# Accidentally caught a nice Blacktip



## WAReilly (Jun 2, 2014)

Went to my spot yesterday. It was pretty dead all evening.

Around 6:30, my Stradic 4000FJ blew up! This thing didn't stop until I had 20 or so yards left on my spool. I had no clue what was on, but I knew it was a nice size fish, especially when we saw it completely breach the surface of the water two times! There wasn't quite enough light to ID the fish yet, but we knew it wasn't a big ray! 

After 15 minutes or so, I've only got about 30 yards of line out, and the fish starts screaming back and forth parallel to the shoreline. At this point, I think I have a nice big bull red and I start getting excited. So my buddies get the net and head out the try to net it to keep it out of this big thing in the water (I have no clue what it is, but it will easily cut my line). 

You should have seen them when they got first sight of the shark. Two grown men in knee deep water completely jump out of the water and run back to shore faster than any grown man should ever have to run.

A few minutes later, we have it on the beach. We take a few pics and release it. 

We didn't get to bring anything home, but we definitely had a good time landing this guy.

It ended up measuring 57 7/8" from the tip of its nose to the tip of its tail. This is by far the biggest shark I have ever caught. I must also add, that I had my Stradic set up for grouper, so I had 50# braid and an 80# fluorocarbon leader. So, it was rigged beefier than most folks rig up their spinning reels.


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## WAReilly (Jun 2, 2014)

Another view


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## Dagwood (Oct 1, 2007)

You realize that's some great table fare?


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## Justin618 (Aug 18, 2013)

Dagwood said:


> You realize that's some great table fare?


Screw that. Great bait


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## Ocean Master (May 20, 2008)

That had to be a blast..!!


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## aquatic argobull (Mar 2, 2009)

Justin618 said:


> Screw that. Great bait


Screw that. Steak it out and throw it on the grill!


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## Justin618 (Aug 18, 2013)

aquatic argobull said:


> Screw that. Steak it out and throw it on the grill!


I'd rather eat other fish first and use that guy for bait.

Impressive to say the least on a 4000 stradic


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## WAReilly (Jun 2, 2014)

Dagwood said:


> You realize that's some great table fare?


I've eaten Blacktip before. It's pretty good, I just didn't have room for it in my freezer and didn't have anything to clean it with. I never thought about keeping it though.


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## WAReilly (Jun 2, 2014)

Ocean Master said:


> That had to be a blast..!!


It was definitely a blast, Keith! I would definitely do it again!


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## WAReilly (Jun 2, 2014)

Justin618 said:


> I'd rather eat other fish first and use that guy for bait.
> 
> Impressive to say the least on a 4000 stradic


How would one go about using this for bait, just cut it into chunks? I assume you'd be chasing bigger sharks?

I agree with you though, I'd rather eat other fish, particularly grouper and redfish!


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## Justin618 (Aug 18, 2013)

WAReilly said:


> How would one go about using this for bait, just cut it into chunks? I assume you'd be chasing bigger sharks?
> 
> I agree with you though, I'd rather eat other fish, particularly grouper and redfish!


You can cut then into chunks or cut tail off and send it out. We caught one about 3-4ft other night. Cut tail and fins off and place hook in rear.

Chunks work great too. Buddy caught 4 big tigers on chunks


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## panhandleslim (Jan 11, 2013)

Wish you had taken that thing home for the grill or given it to someone who would eat it. They have been bugging the hell out of me, in that area. They keep all the good fish run out of the pockets, etc. 

That said, if it's not them, it's the porpoises. Thing is, that size Blacktip goes into VERY SKINNY water and just causes havoc.


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## GROUPERKING (Sep 28, 2011)

Nice shark WAReilly !


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## Kenton (Nov 16, 2007)

Great catch. Jeff told me about this morning before I read the report. 

Tight lines!


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## WAReilly (Jun 2, 2014)

Kenton said:


> Great catch. Jeff told me about this morning before I read the report.
> 
> Tight lines!


