TBO.com - Tampa Bay Online
Fisherman's 6-Pound Bait Yields 500-Pound Shark
Photo provided by OTHER SIDE CHARTERS
David Humphress reeled in this hammerhead shark last week.
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Published: May 2, 2008
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TAMPA - There's nothing like fishing at night and reeling in a real live monster.
That's what happened when David Humphress yanked a 10-foot-6-inch hammerhead shark out of the Gulf of Mexico. Other Side Charters boat Capt. Daniel Long measured the girth and estimated the weight of the beast at just over 500 pounds.
When the shark surfaced next to the boat, the three paying fishermen were taken aback, Long said.
"Pretty much everybody in the boat went to the other side, except for me and the other captain," Long said.
On the night of April 24, the Other Side Charters boat was cruising along the north side of Honeymoon Island and had landed a couple of black tip sharks, both under 3 feet, he said.
The anglers were fishing specifically for sharks, he said. Bait was a bonita that itself measured more than 2 feet long and weighed 6 pounds, Long said.
About 8:30 p.m., in about 7 feet of water and less than 100 yards from the beach, the hit came.
"We knew it was big," he said. "We didn't know how big."
It took an hour or so to land the massive predator on 60-pound monofilament line and a 10-foot wire leader, he said.
The exhausted shark was pulled up alongside the boat and a bunch of photos were taken, Long said.
"We got pictures of him and then revived him and released him," Long said.
Although the hammerhead was big, it was nowhere near a record.
"You have to get up to 900 pounds or better for that," Long said.
Reporter Keith Morelli can be reached at (813) 259-7760 or kmorelli@tampatrib.com.
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Reader Comments
Posted by ( freedomfighter ) on May 2, 2008 at 12:15 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
YIKES! a pic, of the beast a.....?
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Posted by ( Concerned1963 ) on May 2, 2008 at 12:24 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
At least they released the shark, unlike many of the trophy fishing morons out there!
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Posted by ( jeffv38 ) on May 2, 2008 at 12:30 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
nice pics...
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Posted by ( thatguyfl82 ) on May 2, 2008 at 12:34 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
awesome pics tbo.com
another great job of journalism
a description in this case doesn't do us justice.
The viewers demand pictures!!
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Posted by ( Hugh_Jazz ) on May 2, 2008 at 12:34 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
Sorry freedomfighter, my ex gets mad when I post her pic.
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Posted by ( medical1 ) on May 2, 2008 at 12:50 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
It was "THIS BIG"........Well done TBO. Another great job :-) 1 picture would have saved you the 1000 words above.
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Posted by ( medical1 ) on May 2, 2008 at 12:51 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
Ask & you receive... I want a million dollars now.
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Posted by ( Othersidecharters ) on May 2, 2008 at 1 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
Thanks for the Great Story! othersidecharters.com
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Posted by ( flpeep ) on May 2, 2008 at 1:14 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
That poor shark, was probably swimming back to his friends saying "Dude, you ain't gonna believe what just happened to me!" :) Thanks for practicing catch and release! Even though it is a little scary to think about a monster that size lurking about the gulf! Yikes!
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Posted by ( Rodman_Barone ) on May 2, 2008 at 1:20 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
I'd rather go on Capt. Stabbins yacht!
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Posted by ( DarthRandall ) on May 2, 2008 at 1:25 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
I put a Quarter Pounder with Cheese out on the sidewalk and reeled in a 500 lb fat girl. I only wish I could "catch & release"..........
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Posted by ( tampajen21 ) on May 2, 2008 at 1:53 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
I'm so happy to hear they released the shark! Congrats and thank you for being responsible fishermen!!!
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Posted by ( Ryan_Levi_Lesswick ) on May 2, 2008 at 2 p.m.
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
Posted by ( commentcava ) on May 2, 2008 at 2:42 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
DarthRandall, at least you didn't catch crabs
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Posted by ( wheredotheyfindthem ) on May 2, 2008 at 2:43 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
Darth, throw out a Starbucks Skinny Latte and see what you catch ;)
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Posted by ( sugarbunny ) on May 2, 2008 at 3:10 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
I think they should have killed it... thats why I don't frequent the ocean as much as I'd like to... not after last years Great White sized bull shark they caught in St. Pete and now this lovely 10ft hammerhead caught over by honeymoon... what the heck!?!?! I don't understand if an alligator is too big they kill it but not the sharks... I'm more scared of sharks. Every time I go surfing all I'm thinking about is "I wonder whats swimming around under my board?" And there have been sharks, and they are scary... no matter what size really.
