Fishing and Angling

There is no sport as versatile or as widespread as fishing. It is a sport that can be undertaken as cheaply or as expensively as you wish. Five year olds in bare feet and overalls can attach a piece of string to a stick, bend a paper clip, and attach a worm and have as much fun as the billionaire fishing enthusiast with a deep sea fishing boat, lines, tackles, rigging, harpoons, shades and champagne. Fishing is a hobby and a living, a sport and a serious occupation.

One of the most popular methods of fishing is fly fishing. Fly fishing is done with a specially designed rod and reel combination that allows the sportsperson to cast their line in the direction of the water and then slowly reel it back in.

Fly fishing is appropriately named. In contrast to lure fishing, fly fishing requires the fisherman to fool the fish into thinking that the fly is one of the fish’s favorite meals skimming along the surface of the water. Lure fishing appeals to the lazy underwater fish, often attracted by shiny metallic objects and enticed to bite on the hook with some piece of edible or edible appearing bait.

Fly fishing is designed to attract fish at specific times of day by their feeding instincts. The lures for fly fishing are called flies, and are in fact a cheaper way to go, generally speaking, than the lures needed in lure fishing. Fly fishers often tie their own flies, using bits of hair and cloth around the house or farm.

Flies are designed to appear as the kind of prey that fish in the specific area are feeding on at a given time. This can include all manner of insects and insect larvae.

Though it rankles on the lure fisher to have it said, fly fishing is a much more challenging form of the sport. The fly fisher must constantly have her arm in motion, casting the line, playing it out and reeling it in patterns made to emulate the movement of the prey species. When a fish is hooked, it takes a skilled fisher to land the animal.

Fly fishing also involves a certain amount of study, in order for the venture to be successful. Fishers must do their research into what kind of species they are hoping to catch, and in turn what kind of species their targets are feeding on. This information can change seasonally, day to day, and even has different applications during different feeding times.

Fly fishing is an excellent way to get outside and enjoy the fresh air while participating in an enjoyable sport and getting some exercise. It takes some practice, but is highly addictive and a sport that never gets old.

copyright©2006 allfishingsite.com. Visit for more great fly fishing articles. You’ll find fishing resources and more about flies and lures.

Setting out for a day on the water we had no idea that the wahoo gods had in store for us. As the boat left the dock before the sun was coming up I had a feeling that this was going to be a great day of fishing. I stayed up pretty late the night before rigging all my wire leaders for the wahoo I was dreaming of catching. So as we headed out the water was calm over the sea of Cortes and the sun just starting to break as we came south our of cabo san lucas. We had a pretty good run in the boat before we could fish, we had heard the day before that the wahoo bite was going crazy on the east cape. So after about three hours of hard running in the boat we decided to get the lines in the water. I set up the out riggers and my buddy steve set up the the cockpit pattern, as captain fernando got us on the fish.

It was about an hour after dropping our lures in the water that we had a huge wahoo strike. All at once four of the rods bent to the extent that they looked like they were going to break. We were fishing with really light tackle and even lighter fishing line. We are only out there for the sport of it, so we take no fish that we catch, only pictures. Anyways as everyone on the boat was going crazy from the four rods screaming like they were about to blow up. You could feel the excitement in the cockpit of the boat, it was so think you could have cut it with a knife. We reeled in the other lines that didn’t have fish on them to get them out of the way, and started to fight these four fish that we had hooked up. After we lost one due to our own fault we got our first wahoo to the boat, and she was big about sixty pounds. It is a little tricky to get these fish un hooked and released but you can do it once someone with some experience shows you the right way to do it. Well we did the same with the other two witch went as big as the first but still nice size.

Once that first hookup came it seemed like we were just on fire, with fish practically fighting to eat our lures. That day we caught over 14 wahoo and 6 stripped marlin, all tagged and released. I will never forget this day and I can guarantee that the guys that were with me wont either. So if you ever get the chance to fish baja don’t pass it up, but please release what you dont need and keep conservation in mind. Its a very fragile ecosystem out there and we need to help preserve it.

