# Patrick AFB morning to afternoon sharking 06/14



## cpn_aaron (Apr 11, 2006)

After so many days being denied my wifey-out-of-town sharking fix I was jonesing bad. The wife comes home tmorrow and I needed to get one of my long trips in before she returns with her dreaded to-do list.
I got up at 5 AM ate breakfast, packed my bait, and went to a small park near the causeway that leads to Patrick AFB to net finger mullet to toss out with everything else. Unfortunately (or so I thought) all i could get were 5-7" mullet and I managed to get a donzen of them in my 60 qt cooler-cum-baitwell before the school got wise and departed for deepr and safer waters.
I got to the beach site and had my line sin ther water ~7 AM with salted shrimp on two surf rods and two shark rods ready to go. I caught plenty of black martate or various sizes to make hardy grunting baits and tons of those annoying blennies that hang out in the cocquina rock around here. Then I found the fish that can only happen when the two ugliest fish known to FL have sex, a mother-in-law fish and oyster toad. 








This mother-in-toad thing was ugly and ticked. Caught quite a few on shrimp and they were a real nuisance. They didn't have sharp teeth but these large grniding molars in the back of their mouth they would slam shut on pliers as you tried to unhook them. For awhile I was bringing up mutilated or missing mullet that were destroyed as i'd never seen before. I was puzzled, then sure enough it was more of those dang mother-in-toad fish. 








Here's the angry [email protected] with my casting shark rig hanging out of his mouth. Note the old mono coming outthe right side of his mouth. I'm not the first person he harassed recently.
By this point I was getting concerned since the morning was slipping away. A fellow fisherman came up to talk about his morning further north at Patrick and wished me luck as he left and my casting mullet rod started smoking line. I tightened the drag and bang the fireworks began. I knew in about 3 seconds I had caught a spinner. The shark was corckscrewing from wave to wave and putting on a great show. I landed him, snapped a pic, and tag and tossed him. He's 38" FL, 44.5" TL, nice little scrapper.








Throughout the day I put 13-14" black margates on my longline rod and those poor fish were shredded numerous times. Each time I seemed to have waited too little before setting the hook and the shark hadn't had the hook in his mouth. However my other shark rod was tossing and later yakking (winds made casting hard) 7" mullet ~125 yds out and that was where the money was. I had a dozen mullet when I started and had none when I left. I lost 3 to the mother-in-toads and all otheres were spinner chow. For some reason the spinners kept shaking hooks or not quite grabbing the hook when taking the mullet. I was getting ticked and ready to call it a day when the line came smoking off the reel yet again. I waited until I worried I wouldn't have any line left just to make sure it had the bait. I set the hook and Mr Toad's Wild Ride began. I fought this big spinner female up and down the beach and she just refused to quit. It was only after a good 25-30 min that she stopped enough for me to beach her, tag and toss her.








She's the biggest spinner I've caught yet at 44.5" FL, 55 3/4" TL. She was thick in the shoulders and HEAVY to hold. Here's the business end.








Unfortunatley it appears she tired herself out so much she couldn't recover. I walked her in the trough for a good 5 minutes and she left my arms strong but 30 min later she washed back up on the beach stone cold dead.  I then spent the next hour carving her up and extracting her jaws for cleaning tonight. I now have 32 lbs of filleted, steaked, and fish chunk (for frying) in my freezer. I need help, this is too much meat and I would rather not succomb to mercury poisoning. All we need is me mad as a hatter. 
I had intended to fish tonight and really put a hurt on some toothies but after cleaning a shark in the sun and yaking back and forth near 20 times in rough waves my back and body need a break. The plan is to recover until Sunday for a short 5 hr night strike at my favorite fishing hole, ole Patrick AFB.
tight lines fellas :fishing:


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## jettypark28 (Jun 23, 2006)

