This sport desperately needs a hero to save it from so many forces that are quick to attack us and threaten to abolish our possibllity of fishing from any beach or pier in this state.I certainly wish that i could do more to help and If I had the money this is what I would do.This would be the one thing that would be my legacy ,my mark in history,something great for the shark fisherman and for all land-based fisherman in the world .The inspiration for this story was Earnie Polk's post on the Pensacola Gulf pier having banned him for life for shark fishing and for the pier staff not recognizing the good that would come from world record sized Mako sharks that could be caught from there pier .My dream would be to build a fishing pier that would be the pier that all other fishing piers would be compared to,,,,,the golden standard of all piers.This great pier would withstand the test of time like Henry Flagler's overseas highway bridges to Key West have done.Design and construction beyond anything that has been designed up to
now.No hurricane would ever again threaten to destroy a fishing pier after this design by the best ,brightest engineers in the world.The pier would have a name to equal it's construction in honor of the man who set our sport in a high place and his accomplishment is yet to be equaled.
The "WALTER MAXWELL FREEDOM PIER"
Yes Freedom because if I was a person of wealth and influence I would petition the state to create a law to forever protect the "freedoms" and rights of land-based shark hunters throughout the state and on the pier without question.The number one rule on the pier would be
#1 SHARK FISHING ALLOWED AND ENCOURAGED
#2 PIER IS OPEN 24 HOURS A DAY 365 DAYS A YEAR
#3 Sharks deserve our respect and protection- PLEASE TAG AND RELEASE YOUR SHARKS
If you don't like shark fishing then this pier is not for you.Remember the name of the pier honors freedom and a great shark hunter of the past.This pier would be built in the Panhandle where so many big sharks thrive close to shore or on Palm Beach's Boynton beach where the blue water of the Gulf Stream runs close to the beach and where the famed Herb Goodman made his mark on our sport.This pier would be 2000 feet long -over 500 feet longer then it's next longest rival.The pier would be 75 feet wide with huge pilons that would withstand the mighhtiest of hurricanes.Along the tee 10 feet back from the rail tent areas 10 ft by 10 feet could be rented on a nightly basis for those who want tro stay out of the breeze.The pier would have light poles and fish cleaning tables set away from the rails so that an angler that's FIGHTING a big fish would have no obstructions in the way. Wider and longer then any pier an electric 6 seater type golf car would take you out to your preferred fishing spot.A observation tower would grace the Tee of pier in order to spot schools of fish and big sharks from a long distance.Along the length of the pier multiple huts w water fountains would assure some protection for those wanting a brake from the sun.A two story bunk area w restrooms,showers and snack bar at the 1000 foot mark for anyone needing to take a brake. A high tech stainless steel elevator platform with a sling scale would be designed on the tee of the pier.The sling scale would be used to weigh the biggest of sharks without harming them, then they would be photographed , tagged and released to fight another day ,,,,,it's a win/win situation science gets data and we get to catch huge sharks .There would be a video camera above the platform to capture on film the size of every shark weighed on the sling.The platform would also be used to lower either a kayak ,an aluminum jon boat w oars ,or a zodiac w an engine .All persons using the equipment must be a member of the Pier Shark Club,must sign a waiver and pay annual dues.The money collected from the Club dues would be used for all Pier Shark Club tournaments ,cash prizes and pier events.Every month the person catching the biggest shark would win $1000 ,,,,,,,plenty of encouragement to catch some big sharks during the entire year =$12,000. There would always be two pier attendants on the pier -one at the base and one at the t making sure that the rules are being followed and that safety guidelines for catching sharks are being observed .
People from around the globe would come and marvel at the high tech design of this pier and it's popularity would soar after all three world record hammerhead,tiger and mako shark World records would be broken within it's first 10 years of existence.Imagine what would be caught from a pier that juts out into the deep blue water where big game anglers would be encouraged to pursue there dreams of catching giant fish of all kinds without the threat of being ridiculed by the local press or attacked by a local goverment hell bent on destroying our pursuit of happiness .The pier would host some top bands on holidays and would have sporting events from the Boeing International Kite Flying competition to the Newell Surf casting World Championships to the Red Bull Walter Maxwell Shark Tournament a week long event held twice a year.Every Summer a fishing camp for under priveledged youths would have free fishing w free lunches.The pier would be a haven from a culture of violence and drugs so prevalent in today's society.The pier would make possible a safe envirment for kids to spend there otherwise Idle summer days.How many of today's top name charter boat captains have there roots inbedded fishing from the many Florida fishing piers ?From my personal knowledge I know of many .Hard core fishing skills and commaraderie among man are some of the values learned on a fishing pier. The list of things that could be done is limitless.