Please keep conservation in mind.

Craig

http://www.savethepacific.org

Many people consider that fish are only a medium of survival, or to some extent a food supply; yet there is another angle that is little known. The manufacturing industry utilizes more than two billion pounds of fish and fish by-products every year. This is slightly more than is used for food.

What most people do not know is that fishing continues to provide recreational activity of making it one of the most preferred hobbies.

In fact, fishing as a hobby is continuously growing and that is why the estimated number of people who acquire fishing licenses each year is more than 12 million.

Moreover, surveys show that for every dollar spent for a fishing license, there are sixteen dollars spent for equipment, such as fishing tackle, food, clothing, and transportation. There is more money spent on fishing than on any other hobby in existence.
Why is it a Great Hobby?

It is a means of providing something to free the mind and body of the worries of the day. It has also been proven to help in mentoring troubled teens, replacing negative thoughts and activity with more positive traits and pursuits. Fishing is truly a wholesome sport.

The use of all types of fishing equipment has added something that no other feature could possibly accomplish. Thousands of youngsters are enthusiastic to learn how to cast a fly or plug bait.

These youngsters have an interest in fish and fishing and they desire to fish in a lawful and recreational manner.

Boiled down, fish and fishing may be considered one of man’s essential resources. It is hoped that further realization of fishing as a hobby will develop the necessary knowledge of the true recreational value of fishing, the fish, and the general conservation of all natural resources as well as the value of good sportsmanship and developing good citizens.

Find out more about fishing including sea fishing and fly fishing at About fishing

Rods are basically made from carbon. Plastic, composite carbon combined with Kevlar, which is a kind of material that is bullet proof, or just high carbon. Since the carbon’s force and strength in connection to its mass is light, making it strong material that can allow thinner fabrication but still is able to keep the span and length. A rod that is lighter evidently handling will be easier, controlling it would be less tiring on ones arms and reduces resistance to air giving one an easier time accurately casting it, particularly on windy ways.

Rods come in silicon carbide, hard chrome or ceramic rings having a function of letting the line pass through. These are precisely used because of their smoothness having the function to minimize friction when passing through the line and keep the maximum strength. Silicon materials are a fact costly, so an alternative is bring into play ceramic rings like Zircon which when taken in to account, it is not as tough or as light, but is much cost effective. Rings made of chrome are better, although every season they require replacement, they do deliver excellent job of line running. At least thirteen rings are needed from the handle all through the tip, lesser near the handle, needing more close to the tip. The line can fasten itself to the rod, if you don’t have enough rings.

When determining length of the rod, you want to take into account exactly what kind of fishing you want. If you want far out fishing, in that case choose a larger rod as this will offer you better control when you are playing the fish. If you are planning to go fishing in an area that is enclosed, you will need a shorter rod. Normally, the safe rod size to choose is13ft (3.9m). This is lengthy enough for a waggler but does not cast out too far.

Handles

Handles are made from either cork or foam. Whichever you choose, this is a matter of preference. Just try handling both materials so you can have a good “feel” before buying it.

Action

Action is the term used in describing how the rod will bend when it is placed under the lot of strain and effort of a fighting fish.

There are two types of tip on a rod, the hollow and spliced tips. Hollow tips are good in catching carp, tench and chub which have a progressive or developing action making it sharp for quick bites, yet proficient enough to manage long distance strikes. Spliced tips normally are normally spliced to the end with two feet solid carbon. This rod is sharper so it is a good pick for fast acting fish.

When choosing a rod, these questions will help you pick the right one:

1. How frequent and where do you fish? Are you a beginner, a weekend warrior, or a tournament pro? If you are just starting out, you may need to budget and spend less money on your first rod. Once you learn the techniques and once you have decided that fishing is for you, that is the time to spend on more specific rods.

