Rene de Dios Memorial Sharkathon-April 17-19,2009

Well who caught the biggest sharks? I have a couple pictures of Shannon's blacktip I'll put up later. Unfortunately I ended up leaving around midnight, I was going to stay the night but I was feeling like crap, turns out I'm running almost a 102 degree fever. Went out to one of my snapper holes further out and got a limit of mangroves to 17", tons of 14-15" muttons and a 21" black. Great event Will.

You and me both, I just came from my dr's and i have pneumonia again rough weekend.

Kudos to Shannon Bustamante for winning the shark tournament that was held on March 20-22, 2009. Your dad would have been so proud, Shannon! I remember how excited you both were when you won in the Junior competition.

Hey guys first of all thanks to everyone that braved the less then favorable weather to compete in the Rene de Dios Memorial Sharkathon,,,,,,everyone that stayed under those uncomftable,windy and rainy conditions deserves a tatoo with the word HARDCORE on your arm.

Will with the Shark Club Rv and the Rene Memorial poster hanging in the background

The Friday night Bar B Q was postponed til Saturday because our arrival on the bridge Friday was delayed by last minute mechanical problems with the RV and a bodyman that despite doing a good job, left all the repairs for the last minute. Despite the crappy conditions by Saturday morning we had about 25 people that came out to commemorate one of the best shark fisherman of our times Rene de Dios.Not everyone that came out competed but we made sure that everyone that was there with us felt the warmth of a friendly familylike enviroment.Some of the competitors were seriously hard at work some went as far as getting to the bridge a day before the event started to scout out there favorite fishing spots.Big Will J, his wife irma ,and friends Varoon and Johnie whose family owns a vacation home in Marathon Key fished Long key bridge Thursday night and Big Will caught a 29 inch cubera snapper that weighed 11 pounds using a whole live pinfish for bait,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,what a trophy fish from a bridge;too bad it was caught before the start of the sharkathon.My daughter Natalie and my son Danny and his girlfriend got to ride in the RV for the first time so that was a thrill for them and we took two bicycles to the bridge so they were able to visit all the different camps up and down the bridge .
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Shannon and Sandra with Shan"s 25 lb cuda -biggest in the event

The big ONE!

The first night the boys are hard at work -Shannon and Meir (gino #4719)i think!

JD Hammer came by the first night but had to leave because he had to work the next day,,,,,,,Thanks Jd for your effort.

Hard core baby Brianna Shannon and Sandra's little girl sleeping in the shopping cart ,,,,,hard core fishergirl in training for sure!!!

Janet Fuqua,Shannon ,Natalie and baby Brianna hamming it up.

My daughter Natalie trying her luck with the grunts.

Robert cooking up breakfast on Saturday morning,,,,,thanks Bob for the egg sandwiches!

Albert and Ricky old South Florida Shark Club members came out to show there support


group picture including snowbird and good friend Steve Shurke

Nicky Cipriano (flasharkhunter)and two good friends made a showing


New shark club member 17 year old Dennis Delacio hard at work trying to catch a snappy snapper

HARD CORE MOJO teaching the boys how to Hula Hoop

Mojo (Greg) accidentally hooking spotted rays and having a dandy old time

Lui hooks a big something on grandpa's rod

Lui gets the beast closer

OH No!!!!It's a nurse with a curse,,,,,,,but he wants it netted he's short on sinkers -sure Lui anything for you buddy

Lui and the nurse an da SHORTS

Are we having fun yet BOYS?

Danny Fundora and his girlfriend Kim

Jimmy Fuqua with his 14 inch snapper

Lui hooks a huge Permit on a live crab and- it's off to the races!!!

Getting the bar b q fired up

My son Danny and my daughter Natalie pose for a pic

Shannon ,Sandra and baby Brianna

Group Picture before the Big Storm

Shannon Bustamante with the winning 5 ft 10 inch Black tip being measured

A good time had by all,,,,,Thanks Guys.

The best set up was mojo Greg and his encapsulated tent which has legs and sits about 10 inches off the ground so that when everyone else is getting wet in there tents from the ground up he is high and dry in his Moon Tent ,,,,,,,,,,that's why he thinks he was the last one to leave the bridge but In all actuality we were well hunkered down inside the RV and did not leave until Sunday afternoon at one fifteen .