*Really nice*

report and at least you caught something, except for those ugly mother inlaw:--| too bad about that one shark dying on you...Oh i would never have posted my picture on here....next thing you know you are going to wearing a purple sweat shirt with uni bomder sunglasses on   How your back holding up??? i didnt know you were a long hair,nipple peiced hippie   boy we have all kinds on this forum, no wonder we are so mess up in the fla region    Your new name is going to be "Tarzan of the Sharks"    again nice report


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## barty b (Dec 31, 2004)

jettypark28 said:


> i didnt know you were a long hair,nipple peiced hippie   boy we have all kinds on this forum, no wonder we are so mess up in the fla region    Your new name is going to be "Tarzan of the Sharks"    again nice report


That is damn funny though

Don't worry about Jetty Aaron...He's obviously mixing his meds with :beer: again   
Nice Job on the Spinners. Don't worry too much about the mercury on the younger fish,It is much more prevelent in the larger ones. That fish was probably not more than a few years old at best.
Great report! Thanks :beer:


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## cpn_aaron (Apr 11, 2006)

I'm not overly worried about the mercury, just thought about it as I was filling the majority of my freezer space with meat. For fathers day the wife's parents are having a bbq with the grandparents and her siblings. So i figure I'll bring a couple nice thick steaks of shark over and we can have some marinated grilled steaks with everything else.
Jetty doesn't bother me...well actually his strange fascination with my nipples does!  
All in all it was a good day out there and I'm already planning my next time I can get out. I think I might have to try in more earnest to cast net medium mullet more often as they were shark candy. Sometimes the yak would barely be touching shore and the line was sizzling. I only wish I could have set my hooks better and I might have beached a good 8-10 today.


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## jettypark28 (Jun 23, 2006)

*Hey!!!!*

i thought i said something nice about you being called "Tarzan of the Shark" was a pretty good title not many of us can go bare chested around the beach:--| :--| Thats why i fish at nite   Now back to Sharking, "Aaron" why do you think you miss, so many hookup??? i know you are using Circle hooks, were they feeling the drag and dropping the bait???


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## Railroader (Apr 13, 2005)

Helluva nice report, there Aaron. Good job on the Spinners.

Next time I'm catchin' crap about my earrings, I'll refer 'em to your nipples...


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## cpn_aaron (Apr 11, 2006)

Jetty, I got a few drops on the big baits but I think part of the problem is the shape of mullet. They're long and skinny so a circle hook can twist around so it's more likely to burry in the mullet, not the shark jaw. I've tried many different hook placements, and near the end of the tail with a 10 o/ owner seems to work best. The big gap of a 10 o/ keeps it from turning into the bait as frequently, it just hangs under the mullet instead. Sharking isn't like fishing for whiting, it's just more hit and miss some days. There have been other days where none of the hooks turn and I've landed 6-8 sharks. I was usually pretty beat on those days.


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## barty b (Dec 31, 2004)

Aaron, scroll down to the slideshow where Chris has rigged the large mullet..I have started doing it this way and the hookup ratio seems to have improved. Although a "live " mullet won't stay "live" long when rigged this way...The hook exposure is 100%.

http://groups.msn.com/TEXASSHARKFISHING/rigginganddeployment.msnw


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## thatjohnkid (May 23, 2007)

Man that is one ugly a$$ fish up there, every time I go fishing the less I ever wanna get in the ocean lol

Good job on those sharks, I wanna get into sharkin or atleast fishing for larger fish from the surf, but I need the right gear for that, till then I'll stick with fishing off the piers and jetty's.


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## TreednNC (Jul 1, 2005)

Railroader said:


> Helluva nice report, there Aaron. Good job on the Spinners.
> 
> Next time I'm catchin' crap about my earrings, I'll refer 'em to your nipples...




And great report Aaron. Sounds like fun


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## narfpoit (Jun 16, 2004)

barty b said:


> Aaron, scroll down to the slideshow where Chris has rigged the large mullet..I have started doing it this way and the hookup ratio seems to have improved. Although a "live " mullet won't stay "live" long when rigged this way...The hook exposure is 100%.
> 
> http://groups.msn.com/TEXASSHARKFISHING/rigginganddeployment.msnw


That is how I do mine as well. As long as the shark is big enough to lift the weight then it rarely misses. Last summer we got 9 outta 10 in one day and that was my first time shark fishing. I just tried to emulate evrything in that shark fishing handbook and it made it pretty easy.

