# 12-13-14 Surf.



## SteveCal (Jun 21, 2014)

1/2 mile east of the first big parking lot. I guess that is Opal Beach? 11 A.M. until 6 P.M. Not a bite, strike, hit. Nuthin. Nadda. Live shrimp, Fresh peeled shrimp and minnows. Getting frustrated with these fishless days.

But. We were entertained by some fellas that came on the beach before sunset. They were about 600 yards from us. We had never seen this. They were really coordinated and worked as a team. At first we couldn't figure out what they were doing. Dig holes. Put up posts. Put some short, stout rods with humungess reels in the posts. They disappear for a while and come back with an inflatable boat (Zodiac?) with a motor on it. Ah-ha. I think we see what they are up to. One guy heads out to sea in the boat. When it appears he is half way to Mexico the guy on the beach starts whistling and waving like crazy. The guy in the boat turns around and comes back. This is repeated several times. The boat man comes back and they put up a tent. Now they sit around and tend to things in the 'fish camp.' Then we hear a yell. One guy picks up a rod and fights something for at least 30 minutes. Ends up being a shark and from our camp it appears to be 8 to 10 feet long and 'looks' like a blacktip. It appeared they tagged it, took pictures and put it back out to sea. This kept us entertained until we left shortly after dark.

And as we are loading the cart and poles into the truck we notice the zodiac cutting across where our lines had been while we had been fishing. They had waited for us to leave before running lines where they wanted them.:thumbsup: I thought that was very sportsman like of them.:thumbup:


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## Pompano Joe (Jan 28, 2009)

Sounds like Justin618 and crew.


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## JD7.62 (Feb 13, 2008)

Sounds like Ernie, he is a class act for an ole pier rat/shark fisherman.


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## Pilar (Oct 28, 2014)

I had the same result in the surf today on Navarre beach, nothing was biting all day. The water was pretty flat all day. I hooked up on what we all figured was a big shark when my 12' surf rod got a hard hit around 4:30. As soon as I picked it up and set the drag, it peeled off almost 200 yards of line. I was down to my last few yards and just knew it was going to spool me. I managed to get some back, fought it for a few minutes, and then it was gone. Reeled it up, and my 2/0 circle hook was almost straight. It was fun while it was on though.


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## SteveCal (Jun 21, 2014)

Pilar said:


> I had the same result in the surf today on Navarre beach, nothing was biting all day. The water was pretty flat all day. I hooked up on what we all figured was a big shark when my 12' surf rod got a hard hit around 4:30. As soon as I picked it up and set the drag, it peeled off almost 200 yards of line. I was down to my last few yards and just knew it was going to spool me. I managed to get some back, fought it for a few minutes, and then it was gone. Reeled it up, and my 2/0 circle hook was almost straight. It was fun while it was on though.


Oh yeah. It was a nice day at the beach. Except for the no bite part:thumbdown:. Warm and smooth water. We were right across from the Powered Parachute classes so we were entertained by the fliers. 

Straight hook? Yep. You hooked somebody that didn't care to meet you.


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## Randall2point0 (Feb 11, 2011)

Wirelessly posted

I'm pretty sure it was Justin.


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## ThaFish (Feb 27, 2013)

An 8'-10' blacktip? Haha. 

For real thanks for the detailed report though. Enjoyed the read.


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## Justin618 (Aug 18, 2013)

Sounds like me. Was the bite right at about 430? It was around 10', but not a blacktip


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## Pompano Joe (Jan 28, 2009)

Justin618 said:


> Sounds like me. Was the bite right at about 430? It was around 10', but not a blacktip


Come on Justin…that's just rude! What was it? Pics?


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## Justin618 (Aug 18, 2013)

Pompano Joe said:


> Come on Justin…that's just rude! What was it? Pics?


Big dusky on a big drop.


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## Randall2point0 (Feb 11, 2011)

Wirelessly posted



Justin618 said:


> Pompano Joe said:
> 
> 
> > Come on Justin…that's just rude! What was it? Pics?
> ...


Don't let him lie, it was a nurse shark. No need to go looking for these duskys because their not around!!!


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## Justin618 (Aug 18, 2013)

Yeah. Was just a nurse shark. Nothing to see here folks.


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## SteveCal (Jun 21, 2014)

Give me a break folks. I'm not a shark expert. I said it "looked" like a black tip from the distance. After looking at some photos I see you can tell the difference in Nurse and Dusky/Blacktip from a distance. And I had my handy-dandy FWC Fish ID pages with me.:yes:

I know your yankin' his chain. But we were impressed with the operation and watching the "Nurse":no: shark be reeled in.


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## Justin618 (Aug 18, 2013)

I'm glad you got a kick out of watching us. You're more than welcome to come out and fish with us and maybe get you on one. Unless the big golds start screaming lol.

It was a good size dusky. Nice size estimate from that far away.


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## lowprofile (Jan 6, 2013)

You got caught justin! Lol

Post the pic


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## Justin618 (Aug 18, 2013)

As requested. 9'7" Dusky. 95" fork and 115" total. Not sure on estimated weight, but was big. 

