Don't go swimming in Boca Grande pass!

[slvrlng]

So while we have been in the area(Tampa) I wanted my wife to see where I used to live on Manasota key. So on tuesday we drove to Englewood and spent the day on the beach fishing and picking up sharks teeth. We stayed in Englewood that night and since she had never been to Boca we went out there on wed. Man! It was like a free aquarium show. If you haven't been, where the island ends and the pass begins it drops into about 50 ft right off the beach. Big schools of tarpon coming up right off the beach, manatees, eagle rays, and a huge school of finger mullet right off the beach. So after about an hour or so my wife yells "whats that!". Holy crap! Hammerhead! And I mean a big fat one!!!!! Right off the beach chasing the mullet. I'm telling you this thing was in 5 ft of water ten ft off the beach, by the time I got the camera out he had moved off a little bit but was still  really close. I'm guessing 10 ft but could have been 14, hard to tell in the water. I've been looking at the pics for a couple of days and I think now it was closer to 12 or 14. The cool thing was it was not just cruising around but actively chasing its food.You guys tell me what you think. Absolutely amazing day and it is such a cool place!

 
 

[bumpster]

Hammerheads LOVE Tarpon.

[seabob4]

Is that "Hitler's" son?

[gran398]

Lewis, great pics. Went fishing there once about eight years ago, bouncing jigs for Tarpon....May be wrong, but seems like it was 80 feet deep in one place?

[John Jones]

Somehow I have been lucky with my BG tarpon fishing.  Never had a shark join the party but know plenty of people that have.

[seabob4]

So you all know about Hitler, right?  The 14' hammerhead that hung around the west wall?

[RickK]

We'll make sure NOT to hold the gathering at that beach.

[gran398]

So you all know about Hitler, right?  The 14' hammerhead that hung around the west wall?

So why did they call him Hitler?

[John Jones]

The "Old Hitler" Myth Capt. Mel Berman  (R.I.P)
http://capmel.com/hitler.htm

Another Hitler story
http://www2.tbo.com/content/2009/may/28 ... -outdoors/


I cannot stand this writer (R.I.P.) but here is another little story...
http://www.bocabeacon.com/?p=3600

More Hitler sightings:
http://www.flacrab.com/stories/springti ... tler/?wap2

Bucky Dennis nearly sank his boat trying to get this one in.  1,060 pounds.  New world record.


They had to haul it on a boat trailer.




finish it off with a video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kLCQYMum ... re=related

You will seldom see this old man in water over knee deep...

[seabob4]

The largest hammerhead ever pulled from these waters was a 17-foot, 1-inch, 1,386-pound monster that was caught using a chain, rope and an inflatable intertube off the Rod & Reel Pier on Anna Maria Island by Frank Cavendish and Ralph French in 1973. The shark, dubbed "Spiro," was caught using a 14-pound manta ray as bait.

I've fished Rod & Reel a million times, caught many a ray...wow...

[John Jones]

Go there and eat some time.  The seared tuna is excellent.

The Anna Maria Oyster Bar on US 41 S a mile or so before the airport has what is supposedly a huge Great White that was caught off of Anna Maria Island quite a few years ago.  I don't know if it's a mount or a replica.  Seem to remember it was in the 50's.  I have not been to that location in years.

[seabob4]

Go to Mar Vista, a resteurant at the north end of Longboat, what used to be "Downtown Longboat".  They have a pic behind the bar from the Sarasota Herald-Tribune of a guy who caught a Great White off Sarasota that is around 15'...back in the 20's or so.

A friggin Great White!!!    

[seabob4]

John,
I'll take Rotten Ralph's, at the north end of Anna Maria, next door to Galati Marine.  AWESOME fish and chips...    

[gran398]

JJ, thanks for the links and the awesome pics....I read all of the articles, good stuff, thank you.

I was sea-bass fishing about 20 years ago, 5 miles offshore. Caught a bass, get it almost to the top....this HUGE shadow appears beneath the boat. Ate my fish. I had this monster on for about 5 seconds. My boat was 20 feet. This shark was every bit as long as the boat, and I'd say he was a good 3 1/2 feet across the back.

We pulled the anchor and got the hell outta there.

 

[John Jones]

We have this little spot about 7 miles out that during the warm months is a fun place to go anchor up at night and catch mangrove snapper and once and a while a grouper that will actually be long enough to keep.  It's usually pretty easy to limit out on the snapper in a couple of hours.  Not big ones but easily legal.  The landlord there demands his rent to be paid before you can keep a fish.  I would guess that Goliath Grouper to hit 450 easy.  He will take two or three snappers from each of us (including terminal tackle) then usually leaves you alone for the rest of the evening.  Just wanting a picture I have targeted him a couple of times with a Diawa 80# roller rod, Diawa Sealine 600 loaded with 200# braid, 400# leader and 12/0 hook.  So far he has always kicked my ass.  I have tried locking down the drag with pliers but he still manages to pull drag and get back into his hole.  I thought about lubricating the drag with JB Weld but then I would probably lose the rig or lose my own wormy butt over the side.

Typical snapper haul from this spot.