John


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## KodiakZach (Mar 16, 2005)

barty b said:


> http://groups.msn.com/TEXASSHARKFISHING/rigginganddeployment.msnw


Great web site! I feel that the following quote from that site holds true for most fish as well as sharks, at least from the patterns I have observed regularly at Sunglow Pier:

_On days when the surf is rough, the sharks will move in closer. On days when it is calm, sharks will feed deeper. Sharks also move in closer on high tides and cloudy days and feed farther out when the water is very clear, the sun is bright, or the tide is low. Sharks feed closer during the mornings and sunset and further out during the day. _


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## jettypark28 (Jun 23, 2006)

*Aaron*

i had some of my girls from the softball team over, (i coach and they are getting everything ready for a tournament this weekend in cocoa) and i was showing them, some of the sharking pictures....and after seeing your photo...now you have a few fans i was ask to bring you out to the game....i told them you were marry and happy and were too busy slaying sharks, and keeping everyone safe (JK) on the beaches .....needless to say some want to go fishing now    but want to leave thier spouse at home Sometime these ladys are worst then men, when it comes to talking about things ....but they say you look more like a "Pirate" LOL.....the sad thing is we have a "Condo" for the weekend out there (Cocoa) and since my GF is gone. I am not allow to go  Yes i know who the Boss is in my home LOL....and it aint me    :beer:


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## jettypark28 (Jun 23, 2006)

*Aaron*

could you let everyone know what you caught these "Sharks" on....i see the spinning reel in the photo....but just to let them know that, they can catch those guys from the surf without needing heavy gear....and 125yd cast really isnt that far from the surf......before anyone jumps on me think about it....if you were to walk at least waist deep, you can still cast over 50yds (hopefully) and the walk back in...you are way over 100yds. Most guys just cast from the beach line GET IN THE WATER!!! and cast that pole also braid line and setting up your rig on a pulley or sinker on the leader with a short distance from the hook...will also give you more distance.


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## TreednNC (Jul 1, 2005)

jettypark28 said:


> could you let everyone know what you caught these "Sharks" on....i see the spinning reel in the photo....but just to let them know that, they can catch those guys from the surf without needing heavy gear....and 125yd cast really isnt that far from the surf......before anyone jumps on me think about it....if you were to walk at least waist deep, you can still cast over 50yds (hopefully) and the walk back in...you are way over 100yds. Most guys just cast from the beach line GET IN THE WATER!!! and cast that pole also braid line and setting up your rig on a pulley or sinker on the leader with a short distance from the hook...will also give you more distance.



Hard to get alot of momentum sometimes. I could see the reasoning behind it from a relatively flat beach. I thought the same thing Jetty but in some places where the water drops off fairly quick before you get to the bar you can achieve just as must distance from dry sand. I experimented with this at what shall we call it...umm...a famous north carolina fishin hole


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## jettypark28 (Jun 23, 2006)

*Our*

east coast beaches are pretty flat, you will find some deep holes and some areas do have some bars that are closer....but you have to look for them. The further south you go (from Cocoa) the more the beach drop off, some beaches are really close to some reefs the further south you go....The deeper water is closer to the inlets, and another little known fact is that Inlets have really "Large" Sharks swimming in them SI have given up some really large "Tigers"  ...I have only seem one or two "Sharkers" fishing, from jettypark pier for sharks...With all the new rules at the cape, it makes it hard to fish at nite....At the Park you have to stay at the pier at nite, i don't know if they would let you fish the beach right there...something for me to check out oh i don't break the "Rules" early morning and late afternoon and at nite....my butt doesnt go in the water at those times i will cast from the shallows...and safety of the beach:fishing: i aint no Tarzan   Hell i cant even see myself kayaking out there like some of these guys do at NITE!!!   If i felt a bump hit the Kayak, that be it for me...plus i wouldnt paddle, out far enough....damn sci fic channel got me scareeeeeeeee heh, heh....