With the drag I had it set at, the drop, and the amount of line out I'd say it pulled 35lbs or so. Pulled drag pretty good on initial run then nothing. Would get it to the bar and it didn't want any of that. Tried pulling drag and barely could.

I did lose a monster a few weeks ago that pulled much more drag and and fought much harder. After battling this almost 10' fish I can only imagine what kind of shark I lost. Weight and fight doesn't even compare.


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## SteveCal (Jun 21, 2014)

Yeah. Thats him. I remember looking thru the binoculars and telling Howard I saw that face on the post office wall.

And there we are. In the background you see two guys with a beach cart. I'm the good looking one on the left.:yes: 

And what looks to be a third person to the right of us near the water is 'the largest' Huron I have ever seen. Every time we opened the bait bucket this dork would try to stick his beak in. Not at all afraid of people.

I don't know Justin. From the size of those reels and the way you were leaning back to bring it in I don't know that I could handle it for very long. And we had a good view of the sand bar right in front of you. It appeared to be very shallow. So I imagine dragging him/her the last 100 yards was a task.

You deserved a break after that. Good job.


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## Justin618 (Aug 18, 2013)

SteveCal said:


> Yeah. Thats him. I remember looking thru the binoculars and telling Howard I saw that face on the post office wall.
> 
> And there we are. In the background you see two guys with a beach cart. I'm the good looking one on the left.:yes:
> 
> ...


The harness really helps when using those larger reels. Theres no way you could do it without one. It is still tiring reeling in a decent shark bc of the weight and him wanting to run. 

It's been a good December for me so far. No shark has ever pulled drag on my reels and I have caught 2 and lost a monster that have all pulled drag.

If you see trucks at that spot again and the boat come stop by. I'll run your lines to mexico, too. Lol.


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## strongman (May 19, 2011)

Evidently, the Dusky sharks are coming in thick. We got one as well as 2 sandbar at ft pickens sunday. Something big broke the old line that was on the 9/0 I just got earlier that day too. Didnt have time to respool it before I went out that night so I took a chance and lost. But new line and drag should put me back in the game!


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## Pilar (Oct 28, 2014)

Justin, are you guys fishing to the east of the pier?


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## Justin618 (Aug 18, 2013)

Pilar said:


> Justin, are you guys fishing to the east of the pier?


East or west. The area we were in the other day is a good area and luckily stevecal called it Opal beach.


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## Pilar (Oct 28, 2014)

Justin618 said:


> East or west. The area we were in the other day is a good area and luckily stevecal called it Opal beach.


We were going to fish Opal last weekend. They wanted to charge us, I think it was $7 a car to park there..too many places up and down the beach to fish at no cost. Although I've heard it is a consistent spot that holds fish.


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## Justin618 (Aug 18, 2013)

Pilar said:


> We were going to fish Opal last weekend. They wanted to charge us, I think it was $7 a car to park there..too many places up and down the beach to fish at no cost. Although I've heard it is a consistent spot that holds fish.


If surf fishing you just got to find the cuts, guts etc that will hold fish. Sharking you can just about park anywhere. I've caught sharks from okaloosa to pensacola.

If it's shallow try wading out and get the bait a little further. Never really had luck when the first 100 yards or so are clear and shallow.


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## Pompano Joe (Jan 28, 2009)

Nice one Justin! Thanks for the pic. Did you haul him in on one of those big Tiagra's?


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## Justin618 (Aug 18, 2013)

Pompano Joe said:


> Nice one Justin! Thanks for the pic. Did you haul him in on one of those big Tiagra's?


Yeah, the one on the shimano tallus rod. When I drop I set drag at probably 10-12lbs roughly,but once I drop and over half spool gone etc it's a lot more. I've never had a shark miss the hook. Never once have I got a run and it drop the bait.

This one click a few and I looked up like "already? It's been 45mins." Thinking it was maybe the 9/0 bait rod getting a small shark etc. Then it started peeling line off. Ran to rod and harnessed in and started reeling in. Ben says "what are you doing? Let it eat." Oh it ate. I'm sure. So I wait and it runs again. Yup, it's on. Then started to reel it in and could feel the weight and the shark wanting to run. It had some strength behind it and i knew it was a decent shark.


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## SteveCal (Jun 21, 2014)

Justin618 said:


> East or west. The area we were in the other day is a good area and luckily stevecal called it Opal beach.


Thats right. Sorry. It was............uh..........lemme see.:whistling: No. It is over by....uh.:001_huh: Well. Ya know? I'll have to look it up. I do know there was a lot of sand-n-water involved.


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## Justin618 (Aug 18, 2013)

SteveCal said:


> Thats right. Sorry. It was............uh..........lemme see.:whistling: No. It is over by....uh.:001_huh: Well. Ya know? I'll have to look it up. I do know there was a lot of sand-n-water involved.


Lol. Good man :thumbsup:


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## foreverfishing (Nov 30, 2012)

congrats brother!! beautiful fish. can't wait to get back on the water. A few more days and i'll be home for christmas. The water has been calling my name!! whats all biting right now besides dusky's?


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