2. Freshwater or Saltwater fish? While there are a few rods that can be used for both fresh and saltwater fish, most rods are made for a specific purpose and application.

3. Spinning or Casting? The species you that you choose to chase will determine it.

4. Power, sensitivity, and your technique. The rod should match the way you enjoy fishing. If you like to fish with lures, then you should look for a rod that is comfortable enough to cast frequently all day long.

Find out more about fishing including sea fishing and fly fishing at About fishing

This year we had the pleasure of fishing for sea trout, trout and Salmon in callander in Scotland on the river Teith.

The water quality and clarity is excellent, the area beside the car park in callander town centre provides excellent wading. The wading is easy going, with a smooth sandy bottom to the river.

Fly Fishing

Brown Trout Fishing

All though most angles visit this river for it’s runs of salmon and sea trout the growing brown trout population is often overlooked. We had a number of small brown trout on the dry fly and one or two on small nympths.

Equipment

9ft 6-7 Fly Rod on Dry fly Line

Sea Trout

This perhaps my favourite type of fishing, in the dark, up to your waste in water. We found that on this water you need a decent downpour of rain to get any kind of run of sea trout.

The pools, at the meetings and just at the bridge is where we found most of our action, casting our fly just below the tree’s on the far bank. We lost (I know terrible but it happens to us all) two or three decent fish and landed one 4lb fresh run sea trout.

Equipment

We were using 10ft 8wt single hander Airflow sls fly rods, these provided excellent casting and bite detection

Salmon

We had little luck on the fly with the salmon but did not anglers with two handed fly rods and heavy brass tube flies seamed to have more luck. In desperation we switched to spinning tactics using Flying C’s we landed two 10lb salmon that were rather coloured.

Upon speaking to the Balif we discovered that this is the norm for this venue. However it was good sport.

Equipment
10ft Spinning rod, Braid Line and Flying C’s

Our Opinion

The venue is relatively cheap for salmon fishing, everyone is happy to help the more novice angler. Wading is easy and safe. Good choice of sport from trout fishing to salmon fishing. We would give this venue 4/5

Tony Smith Gofishingshop - Fishing tackle and fly fishing

You’re about to have your dream come true. You’re going fishing on the Kenai River - Alaska’s salmon magnet. The great thing is you actually have two windows of opportunity for each major species - Chinook (King) Salmon, Sockeye (Red) Salmon, and Coho (Silver) Salmon. Having three run times for three types of salmon is unique, making the Kenai River one of the richest sport fishing waterways on the globe.

Chinook (King) Salmon Run Times

Run times tend to vary a bit from year to year, but they do follow the same basic pattern each year. The initial run of Kings occurs from mid-May to early July and the last starts in early July and ends on July 31. However, as early as April you’ll find King Salmon coming into the Kenai River. Although not nearly as plentiful as they will be by the middle of May, Kings are often hooked as early as late April.

This initial run is the smaller of the two, but because the water levels are lower, some people prefer this time of year. The world record for Chinook Salmon was set on the Kenai River during the first run in May. That could be reason enough to plan a trip for the initial migration of Kings.

The second run is focused on the lower part of the river where the salmon have spawned. July first is the designated date for the beginning of the final King run of the season, with large numbers of fish in the river by the end of the first week. Mid-July finds a huge quantity of salmon concentrated in the lower part of the primary channel and attracting a maximum number of sportsmen. Although the river can become crowded with guide boats and fishermen, the Kenai tends to be a very civil place with a party-like atmosphere. It’s actually a great time to be on the river with a community of anglers having the time of their lives.

Sockeye (Red) Salmon Run Times

You’ll find the first Red Salmon run starting in late May as they swim through the lower and middle sections of the Kenai on their way to the Russian River, a tributary of the Kenai. The Reds become plentiful right around June tenth, peaking sometime between the fifteenth and twentieth of the month. They continue their commute, however in fewer numbers, until the end of the month. Sockeyes are most plentiful in the upper regions of the Kenai.