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## barty b (Dec 31, 2004)

Hey jetty, How are "the rules" as far as openly shark fishing around jetty park and SI...It's only a 2.5 hour drive for me...I really want a big Tiger BAD. Been thinking on taking the crew south for a couple nights.


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## jettypark28 (Jun 23, 2006)

*At*

"Jettypark" there arent any sign put up, like at other places. On the beach at the park, i wouldnt fish for them....there are people always there swimming, during the day....now at nite i would try. But!!! they have signs saying that once nite comes, you better have your butt on the pier fishing, thanks to 911 alot of new rules were set in place at the cape.....and you better not get caught fishing in any red zone....."inside" the cape, on the north side there is a beach, water drops off pretty deep. That was another great cuda and shark area to fish, during the time the bait pods move in....but its a red zone now....some people say they still fish it, but i won't chance it.....At SI the tigers were taken on the beach a while back ago....I have seen guys fishing for them, with the huge setups, but that was a while back ago. I would check the SI web site, and see if they have anything against that on the beaches.....At nite i don't see why not, you couldnt fish for them...But seeing that it is a state park....You never know...Most beaches won't have any signs up, but it is like a unwritten law, not to shark fish with bathers in the water....Sorry for not having any answers for you, i am just getting in this (Sharking)....Maybe "Aaron" has more infor on what is allow and what isnt, and jump in and let us all know....what is required of us as fisherman, fishing for them from a beach....


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## cpn_aaron (Apr 11, 2006)

ok, man I step away for an ole fashioned kegger last night and awake to a million different directions on the thread.:beer: :--| 
As for set up and locale. Patrick AFB is flat until ~125-150 yds when it drops off to 20-30 ft of water (depending on tide). I tend to do as the manual says, fish close on rough days (sharks caught and hooked were all within 100-125 yds) and deep most other times. I vary my palcement with the tide with low tide being a long paddle as I search for the green water. At night I just relie on my memory of the place with landmarks liek the size of condos from my drop ioff point. At night the drop off is the real sweet spot. I get hits on closer rods but the bigger ones have always eaten from teh drop off or as near to as I could figure in pitch black. Thuirsday all sharks were caught on a spinning outfit with ~600 yds of 50# power pro with 10 yds of 40# mono backing on a heavyweight 12' rod. I also fish another cating style boat rod that i yak out. It has ~650 yds of 80# power pro with a 50 yd top shot of 100# mono on a 12' heavyweight rod. The two rods in the back of the pictures are my bait catching outfits that supply me with fresh live whiting, croakers, and margates. The ole fishers always seem ticked when they see me hook up a bull whiting instead of throwing him in my cooler. But I'm here for pullage not the table.
As for pullet rigs, I've never used them and keep meaning to check it out and try to learn, but I just never get the time. I've always just stuck to what i liek to call casting rigs. They're 10 o/ owner circles on 1.5' of 180# cable and 4.5' of 250# mono. I put 350# class barrel swivels between the cable and the mono and the mono and my power pro on the rig. All the swivels help counteract the corkscrewing jumps of spinners. They tend to get less wrapped up since the rig with freely spin on two points and with tension you tend to never get a body wrapped shark. I'm usually able to cast the 6' rig 60-70 yds depending on the wind so I do go out to waist deep briefly to cast only during teh day, but if the sharks are farther out or it's night I just yak the rig out (like I did Thurs). My big rig is a 20 o/ wide gapped Mustad circle on 4' 400# cable and 15' 300# mono. That bad boy is so huge you can only yak it. Plus I suck at casting rods, so I'd just yak it out anyway. One day I'll try to learn.
I have yet to get an outfit I feel comfortable handling a big tiger with, I'd prefer over 700 yds of 100# on a high class drag system. So good lukc barty, I just don;t have as much ho' captial to invest. but boy am I planning on it as soon as I can get the funds. I love the fact that with an investment of ~500 bucks I've got a nie senator, heavy duty boat rod and enough power pro to keep it in business. Nothing more economical (pullage to dollar ratio) than sharkin'.
As for sharking rules, there are none in my county. You can fish for them in the kiddie pool if you please but I usually choose beaches where people don't swim. My Patrick AFB spot is largely just surfers if waves are big and I'm always set up first so they have to work around me. I'm amazed some of them will still hang out by my lines when they watch me chuck a huge bloody jack head out of my yak nearby with a huge hook and leader. Just for safety sake I try not to fish in heavy swimmer areas because a hooked shark would be the only safety concern for me. Most people I talk to all say they know they're out here and fisherman like us aren't "drawing" them in here. All my surfer buddies tend to get me the greatest feeds on the amount of sharks out on a given day so I know whether its worth my effort.


