.
In February of this year, an Illinois tourist pulled in a 16-foot, 950-pound fish off the coast of Key Biscayne.
The largest hammerhead ever pulled from these waters was a 17-foot, 1-inch, 1,386-pound monster that was caught using a chain, rope and an inflatable intertube off the Rod & Reel Pier on Anna Maria Island by Frank Cavendish and Ralph French in 1973. The shark, dubbed "Spiro," was caught using a 14-pound manta ray as bait.
There have also been several documented reports of hammerheads of comparable, if not bigger, size along the Gulf.
On Feb.22, 1983, Coast Guard helicopter rescuers plucked Robert Jones and Carol Mobley from their stranded fishing boat after three days off the coast of Clearwater while being circled by a school of great hammerheads. Heavy waves and engine troubles had forced the pair to jettison over 300 pounds of grouper which attracted the sharks.
On Aug.7, 1999, Charlotte County Sheriff's Office helicopter pilot Carl Burgerhoff had to land on the northern tip of Gasparilla Island to warn beachgoers after he spotted an estimated 15-foot hammerhead heading toward a group of young swimmers on an isolated stretch of beach.
A biological possibility?
The average lifespan of a great hammerhead is estimated to be 20 to 30 years, but they could live much longer.
"It is possible that they could live to be 70 years old or more, especially the larger ones," says Mote Marine researcher Dr. Bob Hueter.
It is highly unlikely that the fish that spawned the legend of Old Hitler is the same fish still roaming these waters.
But is it possible that every few years, a different lunker of a shark moves in?
According to Dr. Hueter, "great hammerheads do show site fidelity. The suspicion is that the same fish return to this site every year following the schools of tarpon."
"There are some big sharks that come in every year. Old Hitler is just the name given to the biggest of those hammerheads," says guide Mark Futch, whose family has fished the waters of Boca Grande for "over a hundred years."
But as long as hammerheads the size of fishing boats are spotted along Florida's coast, the legend of Old Hitler will live on.
Remember that the next time you lose your hooked fish to the murky green waters of the Gulf of Mexico.
Original Story
Edited by Media 5/29/2009 8:45 PM
"2017 Team little rock
Never test the depth of the water with both feet"
I DO NOT SWIM IN THE OCEAN
GO BIG OR GO HOME
Wayne Lord holds a picture of the hammerhead shark that is believed to be "Old Hitler" taken in 1994 as it steals a tarpon from a fisherman's line near the Sunshine Skyway. Dale Mastry (in back) looks for more photos at his St. Petersburg bait and tackle shop
ST. PETERSBURG
He's bigger and badder than Jaws. "Got a head as wide as a pickup truck," says Larry Mastry, 53. "I've heard he's anywhere between 20 and 25 feet," says Capt. George Roux. "He's a big boy," says Wayne Lord, 55. "That's all I know." For decades, local anglers have called him Old Hitler, the great hammerhead shark who allegedly lurks in the summertime waters around the Sunshine Skyway bridge. As the weather heats up, so do the tales about the legendary fish with an evil name who can snap a large tarpon in two with one chomp.
Many anglers claim to have seen him, some even snapped pictures. A few say they have hooked him, if only briefly.
Roux, the 56-year-old owner of Mega Bites Sport Fishing Charters in St. Pete Beach, jokes that he killed him a few years back.
"I buried him without any fanfare," he says, a laugh giving way. "I didn't tell anyone because I wanted to perpetuate the myth."
But is it a myth?
Or is Old Hitler somewhere swimming right now, hunting prey in the green waters beneath the big yellow bridge that links Pinellas and Manatee counties?
"I tell you what, it's a good tale," said Richard Leitz, 69. "Whether it's true or not, I don't know."
People like Leitz, who work the bait shops and toll booths around the bridge, tell of the shark's most recent sightings this year.
"It broke a 400-pound braided wire leader right under the bait house," said Leitz. "That's what the man told me. He's from Arizona.
