Rene's Giant Bahamian Bull Shark

Back in the early 1990's Rene de Dios was working on the ferry boat that takes the rich and famous to Fisher Island every half hour.Rene who had his captains licsense and was working to eventually be one of the lucky few to get the captain's job.So Rene while working on the Fisher Island ferry meets another south floridian who was on the water and fishing almost as much as himself (Capt Luis Valdez).Capt Lui happens to be the same guy who together with Rene sunk on the 21 foot Mako open fisherman in front of Bimini while fighting Rene's epic Great White shark for 14 hours.Anyway back to the story Rene and Luis became good friends and started to plan a shark fishing trip aboard Capt Lui's almost new 25 foot Grady White walkaround fishing boat.So they made there plans and decided to head out to fish a place known as the Gingerbread grounds which is an outcropping of amazing reefs that come out of the water in some places.The Gingerbread grounds are about 36 miles north east of Bimini,right of the Bahamas bank north of of Great Isaac lighthouse.The place is remote but an amazing microcosom,reefs loaded with tropical fish ,giant groupers,snapper,kingfish,yellow tail and some of the biggest hogfish in the world.The sea life there is really amazing but any given day the place is scary to fish because of the cross currents and if the wind blows past 10 mph watch out!!The remote location,the exposed reefs ,crossed currents and a weird chop typically create very sloppy, uncomftable seas for anchoring in any boat.Anyway so they get out to the fishing grounds and they troll big magnum and rapala sinking lures to catch barracudas and kingfish for bait,they get what they need and then some.On some days the kingfish are all 25lbs and bigger certain times of the year and sometimes big black grouper come off the bottom and nail the trolled plugs intended for cuda and kingfish.So they anchor up before nightfall Rene puts out his shark baits in typical fashion almost before the anchor hits the bottom.The guys settle have a quick bite then they start bailing flag yellowtails and catching an occasional big rock hind or strawberry grouper right behind the boat in there chumslick.That night Capt Lui and Rene catch a few 6 foot caribean reef sharks that are quickly released.Around midnight Rene who has floated out a whole 20 lb cuda on his 14/0 and classic Harnell boat rod gets a slow steady run that wakes him from his sleep.Rene sets up on the fish and he takes a few turns on the reel and tells the guys "it's another damm nurse curse"and just then the shark feels the hooks and is taking a constant steady slow run and Rene starts screaming that "it's no nurse- it's a big bull drop the anchor line bouy!!!" Capt Lui who is still half asleep listening to his new friend/shark maniac carry on about the big bull he wants to chase with the boat.Capt Lui wants to leave the anchor in but Rene says the shark will strip him if they don't go after him,,,,they argue back and forth and decide to wait and see if the shark slows down or not but after a few minutes Capt Lui sees that the shark is taking a steady amount of line off the reel and decides it's now or never to release the anchor line and pursue the big slow shark.The shark is towing them away from the Bahama bank heading for deep water and Rene starts wondering outloud if he's got a big tiger shark instead.After a while the Capt has Rene on top of the shark and slowly Rene begins to gain some line and a couple of times the shark would just lay flat and could not be moved no matter how much manuevering the Capt tries with the twin outboard engines.Rene is into his groove and not in a hurry because he knows the shark is real big and green still--so he goes on for almost two hours trying to gain line and tire out the beast.The guys get the fly gaff and tail rope ready as the shark gets closer to the surface.When the shark shows himself Rene is screaming like a wild Banshee "i told you it was a big bull"he carries on in typical fashion.Rene is exhausted puts down the rod once the shark is secured, and leans over the side to have a better look at the monster that put up such a cantankerous fight.Rene is saying that it's the biggest damn bull shark he's ever caught or seen and "HE WANTS TO TAKE IT HOME",,,,,,,Capt Lui who's Grady White boat is almost as new as his relationship with Rene says to Rene 'take it home and do what with it?" Rene who was well known for having tunnel vision when he wanted something-tells him "it's a record ,look at it ,i want it"Rene measures the giant pregnant female bull shark and it's 10 feet 9 inches,and yes it probably is well over 600 lbs and a possible world record.So they rope off the shark with the fly gaff in it's maw to the stern cleat and the sharks midsection and tail are secured to the cleat amidship until they can decide whats gonna be done with the shark.Well Capt Lui trying to be a good friend to the shark maniac decides the best he can do for Rene and his bull is attempt to bring the huge shark on board in the morning for the run back to Bimini to weigh Rene's world record bull shark.Everyone goes to sleep and in the morning the captain wakes up and hears a strange noise next to the tied off shark.He looks down and sees the flying gaff making a deep scar back and forth with the rocking of the boat into the side of his expensive boat.Captain Luis is pissed off,tired ,groggy and with big forshner knife in hand takes and cuts loose the ropes securing the beast to the boat and away floats Rene's giant 10 foot 9 inch world record bull shark.I never would of done that to Rene but there relationship was a shaky one based on there love of fishing not on the love of sharks.Rene my friend! you fought it,beat it,and finally caught it.Rene told that story to anyone that would listen and he never forgave Capt Lui for the infraction.

Rene on the Kalex charter boat fishing with Capt Alez Adler out of Bud and Mary's in Islamorada

Rene with double bulls both over 400 lbs