SFSC Bridge Record Hammerhead Shark -12 FT 2 INCHES

This hammerhead has taken the lead as the biggest shark land-based anywhere in the globe as of April 22,2009.At 12 ft 2 inches it might be beat by summer's end but as of now it is on top.Here is the story as told by the proud South Florida Shark Club member Shannon Bustamante.
HAMMER 12 FEET 2 INCHES
After so many years of trying from the bridge i finally landed that huge hammer!!!!!
For years we have been losing those 10ft plus hammers, with so many different obstacles and road blocks from a bridge as many off you keys fisherman already know.
If it isnt a lobster buoy its a ghost trap, if you bring her in between the electric poles to fast she takes you under, if you fight her outside to long she wraps you, if she dosent wrap you on the telephone pole, a boat cuts across your line. The percentages are very slim for us avid bridge fisherman!!!!!!!

But, wait a minute!!!!!!!!!!!!
Not on this night baby!!!!!!
I worked my triceps ,biceps and cardio all week long for this tournament baby i was ready for war!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We arrived to Long Key bridge and i just knew with our fresh cudas, the perfect tide, and the best month of the year for keys shark fishing (April) that it was going down that night!!!!!!
As im singing out loud our historical shark club hammer songs to Ki Ki Ferer ,my new up and coming juniour (meir), and Aaron Bunch, I stop abruptly and shout to every 1 (look its april in the keys baby) anything can happen tonight, ANYTHING!!!!!!!

My partner Ki Ki Ferrer hooks into a bull, then his other rod goes off (double header) the other shark was a lemon and kiki quickly works them to the seawall and starts releasing them. I stayed behind and Lower my king kong 30 lb cuda that Aaron Bunch aka (snag) caught earlier that day for me at channel 2, I put the whole cuda straight down on my 14/0 that is full to the brim with brand new 125 ande. Im looking at the big cuda straight down and saying to myself (im going to get burned, that cuda looks alive) and sure enough while im all alone due to ki ki stealing my teamates to help him, my 14/0 starts screaming!!!!!! I pick up the rod and scream "Its a Hammer" get the spotlight!!!!! I let her eat a little and i set up, only to get the rod pinned to the bridge as i start getting stripped. The guys run up out of breath and my reel is smoking as it gets lower and lower, 3/4 spool, 1/2 spool, 1/4 spool, at a 1/4 spool every 1 is saying shannon you need to tie in now!!!! I refuse as i already know i will do what i always do with big hammers, crouch all the way down and stuff my fingers in the spool at my last 200 feet and either break it and get my line back or stop the beast. So i put my last effort and sure enough i stop her!!!!! as the battle continues i found my self gaining all my line back inch by inch all the way to 3/4 spooll only to be burned right back to below a quarter spool within seconds, this must have happen atleast 4 times throughout the battle. I continue power winching her closer and closer after 2 and a half hours of battle, and i am covered in sweat, every one is pouring water on me and my reel because i could barely play with my star drag due to how hot it was. I am gaining on her and she is not far past the telephone polls, so i start talking to her (mama please give in, i know your so tired, i am too) just give in and let me get my pictures with you and let you go. Than it finally happend i got her in between the light poles and i get her on top when every 1 on the bridge freaks out OH MY GOD!!!!!!!!! Ki Ki yells, shes 13ft 800 lbs!!!! someone else yells no way 1000 lb easy!!! and i cant see cuz im battling her so now im freakin pumped!!!!!!! I start walking her and these rif raft yo yo fisherman are camped out in a whole section of the bridge that I need to pass by!!! so like i said im pumped now and start yelling in spanish (saca la linia ) !!!!!!!!!! Get all thos yo yos out of my way now!!!!!!!!! some people wouldnt move, and as you know 20lb test tangled to shark line will cut your shark line instantly and that wasnt happening after 3hr battle!!!!! so i start going off on these Goo Gans , Hey get that !@#% out of the water now!!!!!!!! and i sounded crazy cuz i was pumped and my voice was cracking, so they moved. We successfully walked her to the flats and that was it we did it!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Ki Ki and Aaron tail roped her and pulled her to the shallow, but i was very concerned with the fishes health so i decided not to take her too shallow and harm her so we took our pictures with her kind of deep. This decision effected the pictures, as almost none of the photos did this hammer justice, she looked pregnant but you cant tell due to her stomach under water!!!!!! We took our measurement which actually was 12 ft2 but since we dont have a great picture showing the last 2 inches i will let you guys win with a 12ft 1 if you get 1 that big, i play it fair fellas!!!! Anyways we got our pictures ,measurements 12 ft 2, and educated guess weight 550 -650 lbs.

releasing the monster