The water temperature has cooled quite a bit over the past month, but my fever to get my fix has not. I got a late start, and didn't have much time to work with. To my surprise when I got to the beach it was not a zoo being it Saturday and all..I left my place with 3 different spots in mind and luckily the first stop had plenty of room..I was able to get some nice fresh big baits right away and dropped them 200 and 250 yards out. The bigger bait got picked up 3 hours later and it was on..the fish dumped off 150 yds or so on the first run. About 20 minutes into fighting it the shark got caught on something and wouldn't budge. At this point it was probably still 400 yds off the beach. I backed off on the drag and it still didn't move. I handed my rod to a tourist while I rowed out to see if I could get it loose. It was caught on a rope out there probably to a crab trap and the fish was gone. I ran that line back out and dropped it in short about 150 yds. About an hour later the other rod went off then stopped. I thought "damn blacktips." Then the bait got picked back up again and this time the fish ate it. When I set the hook it jumped. Thought it was a blacktip the whole time until I got it in closer then it started fighting harder than blacktips do. When I saw the dorsal I knew what it was, and that was cool that it jumped..turned out to be a 5-5 and a half ft class bull. I'll take it, but I was hoping to dance with big momma again before I had to head home.
Awesome report man I cant wait to hit the beach again
Nice fish and great reading your storie.
Nice one John..I hate stone crab season!
Way to go John.Some friends fished the Naplea area Friday night and all they managed was a 4 foot Btip. The lobster and crab traps cost the land-based shark fisherman many big sharks throughout the year ,,,,just part of the shark fishing down here.I Wish there was a law where the the trappers would have to place the traps 1000 yards or more away from the beaches.
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 agree 100% with ya on that Will..Naples is pretty bad right now with the crab traps. And when I fish the beach near Doctors Pass I also have an artificial reef to contend with. I don't understand why they would drop that shark magnet right in front of a beach..the inlet and the bait that flow out of there is enough to bring the sharks in
Not too shabby dude.
From Alfred Lord Tennyson's poem
I hold it true, whate'er befall;
I feel it, when I sorrow most;
'Tis better to have loved and lost
Than never to have loved at all.
TEAM GETCHA GETCHA SHARKON