| Shark Fishing From the Beach | | | | just let go of the reel, he was truly one with the |
| | | | reel.With line stripping off as if it were tied to the |
| It is a well known fact that in the summertime | | | | bumper of a Porshe the guy engaged the reel |
| many Sharks move from the deeper waters | | | | and the demeanor on his face changed instantly. |
| offshore into inland waterways and beaches. Why | | | | With the ferocity of a college line backer he |
| do they do this? Well the Sharks seek warmer | | | | began repeatidly setting the hook while almost |
| shallow waters to carry out mating rituals and to | | | | running backward. When he reached the end of |
| either lay eggs or give live birth. So why is this | | | | his walkway he would reel down on the fish and |
| important? It is very important if you are | | | | almost jog back to the edge of the pier. This |
| interested in swimming or in landing huge fish | | | | process was repeated two or three times. Then |
| from the bank. There is no other type of fishing | | | | the fight began!For the first hour it appeard that |
| (that I know of) where the angler has an | | | | he was going to almost be able to reel the fish |
| exceptional chance of hooking on to a 500lb plus | | | | directly in. Kinda like cranking in a boat with a |
| fish while fishing from the bank.Living near the | | | | wench. Boy was I wrong. Seemingly the Shark |
| Gulf of Mexico during my youth my family would | | | | was just swimming toward the pier and did not |
| take at least one vacation each summer to the | | | | know that he was even hooked. When it |
| beach. Week long vacations at the beach can | | | | appeared that the shark was getting close he |
| sometimes get a little boring for a kid who grew | | | | turned and headed out to sea. He ran and |
| up in the Hardwood Bottoms of middle Georgia. | | | | stripped drag for what seemed like an eternity. |
| Fishing was the answer to my problems. I started | | | | Line leaving the 14/0 reel a hundred yards at a |
| off doing some light surf fishing but soon realized | | | | time. With adrenaline pumping the excitement |
| that there were truly bigger fish in the sea.On one | | | | began to slightly subside. The guy was in a calm |
| trip in peticular I was introduced to shark fishing | | | | and focused mood with one thing on his mind. |
| as I know it today. A friend and I had made our | | | | After a couple of hours fighting the guy (while still |
| way down to the Pensacola Beach Peir for an | | | | fighting the fish) asked me to reach into his cooler |
| afternoon of catching Blues, Spanish, Kings and | | | | and get him a water. What? This guy wants to |
| hopefully a Cobia. We fished like we always had | | | | drink water while he is fighting this monster fish? |
| with live menhaden and had an average day. A | | | | He explained that in the course of fighting a big |
| few spanish, a pretty hefty king and more blues | | | | fish it was very important to remain hydrated. I |
| than we knew what to do with. We began to | | | | asked how long the fight usually took. And he |
| gather our gear for the walk home when another | | | | replied that the fight time varies greatly from one |
| fisherman was arriving at the pier. As the guy | | | | fish to another, some lasting only an hour and |
| made his way down the pier I noticed that he | | | | some lasting 12-14 hours.The battle was one of |
| was holding the biggest fishing rod and reel that I | | | | constant give and take he would reel in 100 yards |
| had ever seen. I had to approach the guy.When I | | | | and the shark would take 200. An hour rolled into |
| first approached the fella he was nice and friendly. | | | | two, two to three, until all track of time was lost. |
| But when I started probing him about his fishing | | | | Soon we were awakened to what time it was as |
| techniques he quickly shut off. I could tell (from | | | | the sun began to creep up from the dark abyss |
| years of dealing with older wiser fishermen) that | | | | in the east. This guy had been fighting this fish |
| this guy had a secret about fishing and I had to | | | | from a little after sunset until sunrise with no vast |
| know it.Well Mike (my fishing buddy) and I had a | | | | improvement in line on the reel. My realization of |
| meeting right there on the pier and decided that | | | | the addictiveness of shark fishing came when the |
| we would stay on the pier and watch the guy | | | | guy stated "... I hope this fish comes on in I have |
| and try to figure out what he needed such a big | | | | to be at work by 10:00am..." This guy had stayed |
| reel for. So I made a quick trip back to the condo | | | | up all night fighting this huge fish (which we hadn't |
| to inform my parents that we would not be back | | | | even seen yet) and he had to be at work in 5 |