WORLD SHORELINE ANGLERS ALLIANCE
The Walter Maxwell Freedom pier would be the international headquarters for the World Shoreline Anglers Alliance an association we would create to assure the rights of less fortunate shorebound anglers who are constantly seeing there rights attacked by big powerful money interest,overzealous conservationist and goverments willing to enact laws that push us off the beaches.Are these the lofty dreams of a nostalgic fishing fool or the very real possibilities of a man willing to dream big dreams.?If we don't try we will never know!!"Nothing Ventured Nothing Gained"lets all dream and maybe we can turn the tide .
The Cherry Grove pier where Maxwell caught his 1780 lb world record Tiger shark
The condemed South pointe park pier- Miami Beach
Newport pier (Sunny Isles)closed for renvations since hurricane Wilma 2005
The condemmed Bear cut bridge -last one of it's kind in south Florida
The south beach pier demolished in 1984 existed from 1924-1984
The Pensacola Gulf state pier -longest in Florida
The Indian Rocks fishing pier went down during a hurricane in in the 1980's
The Haulover pier that went down in Hurricane Andrew in 1992
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
LOVE THIS STORY WILL I WISH ONE DAY THERE BE A PIER LIKE THE ONE YOU TALK ABOUT .IF PEOPLE HAVE FAITH ANY DREAM IT CAN REALLY COME TRUE YOU KNOW I WILL BE BEHIND YOU 101 PERCENT OF ANY THING YOU WOULD TRY TO DO FOR OUR SOUTH FLORIDA SHARK CLUB 
Un fair discrimination should not be tolorated in any sircumstance. Together we stand. if we all pull together maybe we can shark fish at night and not be discrimnated against. I thought long and hard about publicising my mako at all, the determining factor was the thought of standing together. Im not shure if the under ground way may be best due to no news is good news. Our introduction to the public eye on a national level can have alot of impacts on us. May good stuff like the hooked show will help show what our sport is not what sells the most news papers. Bad news sells better than good so if they can make something good into something bad they will so they can make more money. Money talks and B/S walks. thats why the sharkers has been sent walking. Yeah it would be nice to have a beach pier to throw my biat off of when its to rough to paddle out. If it wasnt for the pier i would not have had a leg to stand on to get started. Those ole hammers glow green with the phosprus like a glow stick. it is the coolest site to see one swim off with ya bait.
Land Based World Record #5 short fin Mako 700lbs
Team
Land Based World Record #8 Tiger shark 928lbs
True
Land Based World Record #9 Tiger shark 949lbs
Blue
SFSC Panhandle Events Coordinator
Great stuff will!!! Its just so sad looking at those old piers and thinking what if!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
That south beach pier shot is one of the best ive seen,and it realy frustrates me to tell you the truth,because i never got to expierience it. I stay up tossing and turning some nights/dreaming of a vivid picture and scenery with rene,white owl, and my dad seaweed may they all rest in peace, along with hammer and the rest of the gang leaning on the piers end with jackets on and a strong breeze blowing all of there long hair, as they all tell stories beside a 10-15 shark rod set up across the whole pier.
It may sound strange, but i honestly would give up the chance of wealth,woman,cars and riches to have a pier just like the old south beach pier,for all of us to fish 7days a week 365 days a year.
SFSC -East Coast Events Coordinator
That would be amazing!!! We need something like that. There is no where to fish in Miami Dade anymore. Even though im from the midwest, my family has a house in Hialeah were my dad grew up when he first came to the states, so im down there about 5 times a year. The first place i ever fished in South Florida was the Newport Pier up north in sunny isles. Good memories there, caught my very first shark when I was probably 12, a little black tip. My brother and I every time we are down there always stop by the marina and south pointe park and always say how bad we want to fish at the old pier there, even though you have a lot of boat traffic its real deep and who knows whats in there. I think that having a pier dedicated to shark fishing, might give the sport some of the recognition that it needs.
Very nice write-up Will!! It would be a dream come true for many!
"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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