IN MY OPINION THESE ARE SOME OF THE BEST THAT I CAN THINK OF .THESE ARE BASED ON OVERALL KNOWLEDGE OF THE SPORT AND PRODUCTION OVER THE YEARS WITHOUT REGARD TO THERE CURRENT PARTICIPATION IN THE SPORT OR AFFILIATION TO THIS SITE.I'M SURE THERE ARE MANY THAT COULD BE ON THIS LIST BUT THESE ARE THE ONE'S I CAN THINK OF NOW.I SINCERELY HOPE NO ONE IS OFFENDED BY THIS LIST BECAUSE I AM SURE I MISSED MANY BUT THESE ARE THE ONES THAT I PERSONALLY KNOW.
TODAY'S BEST LAND BASED SHARK FISHERMAN (in my opinion)
JD HAMMER (sfsc)
TIMMY-T SWAGGERTY (sfsc)
CHRIS BISHOP (boatless)
MIKE PALMER (n/a)
ERNIE POLK (sfsc)
JEFF SHINDLE (extreme coast)
TROY COUPEL (sos)
ERIC OZLINS (extreme coast)
PETE BARRETT (boatless)
JIMMY DEAN FUQUA (sfsc)
BIG WILL J FUNDORA (sfsc)
MATT ZAPALA (sos)
MARK DUNCAN (sos)
CHARLIE JAMIESON(n/a)
CURTIS LOCKE (boatless)
SHANNON BUSTAMANTE (sfsc)
DOUG(dougr81)(sfsc,e coast,sos)
CARL (cmoney7) sfsc
Non land based = retired, hated by many but he knows his shit, an expert on great whites= Vic Hislop. I will never forget that monster white pointer he caught in South Australia 22 foot 6000 lbs on a 300lb greasy cod, saw it on the evening news while living in Australia at the time. Another is Bucky Dennis an expert in locating giant hammers in Boca Grande locally.
If you were to include shark fisherman on boats then yes Vic Hislop tops the list and for sure Bucky Dennis but i've pointed out land-based shark fisherman.
On the list should be included
ZACH MILLER(teamrebelfishing)
ZACK MEYER(n/a) team oldskool
LUIS CORDOVA (picua-sfsc)
A land based shark fisherman can be well rounded in one area of expertise but completely clueless in another style of fishing.The very best have extensive expierience in all categories,but some in only one or a few.Only time spent fishing on different platforms will distinguish those at the top.To my knowledge there are only a handful of anglers who have mastered all 4 platforms.I've taken the time to point out the platforms mastered by each angler below.Again I hope no one feels offended this is only my opinion and some may have extensive time on a platform I am not aware of.Here are the categories
1)BEACH
2)PIER
3)BRIDGE
4)JETTY
5)BOAT
IN MY OPINION THESE ARE SOME OF THE BEST THAT I CAN THINK OF .THESE ARE BASED ON OVERALL KNOWLEDGE OF THE SPORT AND PRODUCTION OVER THE YEARS WITHOUT REGARD TO THERE CURRENT PARTICIPATION IN THE SPORT OR AFFILIATION TO THIS SITE.I'M SURE THERE ARE MANY THAT COULD BE ON THIS LIST BUT THESE ARE THE ONE'S I CAN THINK OF NOW.I SINCERELY HOPE NO ONE IS OFFENDED BY THIS LIST BECAUSE I AM SURE I MISSED MANY BUT THESE ARE THE ONES THAT I PERSONALLY KNOW.