Beginning in mid-July, the second run of the Reds entices fishermen to take to the banks, standing in crowds 15-20 thick. The Sockeye reach their highest numbers by the third week and then start to dwindle until their migration is over by the end of the month. This atmosphere, when fishermen are virtually packed together angling from a pool of thousands of Reds, is called “combat fishing.” It can be a great time for trading fish stories, filling your stringer, and enjoying your sport with fellow enthusiasts.

Coho (Silver) Salmon Run Times

In late July, the Coho Salmon are starting their journey up the Kenai to spawn. By early August, the Silvers are abundant and fishing is fantastic. The run continues through the month with angling abating in the fourth week of August. Just a week or so later in early September, the second and final migration of Silver Salmon begins. Large numbers work their way up the river until, at the end of September, the salmon season is officially over.

It’s a wild four-and-a-half months on the Kenai with fishermen from across the globe enjoying some of the finest salmon runs they’ll ever find. Expert guides adept at helping sports fishermen get the most out of their time on the river help make each visitor’s experience something they’ll remember and relish for years to come.

Going salmon fishing? You can‘t beat the Kenai River in Alaska.

This article was written by Paul Mroczka sponsored by www.alaskafishon.com/. Alaska Fish On is a licensed and registered Kenai river fishing guide service providing affordable packages for the novice or experienced fisher. Let the experts at Alaska Fish On tailor the perfect Alaska fishing trip package suited to your needs for your next vacation. Reproductions of this article are encouraged but must include a link pointing back to www.alaskafishon.com/

Fishing is much known as a profession or a form of occupation. People do catches fishes and other aqua marine products to have something to eat and to have something for their living.

They spend money for fishing for they can earn from this. They spend for equipments and gears. They spend for improvements of their fishing for the make this as a business.

For some people, especially those outgoing and adventurous, fishing is a matter of sport and game. They do fishing for their enjoyment and relaxation. They entertain their selves through fishing because they can get peace of mind and calmness in the said activity.

Bass fly fishing is a type of fishing that involves using an artificial fly. It is different from traditional fishing methods in that fly anglers cast a hook that generally has bits of feather, fur, foam, yarn, or other similar material attached using thread to form what is referred to as a ‘fly’, as opposed to using worms or other bait.

Pro bass fishing is just like the ordinary fly fishing that we know. The only difference is that it entails the presence of professionals in fishing. These professionals are those that are well respected in the line of fishing. They were considered professionals because of their dedication and love in fishing including their contributions.

There are the types of fly fishing. The best known and the most classic is he dry fly fishing. The fisherman uses an artificial fly, which he casts so that it will float on the water. The fly will pass over the fish, which will hopefully rise up and bite it. The fisherman then tries to control the fish’s attempts to escape, tiring it enough to bring it in to be retrieved from the water with a landing net.

Many anglers prefer this type of fly fishing because everything can be seen - the angler casts at a fish he can see, the fly is easily visible on the surface of the water, and he can see the fish take the fly. The only drawback to this is that trout and other fish tend to feed underwater, and therefore are not as likely to come up to take a dry fly.

The second form of fly fishing is what is known as nymph fishing. When the flies lay eggs in the river or lake, the eggs hatch out as nymphs, make their way to the surface and they hatch into a fly. Therefore, nymph fishing utilizes imitations of different nymphs that are weighted to stay below the surface of the water. This type of fishing is often considered more challenging, as all the action takes place beneath the surface.

Bass fly fishing has become an increasingly popular sport, and most anglers will agree that it’s not just about catching fish. Some anglers would even regard fly fishing as a kind of religion, and most consider it a relaxing pastime that can be enjoyed by people from all walks of life. It also appeals to the more environmentally conscious, as it is less harmful to the fish than many other techniques, and most anglers return their catch.