| until late and for them not to wait up for us. | | | | hours. That is true Dedication and love for a |
| After some haggling permission was granted. I | | | | sport.It was about 8:30am when we got our first |
| loaded up on sandwich meat, bread, crackers, | | | | glimpse of the shark. The guy said it looked like a |
| beenie-weenies and sardines for our all night | | | | Bull Shark and was probably around 12 feet long. |
| fishing trip.When I returned to the pier about an | | | | It looked more like 20' to me. As the shark began |
| hour before sunset I was amazed that the guy | | | | to tire the question came to me "What are you |
| had yet to put his hook in the water. He had been | | | | going to do now?" I asked and he replied "What |
| at the pier almost two hours and had not wet a | | | | do you mean what am I going to do now, I'm |
| line. When I approached the guy and inquired | | | | gonna land this fish take some pictures and go to |
| about why he was not yet fishing, he replied "..I | | | | work..." Sounded like a good idea to me but we |
| only have one bait..". Now I have been fishing all | | | | were 20' off the water on the pier there was no |
| my life and I know that when you go fishing you | | | | possible way to hoist the thousand pound fish up |
| need more than one bait. The guy had to notice | | | | onto the pier. Then everything began to come |
| the puzzled and confused look on my silenced | | | | clear. The guy was making his way down the pier |
| face so he went into a little detail. He explained, as | | | | toward the beach. When he reached the end of |
| he opened a cooler, that in shark fishing it is good | | | | the pier he made his way down to the beach. Us |
| to have more than one bait but that he was so | | | | not far behind. The guy worked the shark past |
| skilled that he only needed one. Upon opening the | | | | the first sandbar and up into the shallow waist |
| cooler the fella removed a Spanish Mackrel that | | | | deep water at the breakers. When the Shark |
| easily weighed 4lbs. I said "...that's a nice spanish, | | | | appeared to have run out of energy the guy |
| are you going to grill it or fry it?" He replied "It's | | | | disengaged his reel and handed it to me. "If he |
| my bait". "The whole thing?", "Yep".Things were | | | | starts running just hold on to the reel." The guy |
| definately starting to come together now. I've | | | | removed a length of rope from his belt and |
| heard of using big bait to catch big fish but this | | | | began to wade out to the shark. With a loop in |
| was a little extreme. Then I saw a way for us to | | | | one end of the rope he grapped the sharks tail |
| 'bribe' this guy into teaching us how to fish for | | | | and secured the loop around it. With a grunt he |
| sharks. I offered him the Spanish Mackrel that we | | | | began to drag the massive fish up onto the |
| had caught earlier in the day. He instantly replied | | | | beach. With half the fish in the water and half out |
| "What do I have to do for them?" "Teach us how | | | | he removed a waterproof disposable camera |
| to do what you're doing"We were in!! The guy | | | | from his pocket and handed it to me. "Take the |
| lightened up and said at least he would have some | | | | whole roll with me and the shark." I started |
| company on the desolate peir. With extra bait the | | | | snapping pictures and soon the roll was gone. I |
| guy instantly began rigging up the behemouth pole. | | | | turned around and to my amazement we had |
| He withdrew a steel cable leader with a massive | | | | drawn a huge crowd of people. Onlookers, tourist, |
| hook on one end and a swivel on the other. He | | | | kids, old people, even a few beach dogs and a |
| began explaining in detail the ins and outs of shark | | | | mangy looking cat had been drawn to the |
| fishing. "..the leader has to be at least 15 feet long | | | | fiasco.With the film in the camera gone the guy |
| or longer, I like mine at least 20', and you can't | | | | measured the shark, untied the tail rope and |
| get this stuff at a bait store, you have to go to | | | | walked the shark out to deeper water. He stayed |
| the hardware store..." I questioned him about the | | | | with the shark long enough for it to regain its |
| hook and swivel, he replied that they were | | | | strength and let it go. The defeated creature |
| purchased from a local tackle shop at $2-4ea. I | | | | slowly slumbered out past the first sandbar and |
| was quickly realizing that shark fishing could get | | | | onto the second. I was truly in disbelief. This guy |
| expensive quick. He glanced toward our 4/0 Penn | | | | had fought this fish all night with his own blood |
| Fishing Reels and scoffed "You guys are going to | | | | sweat and probably some tears only to let it |
| need some bigger tackle." In disbelief I asked "Do | | | | go.When I questioned him about this he simply |
