Awesome...

[markee_b]

Another example of the outdated method of only ratifying dead fish for record purposes...what a shame

 

750lb Hammerhead

[Sam]

i would have let it go i dont think i could kill something that magnificent

[TomBettle]

i would have let it go i dont think i could kill something that magnificent

Whilst in Antigua in December 2004 I hooked a huge shark.

 

It took a 25lb yellowfin tuna we had just hooked and had taken heavy 80lb class gear.

By the time the other rods had been brought in it had almost spooled me (800+ yards) and the skipper of "Overdraft" had to back the boat up to try and get some line back.

 

After 45 minutes we had got it to the leader about 4 times, but as yet it remained useen. The crew had cleared the deck and prepared a rope to tail the fish once alongside, clearly with the intention of drowning it. I desparately wanted to see the fish, but I really didn't want to kill it so made sure I did a real fanny about job the next time the leader came near. Somehow I managed to shake the fish free and up came a rather mangled (very neatly bitten across the back) yellow fin tuna and nothing else.

 

I was so pleased that the fish got away unharmed, but very dissapointed not to have seen it.

It could have been any of the fish below:

 

Blue Shark - Far too big, a blue would have come in very quickly and not spooled 80lb class

Thresher Shark - Far too fast

Oceanic White Tip - Far too much stamina, a White Tip would have come more easily

Tiger Shark - Again far to fast, this fish was mega quick

Mako Shark - I reckon it was a Mako, by the speed, stamina and tooth marks in the yellow fin.

Going by the gape of the bite the shark was estimated at about 850lb!

The bite measured about 19 inches from tooth mark to tooth mark (taking into account the Tuna was only about 14 inches deep - some guestimation made)

 

Wish I'd seen it, but pleased it is still out there eating other yellow fin.

 

Tom

 

[duncan]

I think I would have started the argument about it going back alive if landed under the circmstances but hey-ho!

 

I realise the issues; a large mako would have a very significant market value in Antigua from which the crew / capt would benefit.

 

Somewhat bizzarre that the hammerhead was simply dumped...........wierd world.

[crazy fred]

so how long was the leader with my time spent game fishing once you touch the leader the fish is classed as landed but if you couldnt see the fish the leader was far to long and if it had been a record fish it would not of counted. Just food for thought not saying you were trophy hunting but seems strange they had such a long leader.I know of one case where a crew touched the line and not the leader in a comp a difference of 6inches and all ended up in court and they lost the prize money of $300,000 dollars, seems us anglers get serious over money

CRAZY

[TomBettle]

Crazy

 

We weren't using IGFA tackle. I was using the stuff onboard and we weren't comp fishing.

 

The Leader was about 20 feet and then a 6 foot odd wire trace.

The fish was straight up and down each time and I was in the chair and the crew appeared to be panicking somewhat.

 

It was a standard day charter out for Wahoo and Tuna and this beasty took the Tuna we hooked.

 

No trophy hunt, I am not into that. As it is they kept the other Tuna and Wahoo (I guess for the fish market). Abbie and I simply booked the boat for a spot of fishing and the shark was a surprise.

 

Tom

[crazy fred]

boat bwe fished on in cabo was landing 80 ish tuna and a marlin of over 1'000lb took it they never saw the fish again or the 800yds of line???

[TomBettle]

Fred

My beasty spat out the yellowfin it had eaten about 40 feet under the boat, whilst the crew were poncing about trying to get a rope ready.

 

It hadn't even been hooked, it had simply wolfed a tuna down so far it was stuck in it's gullet. Got the tuna back, although it wasn't in very good shape...

[duncan]

GMTV news this morning had an article on a 580kg Hamahead caught yesterday - this one was apparantly donated to a wildlife museum..............6+ hour fight.

[markee_b]

I did actually notice a link off my original one...but the piccy wasn't as good

 

Even bigger hammerhead

 

So the one that was dumped in an orange grove was only kept for the line class record....load of old cobblers if you ask me. Which you didn't

[Newboy]

Shame some of us think it's good to kill a fish so that they can claim a record.

 

Met an old man call Ronnie Webb on my trip, apparently he caught a record breaking blue shark up in Milford Haven and wouldn't kill to claim a british record. That's what I call a true fishing gentleman.

[Sam]

apparently dad told me ages ago spike spears out of portsmouth has broken the smoothound record twice and put them back.

 

sam

[Newboy]

He was fishing with John Wilson on Go Fishing. I believe the record was 28lb and he caught one bouncing up and down min 29 lb. John Wilson nearly wet his pants so excited having had a british record broken on his programme.