Pro bass fly fishing requires gears and equipments that will aide the fisher to a more productive and fruitful fishing. There are gears that are widely used and there are also some that especially used by pro bass fishers.

The rod is the fisherman’s most important piece of equipment, and should be chosen with care. For beginners, a basic rod-and-reel set is enough; the features and materials aren’t necessarily important. It is more important that the beginning fisherman learn how to use the rod, and become comfortable with it before moving on to more complex pieces of equipment.

Pro bass fishing gives not only relaxation and much of enjoyment, but it also give way to amateur fishers to prove something into their selves that they have the talents in fishing because of the challenges being offered by the sport.

The fishing sport not just offer things fishing, it also provides things that are in with nature. In fishing, the enthusiast used to learn how to love the environment because of the settings and locations of the activities which are always beyond the beauty of the nature.

Pro bass fishing not only entertains, it also provides a whole new world of adventures.

Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com

For a free course on finding the best bass fishing guides and the best bass fishing lures, visit www.bassfishingsystem.com/ today.

No rod and reel? Give these alternative methods a try.

May 2006

The hands-down majority of fish caught in North America are taken on some combination of rods and reels, but anglers also have the option of fishing with a number of “no-tackle” methods that can be as productive as casting or trolling.

Such tackle-free fishing utilizes limbs, jugs, cans, nylon line, stout hooks and other simple components. Techniques for using them are inexpensive and highly efficient at catching catfish and other popular species. A spool of staging line or monofilament, and some sinkers and hooks, don’t take up much space in your camping gear when you go on a weekend camping trip or squirrel-hunting foray. Thus prepared, and provided there’s fishing water nearby, you might be able to enjoy fresh fish for supper.

Following are descriptions of six alternative fishing methods that anglers might try when rods and reels are nowhere to be found. Fishermen should review local regulations to make sure a particular method is legal, as fishing laws vary widely from state to state.

Limblining
Limblining is the simplest of all alternative fishing methods. Tie a length of strong staging line to a limb hanging over water that’s got some depth to it; say, at least five or six feet deep. Adjust the line’s length to extend two to three feet into the water. Tie a strong hook (1/0 to 3/0) on the opposite end of the line, and add enough weight six or eight inches above the hook so the line will hang vertically beneath the limb. Bait the hooks in late afternoon with night crawlers, live minnows, fish chunks or some other choice catfish morsel, then check the line the next morning. Chances are you’ll find a feisty channel or blue cat struggling to get away.

Limblining is a numbers game. Most limbliners set at least two dozen lines at a time, spreading them along a riverbank or lakeshore. Rig lines in different areas: adjacent to deep pools, below riffles, along rocky banks or near logjams. Once you learn where the fish are feeding best you can concentrate your lines there the next night.

Tie lines to limbs that are alive and springy. That way, when a big catfish takes the bait, the limb will bend but probably not break when the fish tries to make a run for it.

One other note: be sure to remove your limblines when you’re through fishing. The law requires it.

Yo-Yo Fishing
“Yo-yoing” is a high-tech method of limblining. A yo-yo is an automatic reel consisting of a stainless-steel spring encased in a sheet-metal disk (about the diameter of a doughnut). This device has a line attached to its topside for tying to a springy green limb, which suspends the yo-yo reel above the water’s surface.

Inside the yo-yo mechanism are several feet of strong nylon line wrapped around the spring. The end of this line dangles from the bottom of the yo-yo. A snap swivel is tied to the end. A 1/0 to 3/0 hook (attached to the line via the snap swivel) and one or two split-shot weights complete the rig.

After the yo-yo is tied to a limb, the hook is baited and enough line is pulled off the reel to lower the bait two or three feet beneath the surface. As the line is pulled off the reel, the spring coils tighter. Once the desired length is extended, a small wire trigger on the side of the reel is set to keep the line in place. When a fish takes the bait it trips the trigger and the reel uncoils quickly to set the hook.

