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Gabe, Bundy, Shane, Megan
and I headed
out Friday afternoon
extremely pumped and
packed to the
gills with gear.
After checking in
a base camp
and hearing about
some sharks from
Kip and Repo
we headed down
to the thirties
ready to drop
some baits and
settle in for
the night.
After
finding a good
looking spot at
about the 37
or so, we
deployed a couple
12's and
some casted baits.
Then it was
to the light
rods and some
live mullet. Almost
as soon as
live mullet hit
the water they
were inhaled by
reds and jacks.
My first cast
rewarded me with
a nice jack
which was doomed
to the steel
as it hit
the sand.
In all
the confusion of
getting baits rigged
and run out,
Gabe gets a
little too excited
over rigging a
bonita and runs
into his knife
which was stuck
in the sand
by his bait.
It got right
in between his
big toe and
the next little
piggy and it
was deep. After
trying to convince
himself and us
that he was
fine and all
he needed was
a needle and
some light mono,
Megan cleaned up
the wound and
he was off
to the hospital.
The knife sliced
into his foot
over an inch
back from the
webbing of his
toes and it
was straight through
from top to
bottom. This was
also the eve
of his 25th
birthday, what a
freakin present. Megan
hauls ass with
Gabe to the
hospital at around
6:30PM and
being the hardcore
fisherman that he
is we see
some familiar headlights
in the distance
at about 10:30PM and here
comes Shane's
Ranger with a
slightly intoxicated Gabe,
ready to run
some baits out
complete with 11
stiches and strict
orders to stay
off the sand
and out of
the water. Yeah
right. Here's
the birthday boy
the next day:
The slice
was equally as
deep on the
top of the
foot as the
bottom.
Thanks to Megan
and her connections
at Doctor's
Regional she had
Gabe in and
out of the
hospital in record
time and they
were back on
the beach in
no time at
all.
While they
were gone I
managed to get
two small blacktips
both right at
dark.
We managed
to keep some
big baits out
pretty late into
the night but
no takers and
soon the weed
would overcome our
efforts. We did
lose one nice
blacktip in the
wade gut on
a casted bait
after the hook
pulled loose about
10 feet from
the sand.
The
next morning we
awakened to calm
conditions and fish
everywhere. Live mullet
in the first
gut would be
inhaled quickly by
reds and jacks
on nearly every
cast. Shane scored
his first surf
jack and some
nice reds as
well. Megan got
into the action
with a few
nice reds too.
Shane with his
jack:
We got
baits out and
had them out
for some time
before we decided
to call it
quits at that
spot and run
north and try
and find some
sanctuary from the
weed. Boy were
we wrong. There
was weed the
entire length of
the beach it
seemed and we
stopped at the
10 and made
camp. Here Bundy
wears the shark
mask and prays
for the shark
gods to smile
upon us.
I think
he may have
gotten his gods
confused as the
only thing to
bless us was
the alcohol we
needed to make
it through one
rain soaked night.
Shane's brother
and some friends
showed up and
they brought gifts
of fried chicken
and beverages. Thanks
again Cole.
We
kept at it
though and I
ran some pieces
of jack over
and over while
being blown out
by the weed
and I was
finally rewarded with
a little blacktip
for our kayak
efforts:
After that
the weed wiped
everything out so
we just kicked
back until the
sky erupted on
us with a
fine show of
rain, thunder, and
lightning. That night
some jackass came
to the camp
doing donuts in
the sand and
running his front
end into the
dunes behind our
trucks. He was
looking for some
friends of his
to party with
but he got
the wrong camp
and was lucky
he didn't
get his ass
beat after banging
on Bundy's
window awaking him
from a deep
sleep. Some people
are just natural
born idiots.
Sunday
morning came and
went with us
trying our best
to put a
few more on
the sand but
no dice. Lots
of reds, but
no big bulls
or the rare
shark that we
needed.
Shane with
one of many
slot reds caught
over the weekend:
All the
sharks and every
redfish except one
that was guthooked
were released alive
and well.
So
it was time
to go check
in and see
what everyone caught.
I have to
say that this
Sharkathon was absolutely
incredible. The team
work by all
involved was awesome
and there was
a great turnout
despite the weather.
Congrats to all
the winners and
definitely a big
hand for all
involved. I know
I'd be
leaving people out
if I started
a list so
I'll just
say on behalf
of my fishing
party a big
thanks go out
to all you
guys and your
efforts. Sharkathon is
here to stay.
Great seeing some
friends and nice
meeting everyone else.
Till next year,
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