TODAY'S BEST LAND BASED SHARK FISHERMAN (in my opinion)
1)JD HAMMER (sfsc) ---BEACH,PIER,BRIDGE,JETTY
2)TIMMY-T SWAGGERTY (sfsc)--- BEACH,PIER,JETTTY
3)CHRIS BISHOP (boatless)---BEACH,PIER,BRIDGE
4)MIKE PALMER (n/a)---BEACH,JETTY
5)ERNIE POLK (sfsc)---BEACH,PIER,BRIDGE
6)ZACH MILLER (teamrebelfishing)---BEACH,PIER
7)JEFF SHINDLE (extreme coast)---BEACH,BOAT
8)TROY COUPEL (sos)---BEACH
9)ERIC OZLINS (extreme coast)---BEACH
10)PETE BARRETT (boatless)---BEACH
11)ZACK MEYER (n/a)---BEACH
11)JIMMY DEAN FUQUA (sfsc)---BEACH,PIER,BRIDGE
12)BIG WILL J FUNDORA (sfsc)---BRIDGE
13)MATT ZAPALA (sos)---BEACH
14)MARK DUNCAN (sos)---BEACH
15)CHARLIE JAMIESON(n/a)---BEACH
16)CURTIS LOCKE (boatless)---BEACH,JETTY
17)SHANNON BUSTAMANTE (sfsc)---BEACH,PIER,BRIDGE
18)LUIS CORDOVA (sfsc)---BEACH,BRIDGE
19)DOUG(dougr81)(sfsc,e coast,sos)---BEACH
20)CARL (cmoney7) (sfsc)---BEACH
21)JEFF SESSIONS (n/a)---BEACH
AUSTRALIA AND S.AFRICA
1)TERRY HESSEY (n/a)---BEACH
2)SIMON HARMON (n/a)---BEACH
3)DOUG HARMON (n/a)---BEACH
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
one who teaches and has fun doing it
for me would be Doug Ive fished with a bunch of times and always always learn something new from him and pick is brain apart. but also think will and jd are great sharkers to and would love a weekend out with the 2 of them to pick their brains apart
IN MY OPINION THESE ARE SOME OF THE BEST THAT I CAN THINK OF .THESE ARE BASED ON OVERALL KNOWLEDGE OF THE SPORT AND PRODUCTION OVER THE YEARS WITHOUT REGARD TO THERE CURRENT PARTICIPATION IN THE SPORT OR AFFILIATION TO THIS SITE.I'M SURE THERE ARE MANY THAT COULD BE ON THIS LIST BUT THESE ARE THE ONE'S I CAN THINK OF NOW.I SINCERELY HOPE NO ONE IS OFFENDED BY THIS LIST BECAUSE I AM SURE I MISSED MANY BUT THESE ARE THE ONES THAT I PERSONALLY KNOW.
TODAY'S BEST LAND BASED SHARK FISHERMAN (in my opinion)
JD HAMMER (sfsc)
TIMMY-T SWAGGERTY (sfsc)
CHRIS BISHOP (boatless)
MIKE PALMER (n/a)
ERNIE POLK (sfsc)
JEFF SHINDLE (extreme coast)
TROY COUPEL (sos)
ERIC OZLINS (extreme coast)
PETE BARRETT (boatless)
JIMMY DEAN FUQUA (sfsc)
BIG WILL J FUNDORA (sfsc)
MATT ZAPALA (sos)
MARK DUNCAN (sos)
CHARLIE JAMIESON(n/a)
CURTIS LOCKE (boatless)
SHANNON BUSTAMANTE (sfsc)
DOUG(dougr81)(sfsc,e coast,sos)
CARL (cmoney7) sfsc
Non land based = retired, hated by many but he knows his shit, an expert on great whites= Vic Hislop. I will never forget that monster white pointer he caught in South Australia 22 foot 6000 lbs on a 300lb greasy cod, saw it on the evening news while living in Australia at the time. Another is Bucky Dennis an expert in locating giant hammers in Boca Grande locally.
bucky also grew up land based shark fishing. he has a bunch of big sharks under his belt.
One you don't have on here who has been catching large shak on the Texas coast, PINS, for decades and lives to improve Padre Island National Seashore and ocean and land ecology is Billy Sandifer, http://www.billysandifer.com/. He hit PiNS shortly after Viet Nam and has been there ever since.
The Big Shell Beach Clean-Up Project, http://www.billysandifer.com/cleanup.htm, is Billy's big annual gift to PINS. You can read a good summary of it here on extremecoast.com: http://extremecoast.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=19047
There are several very good shark fishermen here. Billy and Eric (Oz) are two of them and in my estimation, the best.
Ray
Today's top land based shark fisherman
1.William Fundora
2.Jd hammer
3timmy swaggert
4.cris bishop
5.Ernie Polk
6.Jimmy dean fuqua
7.raymundo Muniz
8. Zack (team rebel)
9. FELL OFF
That's off the top of my head the top land based sharkfisherman, my evaluation is from fishing alongside these guys, and competing against some of them as well. I even through in two guys who are fairly new to the sport but show similar passion!!! One of the fisherman Raymundo Muniz!!! not only because he's my best friend, but honestly he has the determination and commitment and passion, I've only seen in one other man Rene de dios!!!! He May be a knucklehead sometimes, but if this dude gets more free time of experience I see him carrying the torch in 10 years!! He's a lifer and you can sense it!! He will be better than all of us in my opinion!!! Sorry if I offended anyone!!!
Honest To God All You Guys Are Great Shark Fishermen ( No Dought In My Mind ), So Why Try To Compete On Who's The Best Land Based ? Its Up To Our New'er Generation Shark Club Members To Hold Our Triditions Together, ( Yes Shannon I Am Talking To You Buddy ) ! Willie And J.D. Won't Be Here Forever. Carry The South Florida Shark Club Banner High And Keep The Torces Lit FOREVER & EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!
JP I agree, but nothing wrong with acknowledging some of the top fisherman In our sport right now.