Yeah, You should have seen Jeff jump out of the water. I thought the shark's breach was impressive until I saw Jeff.


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## Kenton (Nov 16, 2007)

He told me he went school girl once he saw what it was. Jesus would have been proud im sure. lol


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## WAReilly (Jun 2, 2014)

Kenton said:


> He told me he went school girl once he saw what it was. Jesus would have been proud im sure. lol


Haha. We all got out of the water the most extreme urgency.


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## Randall2point0 (Feb 11, 2011)

Wirelessly posted

You use a 4000 size real for grouper fishing? What kind of rod is on that thing? Two weeks ago I got owned while mingo fishing on a 4/0, I'm guessing it was a big grouper or AJ.


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## WAReilly (Jun 2, 2014)

Randall2point0 said:


> Wirelessly posted
> 
> You use a 4000 size real for grouper fishing? What kind of rod is on that thing? Two weeks ago I got owned while mingo fishing on a 4/0, I'm guessing it was a big grouper or AJ.


I've got it on a 7'6" M/H Shimano Teramar rod. It's a really nice set up. I was skeptical that is was hefty enough to land the 12-16 pound grouper I've been landing, but after landing this shark, I'm pretty confident.


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## soup4smitty (Sep 13, 2014)

Nice fish, congrats! Black Tip are great to eat, but must be gutted and cleaned ASAP. One of my favs to eat.


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## lowprofile (Jan 6, 2013)

Nice tipper. They sure are fun. Lb for lb I think they are stronger than bulls. More feisty at least.



WAReilly said:


> How would one go about using this for bait, just cut it into chunks? I assume you'd be chasing bigger sharks?
> 
> I agree with you though, I'd rather eat other fish, particularly grouper and redfish!


You can use them whole but that size I would start steaking it right at the dorsal and use the front part whole. Cut the pec fins off though.
30-36" use whole.


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## bbarton13 (May 4, 2009)

Caught me one today on topwater on my 2500. 15 pound braid and a 20lb fluro leader.


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## Randall2point0 (Feb 11, 2011)

Wirelessly posted



bbarton13 said:


> Caught me one today on topwater on my 2500. 15 pound braid and a 20lb fluro leader.
> 
> View attachment 385153


That's awesome! I've always wanted to target sharks on top water. I tried it at the pier this year put it was hard to work the lure being so far up in the air. How long did it take to land him?


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## SteveCal (Jun 21, 2014)

lowprofile said:


> Nice tipper. They sure are fun. Lb for lb I think they are stronger than bulls. More feisty at least.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I'll probably be sorry I asked this. But. Are you saying you put a rather large hook in the 36" Shark's nose and toss it out as bait? What the heck is going to hit on a 36" bait? Whatever it is would scare me.

I 'was' considering putting Shark Fishing on my bucket this. I'm having second thoughts.

Da Rookie.


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## Tourney3p0 (Feb 20, 2014)

We ended up hooking 3 about that size (though one came off right at the water line) in about 30 minutes a few nights ago. Caught them all on finger mullet within 10 minutes of dropping the bait.

Very hard bite at first, followed by a few minutes of reeling in dead weight, and then they tear up and down the shoreline once they get in close. I thought the first one was a red, but the other two fought the exact same way.

As others have said, they are delicious.


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## Justin618 (Aug 18, 2013)

SteveCal said:


> I'll probably be sorry I asked this. But. Are you saying you put a rather large hook in the 36" Shark's nose and toss it out as bait? What the heck is going to hit on a 36" bait? Whatever it is would scare me.
> 
> I 'was' considering putting Shark Fishing on my bucket this. I'm having second thoughts.
> 
> Da Rookie.


Yes. I cut all fins and tail off then stuck the hook through the tail part. I used about a 36"-42" blacktip last weekend for bait. Might have been a little bigger. It's good bait and you can sit on it for a while before having to switch out baits.

A large hammerhead/tiger will pick it.at least that's what I was hoping for.


