04-20-2006, 02:29 AM
[font "Arial Black"][#800080]You've got a big fish on[/#800080][/font][/url][font "Arial Black"][#800080]... and the reel breaks off the rod... don't give up yet![/#800080]
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Last year I was fishing with the family in Charlotte harbor out in front of Boca Grande pass for black tip sharks. We had caught a few small ones in the few previous days in this same spot. There were 7 of us on the boat today, 2 small kids, 3 and 6 yrs. old. We caught 2 small ones and the kids were getting hot and wanted to go home. I told them just 30 more minutes and we would leave.
Well that 30 minutes turned into 3 hours with the fish that I fought. Started out like all the rest, a quick run and back toward the boat and then we saw the fish. The biggest shark I had ever had . Well over 7 ft long. Could have taken half my body in one bite. Well the fish saw the boat and he took off almost spooling the reel, We had to start the boat and chase him to gain back some line. By this time we had a bunch of other boats around us watching the show. The fish went to the bottom and sat there for what seemed like forever. All the time I am applying all the pressure I could on the rod without breaking it.
Finally the fish took off again and this time the reel tore off of the pole. Bent the reel seats in half. So now I have the reel in one hand and rod in the other and still have the fish on. I scream for my mother to get me another rod so I can remount the reel on it. We get the reel on another pole, So now I am holding two rods in my hand because the line was still in the eyes of the other pole and we are chasing the fish with the boat.
Now the fish seemed to be getting tired I was gaining line on him and got him up next to the boat, Everyone ran to the back of the boat, They were all scared telling me to cut the line. I wanted to somehow get a picture of this fish so I told my father to get the gaff. I was gonna gaff the fish in the mouth and get my once in a lifetime picture. We did gaff the fish and the fish flapped his tail and guess what, the darn handle on the gaff wasn't attached to the gaff. The darn rope was only attached to the rubber cover that slid over the handle. So off went the fish again.
I fought him for about another 30 minutes and got him by the boat again. This time we tried to lasso his tail with the anchor rope. It didn't like that and flapped his tail again and off he went, This time one of the eyes popped off the pole and the line tangled and broke off. Well off went my fish of a lifetime as I stood there in tears. This is an honest to life true story. I'm going back in June to try again this year, I will be better prepared for the fight this time.
A bad day fishin' is far superior than a great day at work.
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Last year I was fishing with the family in Charlotte harbor out in front of Boca Grande pass for black tip sharks. We had caught a few small ones in the few previous days in this same spot. There were 7 of us on the boat today, 2 small kids, 3 and 6 yrs. old. We caught 2 small ones and the kids were getting hot and wanted to go home. I told them just 30 more minutes and we would leave.
Well that 30 minutes turned into 3 hours with the fish that I fought. Started out like all the rest, a quick run and back toward the boat and then we saw the fish. The biggest shark I had ever had . Well over 7 ft long. Could have taken half my body in one bite. Well the fish saw the boat and he took off almost spooling the reel, We had to start the boat and chase him to gain back some line. By this time we had a bunch of other boats around us watching the show. The fish went to the bottom and sat there for what seemed like forever. All the time I am applying all the pressure I could on the rod without breaking it.
Finally the fish took off again and this time the reel tore off of the pole. Bent the reel seats in half. So now I have the reel in one hand and rod in the other and still have the fish on. I scream for my mother to get me another rod so I can remount the reel on it. We get the reel on another pole, So now I am holding two rods in my hand because the line was still in the eyes of the other pole and we are chasing the fish with the boat.
Now the fish seemed to be getting tired I was gaining line on him and got him up next to the boat, Everyone ran to the back of the boat, They were all scared telling me to cut the line. I wanted to somehow get a picture of this fish so I told my father to get the gaff. I was gonna gaff the fish in the mouth and get my once in a lifetime picture. We did gaff the fish and the fish flapped his tail and guess what, the darn handle on the gaff wasn't attached to the gaff. The darn rope was only attached to the rubber cover that slid over the handle. So off went the fish again.
I fought him for about another 30 minutes and got him by the boat again. This time we tried to lasso his tail with the anchor rope. It didn't like that and flapped his tail again and off he went, This time one of the eyes popped off the pole and the line tangled and broke off. Well off went my fish of a lifetime as I stood there in tears. This is an honest to life true story. I'm going back in June to try again this year, I will be better prepared for the fight this time.
A bad day fishin' is far superior than a great day at work.
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