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Posted by ( BornSouthern ) on May 2, 2008 at 3:17 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
sugarbunny...
stay out of the water if you're "scared" of whats in it.
They did a great job by catching and releasing....there was no NEED to kill it.
Are we to kill all the jelly fish, stingrays and such just so you'll be "happy" and "safe" on your board...
Get over it...
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Posted by ( DarthRandall ) on May 2, 2008 at 3:29 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
sugarbunny - It sounds like someone needs to be with you at all times to remind you to breathe.........
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Posted by ( Mentallyvexed ) on May 2, 2008 at 3:36 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
Sugar, I got something you can surf on and you dont have to go near the water.
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Posted by ( dallasdave1966 ) on May 2, 2008 at 4:18 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
Great job catching and releasing guys...and sharks don't attack nearly as much as people like to believe. Get over it and realize the Chinese kill them by the gross every minute so they can have a delicacy with their shortage of white rice.
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Posted by ( amyw461 ) on May 2, 2008 at 4:46 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
WOW! I'm glad they released it.
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Posted by ( borat ) on May 2, 2008 at 4:47 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
What, you don't like the snowbirds coming down and taking all the big fish out of out Gulf??
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Posted by ( kimbo ) on May 2, 2008 at 4:52 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
Shark Steak Special
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Posted by ( goodtimejim ) on May 2, 2008 at 5:05 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
10' it sounds big. Big when you talk about it. One night in the bay here a bit after dark just north of y channel I caught a 6' nurse shark and every one on the boat was up on top before you could take a breath. We released it of course. Take my word for this BIG, enormous, gigantic, etc,etc is not enough when one of these monsters make a pass by just cruising.
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Posted by ( whasup ) on May 2, 2008 at 5:16 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
Good Job...
Catch and Release...
Just like I did my ex-husband
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Posted by ( blueeyedpisces ) on May 2, 2008 at 6:39 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
Sugarbunny, please tell me you didn't mean it when you said they should've killed it? If you're that paranoid, just stay out of the water or other places that scare you. They have medication for things like anxiety nowadays. Chill out.
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Posted by ( Budbkind2u ) on May 2, 2008 at 9:50 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
Sugarbunny,
In case you didn't know, it's wrong to kill something(ANYTHING) just cause your scared of it. Didn't your parents teach you that?
and at 10' the meat would be too tuff to eat. The best size shark for eatting is 3'-4', the bigger the shark the tuffer the meat.
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Posted by ( skeptigal ) on May 3, 2008 at 6:44 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
Sugarbunny has it right ... we should eradicate any and all creatures in the oceans that can harm us, so that we may safely enjoy our leisure. While we're at it, we should eliminate the harmless, but scary creatures too ... we don't want our leisure interrupted by needless fear.
The same applies to any living thing on Terra Firma that can harm us, or scares us ... do away with them now!
Of course, human beings being the scariest and most harmful creatures of all, there won't be much left.
Surf on bunny, I've got your back.
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Posted by ( shyann2 ) on May 3, 2008 at 8:07 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
These guys have my thanks for the release of the shark.People who can think only kill,kill,kill are a big problem for this earth.Self defense is one thing,but wanton killing is another.
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Posted by ( Moe_Dance ) on May 3, 2008 at 8:28 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
DARTH !!! CUT THE STRING!!! QUICK
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Posted by ( thomkong ) on May 3, 2008 at 9:32 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
Oh quite a criminal history even a prison stint which she is still on parole for. convicted in 1993, 95, 2001x3, 2006 and now. What a loser. Says shes a teacher on the arrest reports can only imagine what she teaches.
Bye Bye porkchop!
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Posted by ( VatoLoco ) on May 3, 2008 at 10:11 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
thomkong, are you saying the shark has a criminal record?
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Posted by ( danrome1 ) on May 3, 2008 at 12:10 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
I agree with you sugarbunny. They should have killed it. Especially, if thomkong is right about its criminal history!!!
Thanks for the research thomkong.
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Posted by ( zteam55 ) on May 3, 2008 at 1:42 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
Uh Honey have you seen the 6 pound roast that i was going to cook for dinner tomorrow ?
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