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## cpn_aaron (Apr 11, 2006)

> Aaron, scroll down to the slideshow where Chris has rigged the large mullet..I have started doing it this way and the hookup ratio seems to have improved. Although a "live " mullet won't stay "live" long when rigged this way...The hook exposure is 100%.
> 
> http://groups.msn.com/TEXASSHARKFISH...eployment.msnw


barty, I just took a look at this sitre and they use the style of rig I use on my big rod. However, I don't have any coated wire since it's harer to come by in my county. I like the mullet rig, but I prefer live baits to dead ones. I find I get more attention to my baits when they're struggling compared to just dead and smelly. However I just use several fillets for big dead baits and my hook up ratio is good. however, I've just switched to the style of sinker he talks about so I'll have to see if it improves my hook up precentage.


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## barty b (Dec 31, 2004)

Thanks for the info Aaron. I like Live bait as well, It's the inshore fisherman in me I guess. I fish equally as much live shark bait as dead,and can't say weather one out performs the other...seems about even. I will know better towards the end of the year. I just need to come up with a better live bait rig,other that a balloon rig. Also those heavy guage Mustad 16 and 20/0's don't do much for helping a bait stay alive. I like the Owner Octopus In-Line 12/0's for live mullet,blues and whiting.

I plan on selling some surplus surf gear to fund a serious sharkin outfit here soon.


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## jettypark28 (Jun 23, 2006)

*And there*

you have it, Sharking 101 for the central east coast of fla.....And i am sure the more of us, that get into sharking, the more we will learn and grow. Just like they have done in other areas, Never know we might get enough people to even start a "Shark club" for Pier and surf, and share info with other region....Thanks again "Cpn Aaron" for your input....I know "Airnuts" from down in Fort lauderdale, has posted some really nice pictures of sharking from the beach, with spinning gear. Hopefully he will jump in and share some of his info....as most of you can see, if you don't have "Heavy gear" you really don't need it, to get started....med to heavy surf rod and reel...and a little know how in tying leader and baits...and you can also get started....And then when you are ready, you can always move up to the "Big Boys" without really having to spend alot of $$$$ a used 9/0 penn reel, can be bought on ebay for a little over $100, same goes with a pole.....then it is up to you......I belive we are all looking for the next fish to go after....And if you been fishing for awhile, then you know what i am talking about....I am not putting down fishing for pomps,reds,flounders and Snooks....i fish for these guys for a LONG TIME....and like the rest have caught my fair share...i alway move on to one gamefish or another.....Snook are still my passion....but like "Aaron" put it....we are looking for the fight, not the table fare.....oh i like eating fish, like the rest of us....but having a fight with a fish, that can pull you off your feet if you arent careful....Thats my next goal, and i am glad to have met people here on the board, that have knowledge to share with everyone else......again thanks to everone for all the great input...and thanks for that site, with all the Shark info...


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## cpn_aaron (Apr 11, 2006)

I should admit I got the recipe for my casting rigs from Airnuts's design. So the thanks and/or blame depending on how well you fare with the rigs also lay with him. I love those rigs and I think his idea for using the bare mins of leader so you can cast but still keep a 5-6' shark on are ace.


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