Shark Fishing

If you have read our "Shark Fishing" page, you will probably realize by now, shark fishing in Key West is a little different than most other areas. You might say, a little more "hands on". This particular trip certainly proved no exception to that rule.

While flats fishing with Chuck Broadski, a Miami attorney (now living in Montana), we had noticed a good number of fairly large bull sharks in the area. Rather than hook any permit and risk losing them to the sharks, Chuck suggested that we do some shark fishing. I was not very enthusiastic with the idea, as I prefer to do my shark fishing from the larger boat. However, I did not want to feed the sharks any permit and as the day was still young, I thought we might give it a try.

We quickly caught a small barracuda and hung in from a rope, off of the bow of my 16' flats skiff. As the scent corridor began to form we rigged the 8# spinning outfit for sharks. A 10' shock leader with a 3' trace of #7 wire to a 6/0 hook should do the trick. After cutting a 6" by 2" piece of "cuda" for bait, we didn't have to wait very long for the inevitable to happen. Shortly, we were hooked into a 250# bull shark and the spool diameter on the little spinning reel, began to diminish rapidly. As was standard practice with large fish on light line, I started the motor and began to follow the shark. After a while we began to recover most of the line and soon we were no more that twenty or so feet behind the large brown shadow.

When you trespass within the undefined limits of the shark's territory, especially the bull shark, they will give you a very distinct warning. The pectoral fins will extend downward at a 45 degree angle and the shark will begin to swerve in an exaggerated, left and right swimming mode. We call this action, "attack posture". This usually means that if you don't back off very quickly, you will be eaten.

Sure enough, the large brown shape began its exaggerated darting, left then right. I shouted to Chuck to get ready for the attack. I try to maneuver the boat so that the shark will not be able to catch us, thereby avoiding that crunch that any boat owner hates to hear, the parting of gel coat from the fiberglass, in this case, caused by the teeth of the shark. The shadow started it's large sweep to the right and suddenly accelerated, completing the full circle. Now we were being pursued by the shark.

So far, nothing unusual was happening and I was prepared for the next step, simply accelerate and move away from the shark, then fall in behind it once more and continue the fight.

The water was only about 3' deep and the motor had been trimmed up so that the propeller would not hit bottom or pick up grass. As I advanced the throttle, the propeller picked up air and began to cavitate. I knew that the shark was close behind and I had little time to waste. I began to lower the motor while still under power and expected the prop to grab and the boat to bolt forward. The transom of the boat was very near the water line due to the angle of the motor and its downward thrust. The cavatition of the prop did not stop nor did the boat bolt forward as I had intended. Chuck was in the bow and was looking back at the large brown form as it closed on the little skiff. I looked back to my right, in a field of bubbles formed by the cavatition of the prop, and suddenly the head of the shark broke the surface. It's forward momentum carrying the shark up on the rear deck where I was seated and mere inches from by backside. The jaws were snapping and the body was still swimming, trying to get to me. I was still advancing the throttle and white water was blowing from the prop. The shark began to slide back down the rear deck. I could hear jaws popping and teeth scraping as it's head entered the water. It quickly turned and the line began to smoke from the reel once more. We continued to fight the shark for another 20 or so minuets, avoiding several more attacks until it was brought along side where it promptly bit a large chunk of gel coat from the side of my boat, well above the water line. Chuck was thrilled with the experience and couldn't wait to get back to the dock to tell all that would listen, his views from the bow of the boat, certainly different from those views at the back of the boat.

We continued with the days fishing, often reflecting back on the others actions and reactions to the events of the morning. After returning to the dock, we found that the bracket for the trolling motor had been broken and the trim tab cylinder had been bitten and punctured by the teeth of the shark. The large gash on the port side of the boat would have to be filled and sanded, however there were no real lasting marks of our adventure except in our memories. Memories that belong to Chuck and myself, of "Shark Fishing" in Key West. Check out more fishing adventures at DelphFishingCharters.com