The best strategy for yo-yos is to scatter two dozen or more along a tree- or brush-lined river or lakeshore. Set the devices at dusk, then run them periodically through the night or at first light in the morning.

As is the case with limblines, yo-yos can be rigged with monofilament leaders and smaller hooks to catch bluegills and crappies—but be sure that it is a legal fishing method for those species in the state in which you fish. Bait with wigglers, catalpa worms or crickets for bluegills, and small live minnows for crappies. Contact: Mechanical Fisher Yo-Yo Company (870-422-7715; www. rocking.altd.com/mfish.html).

Throw Lines
Don’t have funds for a new fishing reel? No worry. Try casting with an aluminum soda can or plastic bleach bottle. Using containers of some sort to cast lines has a long history in Asia and Latin America. This fishing method, which is sort of a landlocked trotline, works amazingly well with a little practice.

The container serves the same function as a spinning reel spool. Tie stout monofilament or braided line around the container and cinch it up, then wrap several feet—enough to make a long cast—around the can or bottle toward one end. Add hook, sinker and bait on the other end.

To cast, hold the container at one end so the opposite end is unencumbered. Catch the dangling end of the line in your free hand and sling the line as you extend the container out toward the water. Done properly, the line will coil off freely to gain distance.

This is not a method for continuous casting and retrieving. If you don’t want to hold the line while waiting for a bite, cut a willow branch or small sapling, poke it into the bank and take a few turns around the top end with the fishing line. The bobbing tip will tell you when you’re getting a bite.

When a fish takes the bait or you want to make another cast, pull the line by hand, wrapping it back onto the can as it comes in.

Trotlining
Trotlining is an extremely efficient means of “alternative fishing” that is a favorite of commercial fishermen.

Trotlines are long lengths of strong nylon staging line with “droppers” and hooks spaced evenly along a “mother line.” The line is secured on one end by tying or weighting. The hooks are baited, and the line is stretched taut and secured on the other end. Jug buoys might be used to mark both ends of offshore trotlines. The typical sport-fishing trotline has 25 hooks. Lines are usually set in the afternoon and run the next morning.

Trotline kits are sold in tackle stores and by mail-order houses. Instructions in the kits show how to rig and deploy the lines. One common method is to tie one end of the line to a stationary object on the shoreline (a tree or rock, for example), stretch the line into the river or lake, then anchor the other end with a heavy weight. Also, small “dropper weights” should be added every five or six hooks to hold the baits on or close to bottom. These weights (around a pound each) should be attached to the mother line with dropper lines about a foot long.

Typical trotline baits are whole baitfish such as shad, cut fish parts, chicken guts, catalpa worms and commercially prepared baits.

Set Poles
This is a specialty rig for catching big flathead catfish from smaller rivers.

Use a hatchet to chop out sturdy hardwood saplings 7 to 10 feet long. Each pole should have a fork on the fishing end. Use the hammer side of the hatchet to drive the poles into the bank of the river at the heads of deep pools, preferably where the bottom is sloping from shallow to deep. When set properly, the forked end of the pole will angle out over the water three to five feet, and the butt will be lodged securely in the muddy bank.

Next, tie a long length of heavily tarred nylon line to the closest limb or tree behind the pole. Unroll the line to the end of the pole, and wrap it several times just below the fork. Then run enough line out so a hook and bait will hang within a foot of the river bottom. Add a 4/0 to 6/0 hook, and loop a bell sinker onto the line a foot above the hook. Use enough weight to hold the line vertically in the current.

Bait the hook with a big goldfish or small bluegill (where legal). Hook the bait through the back just behind the dorsal fin so it can swim naturally. Rig several set poles in this manner during the day, then bait and run them at night. This fishing method will take the biggest flathead cats in the river.

