TEAM REEL FAKE PRODUCES NEW SHARKERS AND SOME SHARKS

Andrea, my wife and I headed out of "Mempho" Wed afternoon on another adventure down to the FLA Panhandle. My partners in crime were Big Scott making the trip solo all the way from TX and Smokin ya Joey and his son Jacob from Birmingham. We drove most of the night and finally crashed around 1AM Thurs morning. After we grabbed a little sleep got up a little before daylight and finally saw the ocean shortly after daylight.

When we arrived Joey was already gigging for ray. It was shortly there after that Big Scott showed up and we have an all out ray gigging party. Of course, Joey the ray gigging fool and Jacob promptly gigs us several rays. It wasn't too long and Joey finally gigged a huge ray - probably pushing 40 pounds. We knew we were in business.

It wasn't too long before we had all the bait that we needed and we headed to go set up our camp. By the middle of the afternoon we had baits in the water and shortly thereafter I had my first run on a 15 pound ray wing and my glow stick runs out about 25 yards and stops. I let it sit for a moment and then annonounce "well there is the first bite by a little shark out of the wing" After I let it sit I slowly reel my sliding trace back into it's origianl position. This happened two or three more times with my glo stick going out 20 or 30 yards each time. It was then I said they probably have chewed the wing down to about bite size.

A little after dark I had another run and this time it didn't stop. I let it run until my weight had been pulled up and then it stopped again. I was thinking to myself this has all the indications of a smaller shark. When it started to swim off again I tightened up the drag and the fight was on. I could tell by the way it was fighting it was probably a 5 or 6 foot shark.

In short order I beached a black tip and we were on the board. The Charley Brown hooked him perfectely in the corner of his mouth.

Time seems to run together on these fishing trips but just a little while later, Joey's reel takes off and Jacob is next up. The shark was big enought, it was about all Jacob could handle. When we tighted the star down we stopped the shark in its tracks but it was really pulling hard and it was all Jacob could do to hang on. He was reeling as hard as he could reel and broke out into a hard sweat. He was near exhaustion and could barely turn the handle of the Penn reel. He has a big audience as his big Sister Hayley and cousins had joined the party and they were cheering him on. He was in the fight of his sharking life. The amount of effort that he put in into reeling in this shark was impressive. Jacob had been around this game long enough and he was all in. He would not even consider setting someone else do some of the reeling.

The sliding trace came into view and we grabbed it and with a team effort we drug up a 6ft black tip shark. We noticed that it was foul hooked with the leader lassoed around it body. With the way it was hooked we never could get the head turn which is why it was such a difficult fight for Jacob. The whole group was estatic and hooping and hollering and the kids were having the time of their life. Jacob was really proud of his accomphishment and justifibly so.

Just as we all get settled back down, Big Scotts reel is having drag pulled off and the fight begins. There is a reason they call Big Scott, Big Scott. Without much effort he yanks in another 6ft plus Black Tip. What a night. We are pulling sharks in right and left with steady and constant runs since we put bait in the water. What a trip!

Early in the morning I hear the drag clicking off and it didn't stop. I get up in the rain, get strapped in and finally tighten the star down, whatever it was I stopped it in its tracks. After a good fight, I beached my second shark of the night, a feisty bull shark.

After we pulled the the bull shark that was it for the night.

In the middle of the next day, we have another strong run and Dallas, Jacobs cousin, is up on deck and ready to go! We get him strapped in and he finds out what all the hullabaloo about sharking is all about. This young kid had the biggest grin on his face the whole time he was reeling in the shark. Most people probably know this but it was more fun watching this kid catch a 6ft shark than if I had reeled it in myself. This is why I'm always trying to get new people to go sharking with us. It's their genuine enthusiasm and excitement that up lifts the whole trip for everyone. He will never forget this and I promice you "hooked" for life.

Joey decided it was time to go gigging for rays. Too bad for him because shortly after he left his reel went off and it was Andrea's turn. It wasn't long before my sweet wife is getting strapped in and in her own words, "oh lord, I don't know if I can do this but I wanted to try. After all both sons and my sharkin loving husband have a blast doing this. I didn't want to be left out. I had a lot of help and encourgement from Sonny and Big Scott. Reeling in a shark is hard work and the first time I felt it pull me, I wasn't sure if I was going to do a face plant or not!. My arm was getting tired but I kept reeling and it the shark kept pulling. Finally we see the sliding trace and another 6ft bull shark. Finally I'm not the "lone man out" in shark fishing in my family."

A little bit later that afternoon, we have a false alarm. Joeys daughter, Hayley, started reeling in what she thought was a shark. It turned out just to be Joey's leader that had gotten cut off earlier in the trip. NOte: a lot a people had been watching us and when they thought she had a shark on, people came out of the "woodwork" and we ended up with a good crowd watching us. There were a lot of young people and especially young girls watching what was going on. I immediately knew I wanted to get them involved. I told them to gather into the picture and give me a thumbs up. That's just one way to help get the crowd on your side, get them in the picture and you've got them won over.

As night approached, we had a full arsonal of big baits deployed and were ready for action. A local canoe operator, Clay came down to visit that night. I met Clay on one of my first trips and he has become a good friend that always joins in the festivities. He brought a bunch of firewood and made a fire for us that was just perfect and was a real hit with the kids. We had a great time that night talking and enjoying the good life on the beach. That night we didn't turn a click. The beginning of tropical storm Debby were starting to show up. The wind and surf had gotten a little higher.

The next morning we got up to gray skys and a building surf. I called in an order for breakfast and went to pick it up. The home made sausage, egg and cheese bisicuts with chocolate milk and fresh coffee was just the ticket that everyone needed for breakfast. When I get back to the beach with breakfast, Joey Andrea and Big Scott have this "sh@#--eating" grin on their faces telling me they had caught a shark. I tell them I wasn't born yesterday and if you can't show me a picture I don't believe it.

My'' smart a$$ '' wife then proceeds to produce the camera and goes "look" do you recognize who's in that picture? Its me your young beautiful wife, reeling in my shark on your reel. I still thougt they were lieing so I checked the clothes they were wearing with the pictures and I slowly came to the realization they weren't lieing. She was so proud of herself and rightfully so.....Just shows you what being a nice guy will get you.

Again I want to thank Big Scott for making that 14 hour drive to come shark with us, your company was great and hope you can make another trip down.

Note: We had one cut off, and had several small runs that didn't pick up our weights but for the sharks that were able to pick up the weights on our sliding traces, we were 7 for 7. I haven't missed a shark this year. Long sliding traces and patience will work.

random pics

Sharkin Sonny

P.S. I'm planning my next trip and General Bill Firedawg is going to be with us. If anyone is interested, contact me.