The winds were blowing strong the entire weekend and the rain came and went sporadically but it got bad on Saturday night after we had the Bar b q around 9 pm ,one hour later the wind started blowing 25 mph and gust over 30 mph.The fishing was so so the entire weekend with the anglers having to work extra hard to get good bites.The sharks won the battle on this weekend with 7 hook ups and only one caught -Shannon Bustamante's 5 ft 10 inch blacktip shark.One shark was lost on the bouy(thanks Lui)one took my moray eel in between the bridges and shot out the other side and quickly cut me off on the concrete bridge piles but the one that showed the most potential was the one that ate Jimmy Fuqua's 15 lb cuda on one bite and ran out towards the Atlantic and quickly cut jimmy's 130 lb test line on the light poles. .A big thanks again to everyone who came out spent time with us and showed support for the event and remembered the one person we were there to remember ,and who still is in our hearts Rene de Dios.

For the next Rene memorial April 17 th -19th 2009 we will have
A)a distance casting contest
B)A 14/o tug of war
C)a kids 2 hour grunt contest

Thanks everyone.

^^^^^ fish that will caught

big thanks to willy and anyone else who helped put this event together that i dont know about! i had a great time, it was nice to see everyone there cant wait for the one in april im gonna see if i can bring kebabs to barbecue!

Sounds like you guys had a great time. Wish i could have made down there. Congrats to everyone who had winning fish.

Blake

LoL Moon tent thats a good one...but true i was comfy in that thing.
BTW It is called a tent cot and it rules!

What a great time we all had, from getting jabbed by Lui about our wynwood jetro food stamp barbeque meat, to riding out 30 mph gusts 6 heads deep in a 3 man tent with jimmy , mayor, my daughter sandra and I, to getting stripped under the bridge by that huge cuda needing sandra to hold the rod down so my line wouldnt rub on the new bridge, to barbequing with the whole gang on saturday night right before out going tide.

Wow what a gathering, I cant wait for the one in April, I see us landing 5 sharks minimum in that tournament, and some one will get a 250 plus pounder for sure.long key is a dangerous place to put out baits in April,im warning you!!!!!!

I want more of you guys to compete this time fellas, 20 entrees minimum!!!

IM OFFICIALY CALLING YOU GUYS OUT LIKE RENE WOULD DO.
Hammer,soloman,kevin pagan,johny fuqua,joey fuqua, wait a minute who else???
Ohhhh AAron bunche,KIKI,GARY Spence, Anthony Rivron, Benny, all you guys come enter!!!!

YOU GUYS ARE GOING DOWN FOR THE COUNT NEXT LONG KEY TOURNEY!!!!
WHEN ITS OVER I WILL TELL YOU LIKE RENE WOULD , DAMN IT I TOLD YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

IM OFFICIALY CALLING YOU GUYS OUT LIKE RENE WOULD DO.
Hammer,soloman,kevin pagan,johny fuqua,joey fuqua, wait a minute who else???
Ohhhh AAron bunche,KIKI,GARY Spence, Anthony Rivron, Benny, all you guys come enter!!!!

YOU GUYS ARE GOING DOWN FOR THE COUNT NEXT LONG KEY TOURNEY!!!!
WHEN ITS OVER I WILL TELL YOU LIKE RENE WOULD , DAMN IT I TOLD YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

oh no no partner ill be there an im comin to take the win!!!
the hammer in close second

Thats what i like !!! get prepared, get exited, and come prepared with fresh line and long riggins cuz your going down young man!!!! I love it!!!!!

Bring your friends for tampa too!!!!!

We are going to all catch sharks this tournament!!!!
Im glad i got your blood boiling AAron cuz were going to have a great time out there!!!!

To Shannon AND Jimmy:D

GREAT CATCHES CONGRAT. To Will way to go. the turnament was a hit with all of you that enter and the next will even be better im sure. To SHANNON YOU ARE GOING DOWN ON THE TURNY!!!!!

OHHHHHHHHHHHHHH NO NO NO NO

it will be a great time!!!
seaweed. you will have your new rod to fish with in the tourny
just about to put the flexcoat on it!