[j_purdy]

So I just wanted to stretch a line and decided to hit Johnsons Bch. to see if anything wanted to cooperate. The surf was a little rough but not too bad. Started out catching some nice sized bluefish and ladyfish. I put one of the ladyfish out on my big setup and BAM-screamin' drag. I'm locked in for all of 30 seconds, when the line goes slack and I find out he bit through the leader. Fresh rig(heavier steel), fresh ladyfish, good soak, and BAM! another good hookup. This fish is also solid and after 5 minutes or so the line goes slack. What the heck?! I reel in and everything is intact. I change to a different circle hook(for good luck), and put out another bait. An hour or so passes and nothing, so I decide to give it 15 more minutes with fresh bait. Good thing too because 10 minutes later I got another sloid bite. Screaming drag, adrenaline pumping, third times the charm, all the other cliches. The first run puts the fish over 300 yards out. The second run leaves me with about 50 yards of line left on my spool. Pump and wind time. I regain 5 ft. She takes 5 and a half. It was a back and forth tug of war for about 20 minutes then she shoots down the beach-time to chase. I met nice group of beachgoers who gave me a red bull(Thanks again) and kept on down the beach. Finally, I get her inside the sandbar and see her. Its been 45 minutes and I'm hot, sweaty, and tiring. She takes off again! You get the picture. An hour later I finally drag her onto the beach with a little help. She measures 66 inches longto the forkand 46 inches girth.I love my 20 lb. test but here's the sad part of the story. Because I was underprepared for a fish of that size, she wasspent by the time I landed her. I spent 40 minutes walking against the current in thigh deep water supportingher weight and she justdidn't revive. I tried but to no avail. I have some pics on my cell phone, but I don't know how to transfer and post them.

Tight lines out there,

Jason

 

[jaster]

Good eating non the less, right? You did keep it did'nt you?

 

[Jig n Hawgs]

:takephoto

 

[j_purdy]

Yes I did keep the shark. I gave the meat to friends and family. And as for the pix, I'm working on that right now. Wish me luck. On a side note I also caught one small pomp that morning. No pic ofthat though.

 

[d45miller]

Awesome pics! Hope that big guy tastes good!:clap

 

[surfstryker]

Excellent. Thanx for report and pics. I dont think thats a bull though, nose is too pointy.

 

[j_purdy]

It's tough to tell from the pic(again from a cell phone), but it was a bull. I have several shots that I got on a disposable that are being developed. I'll try to scan them and get them posted.

 

[konz]

Nice catch, the nose does look pretty pointy.......but like you said it could just be the angle of the pic. Great catch either way!! Do you have any pics of the teeth?

 

[nockowt1]

How did you get your bait out?

 

[bleedincrimson]

what time of day were you out there

 

[yankee]

That is one nice looking catch what ever kind of shark it happens to be ,and you did a great job of landing it with 20 lb test,Hope your friends give you some cooked shark to try.:clap:clap

 

[j_purdy]

To answer:

I was fishing a cut in the sandbar and wading the bait out. The fish hit shortly after 10 in the morning. And, yes, I have teeth pics that I am having developed-will post for a positive ID.

 

[Captain Woody Woods]

nice fish. tryin to revive a shark though? not gonna lie, that sounds like a recipe for disaster and instant media attention-at the expense of one of your limbs, possibly your life. be careful

 

[todd in the bay]

Good Job!, I love the sceamin drag!! That's what we live for, huh?. Sorry he didn't make it.

His fault, and yer blessedto have enjoyed it!

Always have a Blast!

Here's my last shark!

 

[Bodie]

Jason:

Well done with your shark in October at Johnson Beach. A couple of questions, please, what type of reel, what length rod and what size hook did you use?What was the approximate length of your cast when you hooked up? Were you fishing to the east or west of the pavillions at Johnson?

Sounds like you made greateffort to carefully release it, too bad it didn't survive. One could argue that releasing a potentially dangerouspredator isn't a good idea,especially in water within a par 5 of a tourist beach. About a month before your catch, I could see from my balcony ashark about the same size as yours, swimming among the tourists within 10 or 20 feet from shore. The swimmerswere oblivious for the most part.Someone finally spotted it and an idiot macho guy actually jumpedin and tried to grab it. Idiots aside, the argument mightbe that sharks scare the tourists and are bad for business, so shouldn't be released.

I would disagree with that argument. You did the right thing to try to release it. The opposing argument to "don't release" might be that sharks actually draw visitors to the area, at least the "right kind" of visitors, people who want to experience a more natural surrounding. Sharks are an important part of the local ecosystem, as valuable to preserve as the dunes. It would be interesting to know if the parkrangersat the gate have an opinion whether sharks should be released.

I've never beached a shark the size of yours so I have no direct experience. But I suggest that your shark didn't die from exhaustion or lack of oxygen. It may have died from damaged internal organs. I noticed in your photos that the fish is maybe 10 feet from the water on dry sand. A shark has no rib cage to protect it from its own weight and the act of beaching itmay have crushed or compressed his internals. If I ever getthe opportunity, I might try to keep the fish in the water, if practical, to help support his weight.

Anyway, congratulations on a nice fish and I commend you for your efforts to release.Although the fish died, you put it to good use by sharing with friends and family.

 

[PBTH]

Nice catch, you've been slaying it up in the surf this fall.



As for reviving sharks, check out the shark fishing section on boatlessfishing.com. Those guys have it down to an art form when it comes to landing and releasing jumbo sharks from the surf. Also, sharks are fairly hardy creatures, so dragging them up on the beach for a quick photo op isn't going to hurt them.

 

[j_purdy]

Bodie,

I was using ladyfish for bait on an 8/0 circle hook. I was fishing a hole in the bar only about 65 or 70 yards from shore to the East of the pavilions. Also, thanks for the info. Tight Lines.

-Jason

 

[Clay-Doh]

Thats a real nice lookin one there man!!!!:clap:clap:clap:letsdrink

 

[redrunner]

Nice shark man.