# pete tide/rubble pile w/ claydoh and brandy



## seanmclemore (Aug 20, 2008)

first off, i know how claydoh is about telling where he goes diving, but this one i don't think he'll mind. maybe it'll help everyone get out there and KILL THOSE F-INGSHARKS!!!!!!!!!!!!

we got out today at about noon to the pete tide where we were greeted with 2 average sized bull sharks and 1 larger than average reef shark. there weren't very aggressive until they smelled the grouper i had on my stringer, so, powerhead was engaged......DUD.....no fire, which if anyone is wondering wheather the sharks like that or not...we'll go with not.

we bailed on that dive, got to the boat, drank a beer and decided to go to the rubble pile nearby. not sure if it was csx or blackwater??? dont matter much. it was only about a mile ride and guess who followed us. i shot a decent grouper 12-15 ish pounds, brandy got a decent jack, the sharks came to us very agressive, getting too close to our comfort zone. brandy poked them very hard a couple times and aborted the dive. i stayed down putting the lift bag on the anchor so that we could get out of dodge when one of them got my stringer which i keep hooked to my gun with a 20' 3/8 nylon rope. after they ate 1/2 of the grouper i snatched my stringer from them which really pissed them off causing them to charge at me. i poked one directly in the eye, which he didn't like too much, so he circled back around at me. i turned my gun around to hit it with the blunt end. he got ahold of the nylon cut it off and took off with 2 stainless clips, and my stringer with grouper. i blew thelift bag and got the F#** out of there. 

everyone is safe, and slightly pissed off and the lack of fish brought back.

i will be devoting my time over the coming months to thinning out these sharks. any diver that is using the powerhead as self defense can fire away and you can have 2 sharks per vessel i am told.

LETS GO DEFEND OURSELVES LADIES AND GENTS!!!!

OH........AND.......CLAY HAS SOMETHING TO ADD TO THIS POST THAT HE DIDN'T WANT MY VERSION OF IT POSTED.

CHEERS GUYS ....SAFE DIVING


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## Snagged Line (Sep 30, 2007)

Looking forward to the rest of the story. Great account of your dives........Thanks


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## Telum Pisces (Sep 27, 2007)

Man, for the sharks to still be aggressive in the cold water, is really something. By this time last year, the sharks mostly disappeared once the water started to get cold. I guess they are just populating our wrecks more and more. 

Sean, keep your stringer on you man. Having it that far away just invites them to take a bite out of it. And in my opinion keeps them around a bit more. There are different schools of thought on that, but I have yet to have a shark take a fish away from me. Now a cuda is a different story.:banghead


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## flyingfishr (Oct 3, 2007)

I haven't been diving nearly as long as most of the guys on this forum, and spearfishing for even less time, but I'm of the same thought process as Telum Pisces. Keep it near your body, I think they (the sharks) are more apt to approach a lone stringer dangling 20 feet under a diver than they are one that appears to be part of the diver. This won't negate the situation, you will still have sharks come in on you, but with it being that close, you have more positive control over it. The more fish we can keep away from these sharks, the better off we are as spearfishermen. It's just like chasing girls, with the exception of my wife, in the past after several thwarted attempts of talking to some ladies I'd say F%@k this, I'm going to drink some beers. Idon't know if a shark feels discouragement, but I'm going to do my part to discourage those things.

Secondly....COOL report. I'm looking forward to hearing the other half/side of it. I'm glad to hear the grouper are starting to come in, that is my goal for the winter months, knock off some grouper. Thanks for the story.


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## spearfisher (Oct 3, 2007)

> *seanmclemore (11/28/2008)*
> 
> OH........AND.......CLAY HAS SOMETHING TO ADD TO THIS POST THAT HE DIDN'T WANT MY VERSION OF IT POSTED.
> 
> CHEERS GUYS ....SAFE DIVING


That always seems to happen when Clay goes diving!

As far as the stringer thing goes, I prefer the best of both worlds. I have a stringer with 10ft of 12strand tied to it in such a way that I can keep it wrapped up and clipped close to me, or I can drop it down 10ft where I can see the fish and the shark and I can defend them. Either way, there are too many sharks in the water and it's time we started doing more shark fishing. We saw 4 when we went out on Wednesday, 3 grey reef and 1 hammerhead. They are getting obnoxiously thick out there. They are about as endangered as red snapper!


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## seanmclemore (Aug 20, 2008)

well, in reply to having the stringer on you...i agree and disagree at the same time. i always keep my stringer on my when i am spearfishing, but when you know that the sharks are circling you and are already agressive and you have to put the lift bag on the anchor with your back to them, i disagree with having it attached to you. these sharks were already bumping into us before we started shooting. now, why the hell would i turn my back to them with the fish attached to me without any buddies...i,e, clay who had already gone to the boat (which we planned so that they could follow the anchor line while i shot the bag.

SAY WHAT YOU WANT, BUT WHEN YOU ARE IN THE SITUATION ALL BETS ARE OFF.


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## Stressless (Oct 2, 2007)

Word = Freedom7



Changed the Signature to reflect the recent turn of events in the nearshore GOM... Good report but poppin' sharks just to pop them prolly isn't a great idea, if they are aggressive HellYa! *B-oo-m* Hate to waste a beast like that without cause.



