2011 BIG HAMMER CHALLENGE Breaking All the Records

The 2011 BIG HAMMER CHALLENGE CATCH AND RELEASE SHARK TOURNAMENT

You'll have 30 DAYS to "Catch a Monster" Friday April 15th --Saturday May 14th 2011

OUR FIFTH YEAR -GOING STRONG

Five years ago in 2007 The Big Hammer Challenge Catch and Release Shark Tournament was conceived by a group of dedicated shark fishermen from the South Florida Shark Club. This tournament has become the premier internet based shark tournament held anywhere in the world. Our event is a month long land-based picture, tag and release shark tournament and anglers can fish from land anywhere in the state of Florida. Already in its fifth year the Big Hammer Challenge Shark tournament along with the Shorebound Shark Tourney were the pioneers of land-based internet hosted catch and release shark tournaments. This year the BHC will be held from April 15th to May 14 2011 and hosted on https://www.southfloridasharkclub.com .
The Big Hammer Challenge Shark Tournament continues to attract more and better shark fishing teams each year. This year for the first time we have Teams from outside of Florida that will come to our state to compete. This one of a kind month long tournament showcases the best land-based shark hunters found anywhere on the planet. Our tournament has grown in popularity and we are proud of the very dedicated anglers who continue to fish it each year.

TAGGING SHARKS FOR RESEARCHERS

For the second year in a row the Big Hammer Challenge will be a tag and release shark tournament. We are honored to work with science to aid in the study of shark migrations. The South Florida Shark Club proudly participates in shark tagging projects throughout the entire year and providing each Team that participates in the BHC further aids in spreading the word of shark's need for protection from over fishing. The tags we will be distributing are provided to us by National Marine Fisheries Service (nmfs).Our commitment to catch and release shark fishing is at the foundation of our club and the Big Hammer Challenge Tourney and we will continue to work with NMFS and there Apex Predator Tagging Program in the years to come.
Just as the shark populations are being threatened by commercial over fishing, our rights as recreational land-based shark fishermen are under attack by wealthy beachside communities who want to deny us the right to fish the beaches. We are fully engaged in this fight to protect our beach access and fishing rights in the state of Florida and consider it our responsibility and an honor to lead the way in this fight. One of the main goals of our Club and the BHC shark tournament is to create awareness of our struggles against those that would eliminate the shorebound anglers in Florida and in many cases threaten anglers and their rights on all fronts.
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MORE TEAMS THEN EVER-SOME FROM OUT OF THE STATE

As of March 25th 2011 there are 24 Teams representing Florida and other states (including Texas and Louisiana) that will compete in The Big Hammer Challenge. One thing is certain every year the anticipation builds as April approaches shark fishermen are anxious to get to the water and tangle with a big shark. Warming waters and the schools of fish on the move in spring triggers the BIG SHARKS and the BIG HAMMERS in particular to feed very actively. Last year for the first time in our tournaments history an angler (Ernie Polk) from the panhandle won with a 11 foot 9 inch Tiger. In all previous years the Big Hammer Challenge had been won by fishermen catching large hammerheads sharks and the east coast shark fishermen are gunning to bring the Title back to their coast with a Humongous sized hammer(the inspiration for this tournament).There are young hungry shark fishing teams as well seasoned older teams from Tampa and south on the west coast itching to make there mark and show the everyone that they have the biggest sharks and so we don't discount any area as having the potential to produce monstrous sharks. New teams come, old ones that are mad or washed up fade away ,,,,,,,I can only say that the HARDCORE shark fishermen will continue to compete every year ,win or lose -rain or shine, through all the hardships the real shark fishermen that love the sport will continue to fish and well represent their little part of Florida.

MASSIVE TIGERS AND GIANT HAMMERS

2010 -first place Biggest Shark Winner-Ernie Polk ,Team Tooth Fairy w his 11 foot 9 inch TIGER SHARK

A team Black Bart 13 foot Hammerhead caught in the 2008 Shorebound tourney which tied for 1st place with a 13 foot Tiger caught by Mellissa Showman of Team Against All Odds

The biggest Tiger shark ever caught in Florida in a land-based shark fishing tournament Mellissa Showman and Mark Davidson with there 13 foot Tiger in the 2008 Shorebound Tourney.

The one monster Hammerhead or Tiger needed to win this tournament can come from many different places around the state. The west coast of Florida has been the place where the most hammers over 1000 lbs have been caught in the last several years with two World Records caught by Capt Bucky Dennis -(1280 lbs on 130 lb test and 1060 lbs on 80 lb test) yet NO ONE PERSON OR TEAM has stepped up and made it happen on the west coast while fishing from shore in a very long time. We know the quality fisherman that can make it happen are there and they are continue to build powerful Teams.Panhandle waters hold some of the biggest tiger sharks in Florida and we feel that can be where the big one comes from again this year but the east coast has many big hammerhead sharks that grow beyond 14 feet..
Any angler or group of anglers that feel they would like to fish can compete in the BHC ; all are invited and none are excluded .We put together this tournament for the love of the sport and expect nothing but pure HARDCORE SHARK FISHING ,friendly competition among the best shark fisherman , fishing the sharkiest waters in the world.

2009 BIGGEST HAMMERHEAD SHARK of the year - Shannon Bustamante 12 ft 2 inch Triple Crown

Kenny Lineberry getting spooled on Palm Beach-2008 BHC

2 nd place Biggest Shark -William Fundora, Team Shark Fever- 11 foot 2 inch HAMMERHEAD SHARK

3 rd place Biggest Shark -Raymundo Muniz ,Team Dirty South Shark Hunters-10 foot HAMMERHEAD SHARK

4 th place Biggest Shark -Chris Salomoni,Team Shark Fever-9 foot 4 inch HAMMERHEAD SHARK


5 th place Biggest Shark -Raymundo Muniz,Team Dirty South Shark Hunters-9 foot 3 inch HAMMERHEAD SHARK

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Biggest non shark-Shad Loveless Team Shark Addictz 79 3/4 inch Goliath Grouper

BIGGEST OF EACH SPECIES

Biggest Hammerhead Shark

Will Fundora 11 ft 2 inch

Biggest Bull Shark
James Fuqua (Jd Hammer) 8 ft 10 inch

Biggest Tiger Shark

Ernie Polk 11 ft 9 inch

Biggest Lemon Shark Tie Chris Salomoni & Will Fundora 8 ft 11 inch

Biggest shark caught by a female(first place) -Christina Loveless ,Team Shark Addictz 7ft 11 1/4 inch Lemon Shark

For more details go to https://www.southfloridasharkclub.com