2011 Blacktip Challenge Rules link and Reports

The weather is looking good for next weeks tournament -warmer then the last few years and the possibility for bigger sharks is there with the warmer water temps.This might be the year when one of the big hammers that are out beyond the breakers feasting on the blacktips is finally landed.Good luck to all.

With so many big sharks being caught in winter around south Florida this year expectations have been high for many SFSC members that signed up to fish this year's Blacktip Challenge. We have fished through many obstacles that presented themselves including high surf and an over abundance of seaweed that has made fishing some beaches almost impossible.Results have been mixed with the better fishing taking place south of Martin county where water temps are warmer and the surf more manageble and the tippers more cooperative.

Josh and I at the Blacktip Challenge anglers meeting

first shark 1 st night my nephew Jorge jr gets hooked up

one down

two down

and three down and the biggest at 72 1/2 inches by Jimmy Dean

The high surf cannot be fully appreciated in these pictures.

There were waves beyond the breakers that were much higher and would come up from one instant to the next.They towered over us and our tiny Spitfire calm water kayak .The waves backwashed & flipped us many times and at the end of the day only one bait was sucessfully deployed into the clean water beyond the surf .No sharks on this our second day .Second night had us scrambling to keep our lines free of the seaweed that was flowing in front of our campsite but as often happens the seaweed ruined the night early but gave us the advantage of getting some much needed rest.Back at it this afternoon.

one blacktip all night

me fighting
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Nice catches guys!

Keep it up guys... looking good

By Greenie Sunday 2/27/11

we started out fishing the first nite at midnite, that nite until about 10 am the next day we caught about 20 undersized tips with only 1 that was barley over 60 inches. so we went down to stuart to only catch more undersized tips again with only 1 over 60 inches.


so we called it a nite to start fresh in the morning.the next morning we started looking down in palm beach and we worked our way all the way back to north fort pierce because we diddent see what we wanted to see, we got to the beach late 5:00PM. as soon as we got to our beach the spinners were jumping and the mackeral boats were all over. the first 2 baits out we got broke off by big tippys on the reef. then we caught this big sucker fish lol.

soon as we released him the 12/0 went off, and we landed a fat tippy.

later on that nite we got broke off by something big on the reef.and the last day was very slow only had one bite from a big tippy that got us in the reef.

Man I wanna see the report from pete of that toad bull he caught last night. Probably the biggest bull I've ever seen from the beach.

Fished this tourney hard from start to finish .We want to thank all those that came out and fished with us including the lake worth boyz -Cubaneddy, Timmy T,Jose ,Gio hope I did not leave anyone,,,,thanks to Chris(snookhunter),Marcus(sharkwresler)Carl(cmoney7),I need a Bonita and the others of team "Get Some Sharks" I think that's there new team name sorry folks sleep deprivation causes mental confusion.Everyone worked hard and even those that joined us on the beach just for the sake of spending times with us were helpful in toting gear back and forth to our camp,,,,,thanks.We had a very nice time with many good friends fishing this tournament most giving 110 percent in there shark fishing efforts.I think everyone that signed up to fish Josh's tournament worked hard to catch a winning shark; I personally saw tired ,sunburned men yakking out baits into the eerie black ocean at all hours of the night.Brave courageous men giving there all to there sport.I am greatful to Josh for his efforts and for the opputunity to compete but in the end ,,win or lose it's about having a good time and fishing with friends.We came up short in our search for the big shark but we might have had the winning shark Satuday night taking drag on a Penn 16/0 but the hooks eventually pulled the shark swam away unseen........

loaded for bear Jimmy Dean helps out

Jimmy ,Jorge jr ,and I

another tipper 68 inches

Then the Lake Worth Boyz got into the action fishing next to us

Timmy gets hooked up and Cubaneddy looks on

Timmy with his tipper-NOT IN THE TOURNAMENT

hooked up again


another tipper 69 1/2 inches

Timmy hooks up again

Timmy with another blacktip-NOT IN THE TOURNAMENT

Gio hooks up on a 6/0 wide

Gio with his hard won smallish blacktip-NOT IN THE TOURNAMENT

the big dawg finally arives but leaves just as quickly

Jd hooks up

Jimmy D assist the "old boy"

JD Hammer and Jimmy with the 69 1/2 inch Blacktip

the release

the master hunts the beach and comes back with more fresh shark supper(jacks)

Jimmy relaxes in the shade as we wait for another bite

a man of war fish to go along with the excessive BLUE DEVILS all up and down the beach

calm seas but that was it not one single shark on the last night

On the last morning of the tournament and a farewell to great new friends Now time ready for the FIFTH ANNUAL

THE FIFTH ANNUAL 2011 BIG HAMMER CHALLENGE

Largest Sharks

1st Place
Pete Barrett - Bull Shark
Overall Length: 110"
Fork Length: 95"
Girth: 65"
Estimated Weight: 501.72

2nd Place
Mike Croke - Nurse Shark
Overall Length: 105"
Fork Length: 83.5"
Girth: 61"
Estimated Weight: 388.38

3rd Place
Brian Brazaitis - Blacktip Shark
Overall Length: 73.5"
Fork Length: 64"
Girth: 39"
Estimated Weight: 121.68

Largest Blacktips

1st Place
Brian Brazaitis
Overall Length: 73.5"
Fork Length: 64"
Girth: 39"
Estimated Weight: 121.68

2nd Place
JD Hammer
Overall Length: 69.5"
Fork Length: 58.5"
Girth: 38.5"
Estimated Weight: 108.39

3rd Place
Greg Miller
Overall Length: 72"
Fork Length: 60"
Girth:36"
Estimated Weight: 97.20

Congrats to all the winners and great work on putting on a great tourney Josh.

Right here Ray (clack,clack,clack)the winners are above .Congratulations to all the winners and those who put in so much effort.

The tournament had a damn good outcome from what i can see, that bull shark is massive, I wasn't in the tourney so I just decided to catch bait for people who were and leave out one shark rod, ended up cut off on that and with 9 jacks between me and Jim Dean running full speed chasing the school about 2 miles north on boynton.

Had a great time fishing the Blacktip Challenge. Thanks to Mark, Eddie and Timmy T for there support. Will and Jimmy Dean and I PUT OUT A 110 percent. Thanks EVERyONE. Also THANKS to Kim "fighting lady 08".

i had a great time fishing this tournament i cant wait till the no limits