:mmmbeer

Stressless


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## spearfisher (Oct 3, 2007)

all I know is that in the last 2 years I have seen more sharks than I ever have in my lifetime of diving. They are all over the public stuff and the second you fire the speargun these things move in like pavlov's dogs. They have becomed trained to associate the sound of a gun with food. It is time for them to be thinned out a little. I think its time for a shark fishing trip. It is illegal to use a powerhead unless in self defense, but hook and line with a huge bait is on!


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## Pierce07 (Nov 13, 2007)

> *spearfisher (11/30/2008)*all I know is that in the last 2 years I have seen more sharks than I ever have in my lifetime of diving. They are all over the public stuff and the second you fire the speargun these things move in like pavlov's dogs. They have becomed trained to associate the sound of a gun with food. It is time for them to be thinned out a little. I think its time for a shark fishing trip. It is illegal to use a powerhead unless in self defense, but hook and line with a huge bait is on!




+1 They're everywhere. Lets plan a trip sometime soon.


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## Death From Above (Sep 28, 2007)

Just a theory. Could it bethat all the throw back red snapper are causing the sharks to associate a boat pulling up on the reef with dinner time? Maybe they've become trained just like the porpioses?


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## theangrydolphin (Oct 2, 2007)

> *Death From Above (11/30/2008)*Just a theory. Could it bethat all the throw back red snapper are causing the sharks to associate a boat pulling up on the reef with dinner time? Maybe they've become trained just like the porpioses?


Likely they are. Sharks are smart creatures without a doubt. I still say there are too many large predators per wreck and we can stand to lose a few to the dinner table. Strike a balance or something. A reef needs a predator to keep it clean but I feel confident that too many is a bad thing. Just my $1.25. (inflation ya know)


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## Lockout (Dec 27, 2007)

Boom !


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## TONER (Mar 25, 2008)

I agree I've seen more agressive sharks this year and it is no fun they need thined out!


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## jaceboat (May 5, 2008)

i only have 6 dives and i have already seen an aggressive shark. when i was getting certified our instructors kept telling us how unlikely it is to see sharks but on dive 6 i had a 7ft bull shark get a little close for comfort with us.


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## JOSHua (Oct 9, 2008)

give me the gps and ill go clear up some sharks for you


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## JOSHua (Oct 9, 2008)

or we can do another PFF tournament


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## Brandy (Sep 28, 2007)

In previous years it would be one shark every third or fourth trip. Now its three or four every freaking dive. They really dont bother me except they want the same thing as me , The fish on my stringer! Im thinking Shark Shield. I really dont see being able to thin them out with poles or powerheads. We are in their backyard and it think we are gonna just have to deal with it. Maybe we could get some of those Chinese fishing boats to come in and get some shark fins for soup. I think they also love dolphin?


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## Clay-Doh (Oct 2, 2007)

You know how the cudas come right up to you here...no fear? In fact if ya jab at one, theyll kinda lunge back at ya like a bully? Well I was talkin to a guy in Jupiter, FL, about that, and he said he WISHES it was like that! HE said there is a local place that buys them whole for like $1 a pound, so all the divers there TARGET the cudas...and as soon as you get in the water they run faster than groupers!

Which leads to the whole predator/prey behavior. All experienced spearfishers know not to act aggresive with fish, dont act like a predator on the hunt, ect, try not to make eye contact, or you will scare the fish. Well....same with all animals. Havent you all seen fish swimming all over with sharks, and cudas? But ever see a shark or cuda charge something...and WHAM! Everything scats!

Well...I know that behavior with sharks has worked in the past, acr like you want away from em, ect, and they will come in CLOSER! Go towards a shark? ANd they will almost always go the oppisite way.

I think, if everyones attitude was not that they DIDNT want to see sharks, but instead, armed themselves, and HOPED a shark would come in close enough to them for a lil "self defence"...that behavior would come thru in our body language, and we would have more predatorial actions towards the sharks, and they would sence it, and bither us less.

And I have already semi-proved this. When I am NOT happy to see a shark, man if them fools dont come in closer! However, when I have swam TOWARDS a shark either to get better helmet cam footage, or cuz my powerhead is now live....unbelievable how I cant get close enough to one for crap. I have yet to powerhead a shark, yet have been REAL close to many...just never when loaded. 

I am full well cofident that they could sence my entire change in demeanor, and intentions, and knew to keep distance.

Act like a victim, youll be one!!! Justy my theroy...


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## Clay-Doh (Oct 2, 2007)

By the way...had a great time with Brandy, Brandy's brother Greg, and Sean! Was a blast! And...ummmm...as far as Sean talking bout my little episode....well....

lets just say...by mishap, from the boat, in a way that cant even be explained on a keyboard, I launched my Riffe over the side of the boat :doh

Yes...let the tounge lashings begin....I refuse to comment further on the story. BUt that is what I did. And I am sure it will not be the last stupid thing I do.


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## spear em (Oct 4, 2007)

> *JOSHua (11/30/2008)*give me the gps and ill go clear up some sharks for you


hell yea, boom with a .357 powerhead. see ya at the bottom!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## flyingfishr (Oct 3, 2007)

Clay, by launched your Riffe over the side, do mean the whole gun, or you just managed to have a negligent discharge off the side of the boat? I'm hoping you didn't lose your gun, but if by some freak accident you did....can I get those numbers, hell I'll yak out there just to you know...check things out.:moon Just kidding buddy, thanks for the call today, we'll be getting together shortly.


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