# 5-28-10 Sharking Report...Lost Tiger!



## Zoomie Juice (Aug 12, 2009)

So I headed out last night with high hopes after just picking up a 12/0 during the week. Had a cooler full of rays and another full of AJ heads courtesy the local charter fisherman. I arrived at the beach around 6:30pm and began setting up my gear planning on pulling an allnighter. Set up the 12/0 with plans on rigging up a big 2' ray and running it out 500+ yards and letting it soak all night. I also set up 2 9/0's to fish the AJ heads for the bulls and black tips that have been so thick up here in the panhandle lately. Full moon, calm seas, a lot of bait.... everything was falling into place to be a great evening.

I wanted to get the large ray out before it got dark so I went to work on that first. I made a rig earlier in the day to rig that bad boy. Sure enough to the west there was a wicked thunderstorm moving in. Took a break, checked the weather, and decided I would run it out and take shelter and let the storm pass. 

Well, the storm just kept growing and wasnt moving, just lingering! ALOT of clound to ground lightning started to make me nervous. I decided to go down and grab the 12/0 and bring it up to the pavillion we had taked shelter in. This pavillion was about 150 yards back from the shore but it was substantially higher than the water so my line was clear of the beach. I was so torn debating on if I should just reel the bait in. I didnt know what I was going to do if it did get picked up. I knew whatever grabbed it was going to be big. 

I didnt have to debate with myself long, the ocean made up my mind for me. The 12/0 started to click slowly. I should have been excited but I was like "Oh #$%^". I didnt let it go long cuz I wanted this to be as quick as possible. I tighted the drag and set the hooks the best I could. I had no room to run it back in the little pavillion. As soon as I tighted it up... this shark took off. Reel was screaming, drag was getting smokin' hot. Buddy was watering it down which helped a little. It ran for about 5 min and slowed down. I thought is was a dang oil tanker. We passed the rod back and forth for about 1 1/2 hours. No more huge runs after the initial. 

Now understand the intesity of this lightning... extreme. Avg 9 people die from lightning if FL every year! I was really nervous about this whole situation... hence fighting a very large shark in a pavillion that doesnt give me room to stand with my rod. I had to sit on a picnic table just to pump. I hit my mono topshot so I knew the shark was about 50 yards from the shore. My buddies and my wife ran down to rope it and make it as fast as possible to avoid getting fried. About 10 min later, I hear my wife yell "Tiger!" I was so excited, never caught a tiger. It was about 10 feet from the shore and my line went limp. I was way up at the pavillion so thought they had roped it. Set my rod down and ran that 150 yards in about 3 seconds! I got down there and there was no shark. Everyone down there had silver dollar eyes just staring at me. "No, No,... No!" I said. Leader broke! I inspected it and the 600lb swivel had broke. The stongest part of my whole leader, the metal just stretched and broke. I never got a look at her, my wife saw it for about 10 sec and said it was just a hulking mass of a body, tiger for sure.

Here are a couple pics, obviously no shark but of us fighting from our cover as well as the broken swivel. I would appreciate any coments on what may have happened to the swivel. Maybe I set it up wrong? I had 20' weedeater attached to 5' steel leader that was attached to a "Y" double hook rig by a swivels. I had 1 hook with the leader ran though the swivel, crimped below the swivel, and back out the other side with the second hook.

Was definately a time to remember. Still a litte bummed out though!


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## PorknBeans (Nov 21, 2007)

dang! thats a bummer..hope yallat leastgot a leader touch on it!


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## devinsdad (Mar 31, 2010)

I would guess some flawin the metal when it was being stamped? That is a real bummer. I was at Chickenbone Sat night watching that storm to the west.

Caught 1, four-foot blacktip on a live hardtail caught earlier with shrimp. That was it except for one other very short run.


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## J.Sharit (Oct 3, 2007)

I don't think I would have any swivels around the hook areas looks pinched off from the pressure ofthe bite. I also would have worked my way back down towards the beach during the fight. These are only suggestions from what I see hear in the photos. A single stout heavy duty circle hook will usually do the trick. Sharks can detect the metal in your leaders and hooks through thier sensory system I've seen em drop a bait because they taste metal so to speak. Looks like you had a good time an thats really all that counts.


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## fishmasterseven (Oct 6, 2007)

well that definately sucks that you didn't get to see it. sounds like quite an exhausting battle....good job


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## Zoomie Juice (Aug 12, 2009)

> *J.Sharit (01/06/2010)*I don't think I would have any swivels around the hook areas looks pinched off from the pressure ofthe bite. I also would have worked my way back down towards the beach during the fight. These are only suggestions from what I see hear in the photos. A single stout heavy duty circle hook will usually do the trick. Sharks can detect the metal in your leaders and hooks through thier sensory system I've seen em drop a bait because they taste metal so to speak. Looks like you had a good time an thats really all that counts.


I amdefinitely with you about the swivel location. I will move it up for sure next time. I have never had that issue before but have never hooked one this big before either. I only run two hooks on whole rays, single circles on all others. I was so tempted to move down the beach, really wanted to! I kept talking myself out of it though, didnt want to be standing on the beach with a rod during that intense lightning. Thanks for the inputs! I will go with the tooth instead of faulty swivel.... I hate blaming the equipment. I blame me!


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## Realtor (Oct 1, 2007)

awesome!


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## marriemb (Jul 1, 2010)

I can not see the pictures please reupload


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## Nitzey (Oct 9, 2007)

I share your disappointment. However, tiger sharks are protected right now, I believe, and so would have had to let it go anyway. Does that make you feel any better? The big ones find the weak link; how I know that is true. I have learned the hard way to always buy the best; not to promote any one brand, but Spro for example make excellent swivels.


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## Deep South (Oct 8, 2007)

I think its sandtigers that are protected.

Great report. Wish you could have landed him.


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## scramble (Mar 30, 2009)

*Bait question*

How do you get the bait 500 yards off the beach?

kelley


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## FastXD (Sep 23, 2009)

They paddle out in a kayak and drop the bait in the dark.


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## captainblack (Jul 4, 2010)

and if you dont own a yak, some paddle it on surfboards. ive had to resort to that method, it really gets your adrenaline on full blast thinking of your hands as snacks every stroke.


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## dragman6693 (Sep 28, 2009)

very cool!!! sorry about the shark


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## jdhkingfisher (Aug 6, 2010)

it looks like the swivel got hot. like the shark was rolling a lot and the friction hurt it


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