Surf Report: Shark from the beach! (Sept. 2010)

Greetings from Florida,

Having my giant Diawa Spinning Reel's gears grounded down by a monster Bull shark last week, this Sunday i decided to hit my favorite beach spot again ( Sarasota FL).

Caught a few pinfish as bait. Since there were no bathers in site, I decided to deploy my shark lines early. I ran i live 10" pinfish out about 75 yards from the beach using my kayak.

 
  
Sun went down, and no real action. Around 10:20 p.m the reel started singing. I saw the shark jump up and out the water, spinning and leaping franticly to get the hook out.

I let her make a few power runs before tightening the drag.

Landed her in about 4 minutes. Took these photos , a measurement, carefully pulled out the hook, and set her free.

 
Reel: Penn Senator 114H

Line: 100 lb Power Pro braid

Hook: 15/0 mustard circle

Rig: 6ft 135lb nylon coated cable; 10’ 200 lb mono topshot

Bait: live Pinfish

Will be out for that 2010 6 foot + this weekend.

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Surf Report: 7ft Hammerhead from the beach! (Oct 24, 2010)

I took my friend Julie out shark fishing for her first time. It was a slow night even with fresh mackerel, ray, ladyfish , and whiting as bait. Not a run. Had 5 reels out too.

We were there all night out of fresh bait and using frozen. Just as we were to call it quits, one reel starts screaming. I hooked the fish and handed off to my friend to fight her first battle. She tired out pretty quickly, so handed it back to me to reel in. Took about 45 minutes of lifting and reeling but I got it on the surf. I was surprised to see it was a hammerhead! Measured 78” long.
 

 
It was a heck of a fight on the 114 Senator.

Took a few photos, cut the hook and pulled it thru, and sent the pretty lady back out to sea. 
 

 
Reel: Penn Senator 114H

Line: 80 lb Power Pro braid

Hook: 20/0 circle

Rig: 6ft 135lb nylon coated cable; 10’ 200 lb mono topshot

Bait: Whole Pre-Frozen Mackerel.

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Surf Report: 7+ft sandbar shark from the surf (Nov 26, 2010)

I had to get in one last trip before the Winter kicked in. I recently moved onto Tampa bay, so I’ve been doing a lot of fishing and saving the left over black drum and sheephead carcasses. Fishing solo this trip, and headed down to Sarasota. The waves were rough, and the wind was blowing( 12-15). Sun went down and i deployed my baits ( fresh sting ray, dead fresh mullet, live black drum, and a frozen sheephead).

Had my 12/0, my 9/0 and 114H senators. Of course my lucky 114h starts screaming. I can feel this one was big, maybe too big for the 114. After about 30 minutes of walking back on the beach , pulling , reeling in the slack and repeat , I was finally able to get the shark over the shallow sand bars. Luckily a family of vacationers came by and helped me out by holding spotlight and my rod, while I grabbed the shark by the tail and pulled her on the beach.

Got a rough measurement, and she was about 7 feet. Lost my bolt cutters in the surf during the commotion, but I was able to snip the cable near the hook and pushed her off. She took off like a bat out of hell, even after a somewhat lengthy battle.

Reel: Penn Senator 114H

Line: 80 lb Power Pro braid

Hook: 16/0 circle

Rig: 6ft 135lb nylon coated cable; 10’ 200 lb mono topshot

Bait: Pre-Frozen filleted Sheephead.