| you really need a reel as big as yours?" he replied | | | | replied, "Where else can you spend $20, catch a |
| "If you want to catch big fish you have to have | | | | thousand pound fish and have a blast all night |
| big tackle". His reel was a 14/0 Penn Senator and | | | | doing it. I do it for the fun of it. I catch fish people |
| looked as if it would hold 5 miles of the braided | | | | only dream about and I let them go so I can |
| 80lb test line that it was spooled with.I suddenly | | | | catch them again." It was then that my outlook |
| was stumped. How was this guy going to cast a | | | | on fishing was changed forever. It is not about |
| 20' steel leader with a 4lb spanish mackrel hooked | | | | what you take home for the table, it's what you |
| to the end of it? My question would be answered | | | | take home for yourself. Don't get me wrong I |
| by means of kayak. The guy removed a kayak | | | | love fish and I harvest many fish each year to |
| from his truck and began to paddle toward the | | | | eat, but I let the big ones go. They have made it |
| end of the pier. Upon arriving at the end directly | | | | this far, why should I be the one to end it for |
| beneath us he instructed for us to "carefully" | | | | them.Then I realized something: It was all worth it, |
| lower the spanish mackrel with a gaff-sized hook | | | | the reel, the rod, the bait, the hooks, line, money |
| in it into his lap. We did as we were told and the | | | | and time. It was all woth it.Five months later after |
| guy was off paddling in a flash.Ok, here is the | | | | saving every paycheck from my summer job I |
| situation: This crazy guy is paddling in a kayak | | | | ordered my first shark fishing reel a 16/0 Penn |
| toward the middle of the ocean, in shark infested | | | | Senator for $300 from Bass Pro Shops. I also |
| waters with a 4lb spanish mackrel laying in his lap. | | | | ordered line, 3000 yard of Braided 80lb test $250 |
| At this point I began to question the guys | | | | and a rod to put it all on $120. Ever since that |
| sanity.Paddling the bait out took no more than | | | | night on the Pensacola Pier I have a new addiction |
| 5mins and very quickly the guy took his seat | | | | in my life Shark Fishing. I have been to beaches all |
| next to his reel. After fooling with the reel for a | | | | over the South Eastern United States combing |
| while, checking drag, engaging a clicker and | | | | the beaches and peirs for just the right sandbar, |
| securing the reel to the pier with a rope he sat | | | | just the right current and tide. I usually rent a |
| back and opened a cold beer and said "Now we | | | | kayak from the local Beach Supply Store and we |
| wait." "How long?" I replied. "As long as it takes." | | | | usually camp or rent a hotel. The bait is hard to |
| he firmly stated.After several long boring hours of | | | | find and expensive. I have found the best places |
| catching catfish and an ocassional foot long shark | | | | to find fresh fish is at a fish market and usually |
| I was beginning to grow tired of waiting. Could | | | | Asian fish markets have a much wider selection |
| Shark Fishing really be worth all this effort and | | | | to choose from. My most successful baits are as |
| time? Not even a single bite on the big pole. Then | | | | follows: King Mackrel, Spanish Mackrel, Jack |
| I heard the sweetest most spine tingling sound | | | | Crevelle, Bonito and lastly Mullet.I have since |
| that a fisherman could possibly hear. Drag! And | | | | caught many sharks and several over 10 feet |
| lots of it, More than I had ever heard before. The | | | | long. All of them off of a Beach or a Pier. I have |
| massive reel was producing the loudest most | | | | also introduced several friends to my addiction, |
| chilling sound that I could ever imagine. Line was | | | | they too have seen the light and purchased |
| being stripped off at a phenominal rate and the | | | | equipment. Shark fishing is something the whole |
| guy was just sitting there watching it. What was | | | | family can truly enjoy. It's not just about catching |
| he doing? Obviously the Shark had the bait why | | | | the fish. It's about good friends, family and |
| wasn't he setting the hook?He slowly began | | | | beautiful beaches.[Everything Outdoors is Online at |
| strapping himself into what appeared to be a fish | | | | myOutdoors.tv]Buddy Bass has been an avid |
| fighting harness. Calmly picked up the reel and | | | | participant in Outdoor Activities since birth. He |
| strapped it in the butt holder and clipped straps | | | | presents the good the bad and the ugly that all |
| from his shoulders to the reel. I realized that this | | | | fishermen and hunters know. If every trip were |
| guy was strapping himself directly to the reel! If | | | | perfect It wouldn't be any fun. |
| something went wrong he would not be able to | | | | |