Remember, yesterday I said I wanted to go show Paul & Hoss a "ass handing" sized piscatorial punisher?
Well, I did. Unfortunately we never landed a single one.
What we did land was the small sharks in the photo's, plus a nurse Shark about 50 pounds, and a mini-Manta Ray. (and these guys thought those were whoppers!)
But right after we got the Nurse Shark to the boat and messed with it, I noticed one of our lines that was out and away from the boat, was now underneath the boat.
I grabbed my HD Loomis backbouncer, slammed the Accurate twin-drag to 30 pounds of pre- set drag pressure reeled fast and handed it to Hoss.
Here we go...........That fish turned out to be a 100 pound Spinner shark, and when it felt the sting on the 8/0 circle hook it BOOGIED! Snatching ole Hoss into reality. The drag smoked at 30 pounds of drag pressure like it was nothin'.
The fish flew out of the water tail walking and then spinning violently across the surface of the water. Cork-screwing like it was driven by some sort of machine. And at 150 yards away from the boat the leader broke. (50# Mason "hard type" nylon)
Hoss said, "I guess that's here's yer sign in shark talk? Huh, Dave?"
Yep, it sure was, I replied.
I ran out of greenies since I only jigged a few so we went and caught some big fat juicey pogies, and returned to the Mayport Jetties.
This time I re-rigged with 7 foot of 200 pound test crimped leaders with a 15/0 VMC monster circle, and a break-away sinker set up.
And as the incoming tide built......here we go again.
Hoss yells, "Dave I think there maybe something on that one". I reel down, feel, feel, feel. And off it goes!!!
Another monster spinner shark (nearly a Blacktip shark, but with really a bad attitude).
Line literally evaporates off my spool on my Accurate 870. The lever drag is now pushed into the F-U-L-L position. I want to hand the fish to Paul, but cannot. I lean into the shark with all 250 pounds I have, as if I'm trying to break the rod. The fish heads for the north end of the jetties. Go's airborne, and starts "cork-screwing" again. But I have it, and I'm hanging on.
Paul & Hoss are freakin' out.
The fish is now close to 200 yards from the boat, goes airborne again and twists and POP goes my line. I look at Hoss, and say........"here's yer sign".
Man, do those tackle ruining SOB's have some Power. I want tackle that can handle them. The rods and reels I have right now work but I'm not sure if they work that great for this extreme animal that lurks around the jetty rocks in the summer. I 'd like a reel that can drop 75 pounds of drag on these fish. That's over double the drag I have now.
Before I went into being a full time "float-rigger". Me and an ole friend Pelican, used to sit out there and hook those spinners one after another. We started with 7000 Abu Garcia Ambassador reels, Big Game ambassadors, which aren't for any Big Game at all. We soon learned that those reels had no part in fish this size as we'd ruin them and then re-build them, and them ruin them again . That's when I moved up to Accurate reels with twin drags, and they graciously accepted me onto their Guide Program. And shortly after I owned 12 of the best reels I have ever used. BUT...I wasted time with smaller reels that fit on bait casting rods, mostly for big drum in the spring and big Reds in the fall. They work for them, because lets face it, a 30 pound red fights....but not really, compared to a 200 pound Shark hauling ass with a falling tide......and JUMPS!
So I see now that if I really want to be a contender, I'll have to some day step up to the plate and get me a REALLY BIG reel. Because if a 400 pound Tuna can be taken on a Big Accurate reel on a Long Range boat out of San Diego with 30 other guys fishing too, then that's what I need for these sharks. You cannot "light tackle" them at the jetties. Capt Randall my shark "go-to" guy who's commercial fished them for years says, "Dave, you'll never be able to dog one down so bad to keep him from doing the twist somehow. But catch'em at the jetties is asking for doing it the hard way!"
But catching them behind the surf on the beach requires way to much work! Chumming and all that bullshit. They are at the north and south jetties...and when they are there they are ready and able to eat about anything (although small sharks and stingray wings are the best bait) A big fat juicy Pogie always works. You just need good current, as with any fishing.
Here's a photo of the last one I personally boated at the jetties (by myself on a Chunk of stingray wing, of course in the month of June) It was about 125 pounds.
But I want bigger and more of them. 
MAYBE LIKE THIS HAMMERHEAD???
WOW! Now that "was" a big Shark.
It was fun today, but I was missing Float rig fishing
up in the river while fishing the inlet today.
Am I obbsessed or what? I know I have the right tackle
for that kind of fishing, already.