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## lowprofile (Jan 6, 2013)

SteveCal said:


> I'll probably be sorry I asked this. But. Are you saying you put a rather large hook in the 36" Shark's nose and toss it out as bait? What the heck is going to hit on a 36" bait? Whatever it is would scare me.
> 
> I 'was' considering putting Shark Fishing on my bucket this. I'm having second thoughts.
> 
> Da Rookie.


Bulls, tigers and cobia mostly. Ok, not mostly cobia .lol. A 6ft bull will eat a 36" shark and so will a 12ft tiger.


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## ChileRelleno (Jul 7, 2012)

SteveCal said:


> I'll probably be sorry I asked this. But. Are you saying you put a rather large hook in the 36" Shark's nose and toss it out as bait? What the heck is going to hit on a 36" bait? Whatever it is would scare me.
> 
> I 'was' considering putting Shark Fishing on my bucket this. I'm having second thoughts.
> 
> Da Rookie.


11'5" Great Hammer


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## WAReilly (Jun 2, 2014)

Tourney3p0 said:


> We ended up hooking 3 about that size (though one came off right at the water line) in about 30 minutes a few nights ago. Caught them all on finger mullet within 10 minutes of dropping the bait.
> 
> Very hard bite at first, followed by a few minutes of reeling in dead weight, and then they tear up and down the shoreline once they get in close. I thought the first one was a red, but the other two fought the exact same way.
> 
> As others have said, they are delicious.


We thought this was a big bull red too. I was disappointed at first, but after getting over the fact that it wasn't a red I was pretty stoked about catching it.


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## WAReilly (Jun 2, 2014)

I've caught SOOOOOOO much flak about releasing this fish. I didn't ever even think about keeping it. 

My buddy already called dibs when/if I catch another.


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## Justin618 (Aug 18, 2013)

Buddy and I just ran bait in my newest zodiac and he saw a large shadow. 2 sharks so far. Both hit big cownoses.

So yea, there are sharks that will eat a 3ft shark no problem. Still spooky everytime I go out


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## Randall2point0 (Feb 11, 2011)

Wirelessly posted

What have you caught so far?


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## Justin618 (Aug 18, 2013)

Randall2point0 said:


> Wirelessly posted
> 
> What have you caught so far?


2 big sandbars....boring


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## Randall2point0 (Feb 11, 2011)

Wirelessly posted

Wouldn't have been if you caught them on the spinning or the 6/0! You going Tomorrow?


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## Justin618 (Aug 18, 2013)

Lol. One was on the 130 and other was on 14/0. Probably not tomorrow


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## Randall2point0 (Feb 11, 2011)

Wirelessly posted

If you end up going tomorrow let me know.


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## Justin618 (Aug 18, 2013)

Just my luck. I leave at 2am bc i had to wok early and buddy catches a beast tiger. Sick to my stomach


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## SteveCal (Jun 21, 2014)

Justin618 said:


> Yes. I cut all fins and tail off then stuck the hook through the tail part. I used about a 36"-42" blacktip last weekend for bait. Might have been a little bigger. It's good bait and you can sit on it for a while before having to switch out baits.
> 
> A large hammerhead/tiger will pick it.at least that's what I was hoping for.


Thank you for the reply Justin. I really did not know. Interesting.

I would like to catch a 3' or 4' Blacktip for the grill. Been a long time since I had shark meat.

Hopefully I will go over to Ft. Pickens Monday for a day of surf-n-bay fishing. Then stick around that night and try to catch some shark meat.


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## Randall2point0 (Feb 11, 2011)

Wirelessly posted



Justin618 said:


> Just my luck. I leave at 2am bc i had to wok early and buddy catches a beast tiger. Sick to my stomach


Ha sounds like you need to go tonight also! Let's go!!!


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## Justin618 (Aug 18, 2013)

Randall2point0 said:


> Wirelessly posted
> 
> 
> 
> Ha sounds like you need to go tonight also! Let's go!!!


I work all day and should get homework done. And...I have no more cownoses or shark for bait.


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