"It shook its head from side to side, which is what a shark will do."
Great hammerheads, with their odd-looking heads, are among the largest of the species, growing to 20 feet long and weighing up to 1,000 pounds. Their average life span is 20 to 30 years, but scientists have found some to live beyond age 50.
Clyde "Bucky" Dennis of Port Charlotte snagged the sport fishing world record in Boca Grande last year, capturing a 14-foot pregnant hammerhead weighing 1,280 pounds.
Scientists later determined the fish was 49 years old.
One of the shark's favorite treats is tarpon, which they follow into Tampa Bay and Charlotte Harbor farther south in the spring and summer.
There's an Old Hitler down there, too. And a song by the same moniker that calls him "the biggest shark on the bay."
"There's an Old Hitler around every inlet, wherever there are sports fishermen who get angry at losing a fish to shark," said George Burgess, director of the Florida Program for Shark Research at the University of Florida.
Many believe, but can't quite confirm, that the legend was birthed by annoyed west coast fisherman during World War II.
"Who really knows where it came from," said Bob Hueter, director of the Center for Shark Research at Mote Marine Laboratory in Sarasota.
It's been passed from generation to generation.
Like many urban myths, it is "somewhat believable," said Charles M. Brown, sociology professor at Albright College in Pennsylvania.
"Urban legends in general tend to reflect the dangers of modern life," he said.
They also have to be entertaining, he said: "If not people are not going to continue telling them."
Dale and Larry Mastry, who own Mastry's Tackle and Bait in St. Petersburg, remember fishing for Old Hitler as boys, in the late 1950s and early '60s.
Larry Mastry said several years ago one came after a tarpon he had hooked while boating.
"I saw a huge fin behind me," he said. "The fin was as high as my motor. I thought he was going to knock the motor right off the boat.
"It curled its eye up and looked at me. I'll never forget that."
While it's possible for hammerheads to return to the same location year after year, Mote Marine Laboratory's Hueter doubts Old Hitler is one fish seen year after year.
"When people see a very large hammerhead shark they just want to say that must be Old Hitler," he said. "I think it's just a catchy name."
But don't tell that to Lord, the St. Petersburg fisherman who says he caught the local version of the Loch Ness monster a decade ago, at least for a few seconds, while fishing for grouper and snapper in a 19-foot Thunderbird near Egmont Key.
"He took everything, including the rod," Lord said, while swapping stories at Mastry's this week. "I know he takes what he wants, when he wants it."
Even though Dave Mistretta briefly caught - and videotaped - an 18-foot-long hammerhead weighing about 1,500 pounds, he remains an Old Hitler skeptic.
"It's a fable," said Mistretta, captain of Jaws Too fishing charters in Indian Rocks Beach. "It's just progressed into this story about this giant monster that really does exist. The reality is, there's more than one shark that roams these coastal waters, not just one."
"2017 Team little rock
Never test the depth of the water with both feet"
I DO NOT SWIM IN THE OCEAN
GO BIG OR GO HOME
WOW!!!!!Thanks !!A well put together report and the kind we love to read.Old Hitler has been a legendary shark around the Skyway bridge as far back as i can remember.Great history and great names in the world of Florida west coast shark fishing,,,,,,I'm sure i will use this report as a source of reference in the future .Again Thanks Chad for some outstanding work.Give us more.
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
i got a book some place here at the house by capt bill miller that has a great story about hitler and other strange stuff that goes on here in the tampa bay area
Tampa Triangle is the name of the book everyone should read it some time
"2017 Team little rock
Never test the depth of the water with both feet"
I DO NOT SWIM IN THE OCEAN
GO BIG OR GO HOME
Chad nice post . the keys had old Moe off baia honda bridge.
Old Hitler is a freak of nature and is most likely still there!
"He that keepeth his mouth keepeth his life: but he that openeth wide his lips shall have destruction" (Proverbs 13:3).
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