Headed down to the keys yesterday with Big Will, we ended up at Long Key and spent the afternoon trying to get shark bait. The cudas were no where to be found and we had a hook up with a huge mud ray but got popped off after a 5-10 min fight ... with no shark bait we head up to the charters in search of something to at least soak some bait for a little .. the first two we add no luck some old man had beaten us by a few minutes and took all the carcasses .. ended up at Bud n Marys were we got a 30lb cobia and a bonita, with some bait we headed back to Long key with about 3 1/2 hours left in the outgoing tide we setup at 1 and 2. I floated out the 30 lb cobia on my 14/0, and Will put the Bonita on his 14/0 ... within about 5 mins Will gets a fast hit, he setups and and easily brings in a pregnant Black tip (est. 100 lbs) ... we tried walking it to the wall to get some pics but the wire kinked and popped before we could. We sit down and relax a little and about half an hour later my 14/0 starts off with a steady roll i let it run a little and i hit it, but it dropped the bait, so i sit my rod back down and as soon as i turn around it go off, this time i let it run a little longer ... i nailed my drag and had my 14/0 in free spool and then i locked up and hit it, as soon as i hit it this time line started pealing off my 14/0 (it seemed as if i was still in free spool) ... fought the shark for about 30-45 minutes with the shark making 100-200 yards runs straight out and the only reason i would get line back was when it made a run in ... then it took a solid run that left me under 1/4 spool and i felt my line hit something and about two minutes later i was popped off ... even with 15 ft leaders and double line there is no way to avoid a buoy that far out ... maybe next time
Time to upgrade to 200 and even then the bridges are the toughest place to catch a big shark.Shannon's 12ft 2 inch hammer all over again,,,,,minus the lobster trap that is.Thanks for sharing with us Shawn.
THERE HEEEEEEERRRRRRRRRREEEEEEE!!!!!!!!
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
Thats awesome man..winter time monsters. Great shot of your 14 minus all that line!
And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?
John 11:26 KJB 1611 AV
To bad man, but a good way to start the year off with a big shark....Dave
thats crazy, was it the whole cobia or just the carcess? hope you get the beast next time!
You will get him next time. That weried because Shannon asked me if long key would be good the night before last night .I told him its just before a cold front but he could not make it. 
Dammmmmmmmm Just seeing that 14-0 empty and you crouched down on long Key brings back so many memories !!
Thats it!!!!!!!!!!!! You guys just gave me the FEVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Theres Just Something about The keys and our Club History that gives me The shark Fever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Dont feel bad Shark Hunta!!!!!!!!!!! I have had my 14-0s smoked in seconds there for years before i landed my 12 ft2 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
SFSC -East Coast Events Coordinator
This is the first of many reports from team REEL CHAOS our new team name members Shawn, Varune and I big Will, This year we are hitting it harder than ever before, we bought a new Kayak and are willing and able to put all our effort and knowledge to catch a beast this year mark my words,,,, I have never seen a reel get so destroyed in my life, towards the end of the fight before the shark popped off, that reel was busted up grinding and begging for mercy like a honda civic chained to a eighteen wheeler trying to stop it no way no how Shawn it gonna have to get that reel looked at overhaul and new brakes lol, I told Shawn that if he didn't pop your line he would have stripped you no questions asked he never turned nor planned on it, and go figure we have 2 16/0's a piece that we left at home and brought out 2 14/0's instead. Never be complacent and think "it won't happen tonight" cause it just did, to late its history just blame yourself, I can still hear that 14/0's high pitch drag screaming a sound to remember and respect, I need to go fishing asap cause I got the fever I keep dreaming of hammer
BIG WILL
OHHH Goddddddd if i wasnt pumped b4 now i really am pumped up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Shark Hunta didnt explain it that way.. !!!!!!!
Its still cold, but i cant wait,,,, Im going tomorow to the keys!!!!!!!!!!!!1 whos coming!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
SFSC -East Coast Events Coordinator
What kinda rod is that?
James Blue
The rod is a 9ft 80-100 Lb from x generation ... It's perfect for a 12/0 just like it cause its light and put my 14/0 on there which isn't to bad .... BUT it's getting put away now time form my 10 ft unlimited with my 16/0 to come out ... There are monsters waiting to be caught this year
Whooooaaa!!!! Next time man.