Tide: 0.2ft low at 8:30pm
It seems that my reports are becoming few and far between lately. Work and the scorching heat, among other things, have kept me off the water for the better part of the month but when I have been out its been pretty good. Lately I've had the itch to go shark fishing from the beach, something I really enjoy doing but since it requires much more work and effort compared to redfishing I have put it off for awhile. I called a few people up on saturday but no one wanted to put baits out on such short notice so I headed out solo at 8pm. I rigged up a 15lb cownose ray I caught back in May, paddled it out 350 yards, and dropped it in the warm gulf waters just as the sun went south of the horizon. Not 20 minutes after the drop the 12/0 went off and I was hooked up to a nice fish. Shark fishing alone is quite foolish but you forget about it when the clicker goes off and the adrenaline starts pumping. After a few short runs I got it close to the beach..had a little troubling getting her over the sandbar with the low tide but once I did the incoming waves pushed her onto the beach. Took a quick measurement, 8'2" total length and really thick. My camera didn't want to work right but I got one picture before it died. I really need to get another Nikon. That was the only bait I had so it was a short night. My pursuit for a tiger continues...