Jug-Fishing
Plastic two-liter soft-drink bottles (with caps on, of course), staging, hooks, sinkers and bait are the ingredients necessary for jug-fishing. Lines are cut to lengths of 4 to 10 feet, depending on water depth. (Six-foot lengths are a good average.) Each piece of line is tied snugly around a bottle’s neck. A 2/0 bait-keeper hook is tied to the opposite end of the line, and enough split shot is added a few inches above the hook so the line hangs vertically beneath the jug. Then the line is wrapped around the jug and held snugly with a wide rubber band for storage purposes.

Jug-fishermen use a boat and motor to set out 20 or more jugs at a time. Jugs are unwrapped, baited and dropped in the water on the upwind or up-current side of a flat, channel or pool. The wind or current drifts the jugs through fish feeding areas. The angler floats alongside the jugs, watching for one to tip up and move off as a hooked catfish tries to escape.

The best results usually occur during low-light periods near dawn and dusk. Jugs can be run at night and it’s helpful to paint each with orange or phosphorescent paint so they can be spotted easily with a flashlight.

I used to work second shift hours, since my “work day” started at 3:30 in the afternoon I was able to slip out to the state lake near home to fish several times each week. Instead of re-writing the story, I will just post the exact email that I went to a few select friends on May 6, 2001……….Now for today’s report….. I ran myself out of time and didn’t even have enough time to stop and get ice on the way back home from the lake or even mess with them at home, so at the boat ramp I counted 27 crappie I returned to the water. One third of these were the finest crappie I had ever caught at the State lake. A couple of them were an even pound, with several around 3/4 of a pound!

The most memorable part of the day (and also the reason I was running so late) was when I hooked and fought the largest fish of my lifetime for a solid 35 minutes. (Real time, I noted the time on my watch when I realized how big he was!) On my favorite 11′ crappie pole with fresh 4 pound line and two 1/16 oz jigs tied 2 foot apart. He pulled me all over the open end of the lake, crossing the lake twice and running back and forth across the dam a few times. At one point near the beginning of the battle I could see only 4 wraps of line around the 140 yard spool, I had to kick the trolling motor in high gear chasing him to try and gain some line. For much of the time while I was in high gear he was swimming right below the boat at the same speed I was going, I’m sure he was looking for some cover to brush me off with. I tried to herd him towards the middle of the lake but really he just went where and when he pleased. I never felt a head shake, or a tail kick. Just a constant pull as if I was tied to the back bumper of a Jeep. I had everything cleared from the deck of the boat and was using every square inch as he circled the boat and often dove directly under and shot out the other side. I had the gas motor up and all the way out of the water to keep from cutting the line, and I had to keep switching hands holding the rod to keep them from falling asleep during this cruel workout. I have to tell you the same landing net that held 71 crappie at once last Saturday now looked like a useless minnow bucket dip net, I’m sure the fish wouldn’t have fit in it anyway.

The end of the battle came when he managed to snag the one free hook into a solid stump on the bottom, I felt the hook snag then I felt the line pop like thread between the two hooks leaving me tethered to the stump. I never got to see him, nor was I able to even pull him up from the bottom of the lake. I’m sure it was a big catfish, how big I’ll never know but I can tell you it’s the biggest fish this boy has ever been hooked to!

This will be something to tell my Grandkids someday, a day I’ll never forget. (Right now I’m grinning so big if I was wearing lipstick I’d have it on both ears!)

Once upon a time, in 1979, in a city called Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, a young 18 year old man was fishing on “Anglin’s Pier” at the end of Commercial Blvd, in a community named “Lauderdale By The Sea”.The young man had been there MANY, MANY times since he was a small boy of 8 or 9 years old. He had caught many different species of fish over the years, but only 5 or 6 SMALL sharks, mainly Spinners or Blacktips, but never anything to REALLY “brag about”…………Until, one day, just after Sundown, his 9/0 went off !

The 8 or 10 lb. Bonito he had been swimming live earlier, probably now long since deceased and lying on the bottom, had been “PICKED UP!” Upon hearing the SCREAM of the clicker, he raced to the rod, turned off the clicker, and silently counted to 30, as line continued to flow off the reel! He threw the reel into gear and waited for the line to come TIGHT and set the hook three or four times with as much force as the 10 ft. heavy “Shark Rod” and 80 lb-test “Ande” line could deliver! He began to gain line quickly and thought to himself, “Another Spinner”………….SUDDENLY, ALL HELL BROKE LOOSE ! ! !

The rod bent and flexed VIOLENTLY and line began STREAMING off the 9/0 against an ALMOST “HAMMERED” DRAG, which he QUICKLY LOOSENED, both to save the drag washers and prevent himself from being “LEVERED” over the pier railing ! ! ! It seemed like the fish COULD NOT BE STOPPED OR TURNED ! ! !

The bait had been placed out about “Half-Spool”, approximately 200 yards, so there was only about that much line left to “PLAY” the fish… He thought he would be “SPOOLED” for sure and decided that he would “HAMMER” the drag, if it looked like the reel would be stripped, brace himself against the rail and wait for something to “GIVE” ! ! !

FINALLY, the fish turned or was turned! No one will ever know which it was and, over the course of the next 2 hours or more, that was repeated at least twice. Doubt came and went in the young man’s thoughts repeatedly, as fatigue began to set in…!

“A GIANT RAY?”, he thought, but “NO!” Someone with a Q-Beam Spotlight said they had seen a dorsal fin! “What could it be?,” he thought. The idea that he had “Foul-Hooked” or “Snagged” the fish came to him. That would make the fight VERY HARD and LONG, indeed!

It seemed like the fight went on all night to the young man, but FINALLY, somebody yelled, “There, He is!” and ropes and gaffs appeared, as if by “MAGIC!” One of the others lowered the gaff on a stout rope to snag the “MONSTER.” After several misses, the huge hook was sunk home and twelve, or more, onlookers began hauling the fish up over the pier railing, hand over hand!

The young man hadn’t even seen what he had caught yet and had slumped down onto the pier, EXHAUSTED! By the grunts and cursing, he could tell that whatever it was, must be pretty heavy! As the fish reached the top of the railing, a Police Officer, who had become concerned by the noise and commotion, had come over to investigate what was going on. He shot the fish twice in the head at point blank range with a .357 Magnum!

After VIOLENTLY THRASHING for a few seconds, the fish went limp and was hauled over the rail onto the pier deck! For the first time all could see what it was and it shocked the young man! Lying on the pier, at the young man’s feet, was a HUGE SHARK!

“HAMMERHEAD!” exploded in his brain as he took in the size of his catch! SUDDENLY, the SHARK REVIVED and all scattered for their lives! A few minutes later, the fish was dead. “How Big?” 9 foot 10 inches! “Weight?” Unknown, as the Pier Scales only went to 250 lb. and it was clear the shark weighed more than that!

What to “do” with it now?

The young man carved out the jaws and sold them to a man who offered him $25.00. One of his friends filleted and steaked out the shark, dividing it up among everyone, as the young man had asked him to do. Then, several of them, including the young man, dumped the carcass back into the water with a HUGE SPLASH ! They watched it slowly sink below the surface and come to rest on the bottom in the reflected light of the spotlight!

The young man felt TRIUMPHANT & PROUD….. and then a “SADNESS” came over him, which he has never forgotten to this very day!

I was that “Young Man!” Since that day, I never killed another Shark I caught and began to encourage my friends to do the same. I never ate the Shark Meat and simply threw it away…WHAT A WASTE ! ! !

Eventually, that “LESSON” crept into all of my fishing. As a result, I developed this philosophy, “Unless it is going on the plate or out for bait, it will be released to fight again!”