Sharks on the Beach

[Selassie I]

We spent the Holiday Weekend at our favorite local beach. That beach happens to be the #1 beach in the world for shark bites... New Smyrna Beach.

Here's a few pics of some sharks my 16 year old twins managed to beach on Saturday night. They were only using spinning rods and 20 pound test line. They went through all of my wire leader (probably 75 yards worth) trying to bring in some of the big sharks... No luck with the big ones though LOL... but they had fun trying.

My twins and their friends...

This one is of my "Good" twin who is a Ram Fan. I failed the other one somehow.

 

[RamFan503]

I like the second pic best simply for the "good twin" aspect. What kind of sharks are those? White Tips? Shark meat is some good stuff - a little tough to prepare and clean properly - but good stuff.

 

[Selassie I]

I like the second pic best simply for the "good twin" aspect. What kind of sharks are those? White Tips? Shark meat is some good stuff - a little tough to prepare and clean properly - but good stuff.

We were arguing about what kind those were. They say Lemon, and I say Reef ... I don't know when they're that small. Hahahaha

They were hooking some 500 plus pounders right off of the beach. Those were probably bulls. T and I were pulling a big raft of ours out to the sand bar on Sunday with the wife and her friend on it and had a big bull swim right up in front of us... good thing the raft is 10' X 6' and is sturdy enough to stand on because I jumped my fat ass up on that fucker with a quickness.

All the sharks they beached were released.

 

[RamFan503]

We were arguing about what kind those were. They say Lemon, and I say Reef ... I don't know when they're that small. Hahahaha

They were hooking some 500 plus pounders right off of the beach. Those were probably bulls. T and I were pulling a big raft of ours out to the sand bar on Sunday with the wife and her friend on it and had a big bull swim right up in front of us... good thing the raft is 10' X 6' and is sturdy enough to stand on because I jumped my fat ass up on that freaker with a quickness.

All the sharks they beached were released.

Ha! Amazing how something like that brings out our inner athlete.

Disclaimer - No sharks were harmed in the making of these pictures.

 

[Selassie I]

Ha! Amazing how something like that brings out our inner athlete.

Disclaimer - No sharks were harmed in the making of these pictures.

We definitely can't always say THAT.

 

[RamFan503]

 

[Angry Ram]

We were arguing about what kind those were. They say Lemon, and I say Reef ... I don't know when they're that small. Hahahaha

They were hooking some 500 plus pounders right off of the beach. Those were probably bulls. T and I were pulling a big raft of ours out to the sand bar on Sunday with the wife and her friend on it and had a big bull swim right up in front of us... good thing the raft is 10' X 6' and is sturdy enough to stand on because I jumped my fat ass up on that freaker with a quickness.

All the sharks they beached were released.

That's a relief. All the other fishing doesn't bother me...catching sharks does.

 

[RamFan503]

That's a relief. All the other fishing doesn't bother me...catching sharks does.

What if you're eating them? I've caught many sharks over the years. We ate any that we killed.

 

[Selassie I]

That's a relief. All the other fishing doesn't bother me...catching sharks does.

They are beautiful creatures. Especially in the water.

I have to confess though that I don't always give them a pass. There have been times when I have senselessly killed them... especially when they take fish directly from me. I try not to do that much anymore,,, but I do still slip up.

Just 2 weeks ago my oldest and I saw a freaking giant hammerhead about 45 miles off shore. It was trying to get one of the fish we were reeling in. This hammerhead was at least 15 feet long,,, a real monster. I know he would have gladly had me for lunch if given the chance... and we were extremely lucky that he didn't eat our fish cause usually they don't miss a free meal.

I just don't have any feelings for fish in the way that I do for other animals. I even have a giant fish tank at home with lots of fish... Still no emotional attachment though. I do realize that I should do better in the conservation department now that I'm older. My boys are better about that than I am.

And mako sharks are way too good to eat for me to release. They are not safe in my presence,,, just as I wouldn't be safe in theirs.

 

[Angry Ram]

What if you're eating them? I've caught many sharks over the years. We ate any that we killed.

I still don't like it. At least you are eating them...but they are so vital to the oceanic ecosystem that removing them can fuck up biodiveristy and even possibly contribute to climate change.

Less sharks = more prey = less primary producers that produce oxygen and fix CO2 from the atmosphere. Less of those primary producers (phytoplankton) = less oxygen produced and more CO2 remains in the atmosphere.

Plus it screws with the carbon cycle and thus the food web in the ocean. But I'm speaking of a global scale.

They are beautiful creatures. Especially in the water.

I have to confess though that I don't always give them a pass. There have been times when I have senselessly killed them... especially when they take fish directly from me. I try not to do that much anymore,,, but I do still slip up.

Just 2 weeks ago my oldest and I saw a freaking giant hammerhead about 45 miles off shore. It was trying to get one of the fish we were reeling in. This hammerhead was at least 15 feet long,,, a real monster. I know he would have gladly had me for lunch if given the chance... and we were extremely lucky that he didn't eat our fish cause usually they don't miss a free meal.

I just don't have any feelings for fish in the way that I do for other animals. I even have a giant fish tank at home with lots of fish... Still no emotional attachment though. I do realize that I should do better in the conservation department now that I'm older. My boys are better about that than I am.

And mako sharks are way too good to eat for me to release. They are not safe in my presence,,, just as I wouldn't be safe in theirs.

That's your lifestyle, tho and I respect that. At least you're trying to improve. Sharks man...there's a reason they exist.

 

[PhxRam]

Ants play a part in our ecosystem and I could care less if every single one of them are dead.

 

[bluecoconuts]

Pretty cool pictures, sounds like a blast. It's nice you released them as well. There's been a few stories of people seeing dolphins by the shore, beaching them, and then taking pictures with them till they died. Such a shame.

Of course if you're eating them then by all means. I'm not a hunter myself, but I have no issue with people hunting if they eat what they kill.

 

[RamFan503]

I still don't like it. At least you are eating them...but they are so vital to the oceanic ecosystem that removing them can freak up biodiveristy and even possibly contribute to climate change.

Less sharks = more prey.

Being that I generally fish for that prey, it hardly sounds like a problem in the ecosystem I affect and utilize.

Apparently anything humans can do can fuck up biodiversity. I'm just not there. I totally am against large scale destruction of any species for the sake of getting rid of them. I just don't buy into the idea that everything humans do is the cause for climate change and the destruction of the ecosystem. Certainly there are those that abuse the earth but I would say that most of those I know that go out and actually harvest animals from land and water have a better understanding than most who simply (and don't think I'm grouping you in with them) speak out against man's intervention or the cruelties of hunting and fishing. I realize you are referring to sharks specifically here and I get the feeling you are ok with taking other fish (prey).

If it sits any better with you, I take far more prey fish than sharks so I'm doing my part there - right? Wait! Salmon, Steelhead, Trout, Halibut, Skates, Flounder, Cod, bass.... they are all predators. Ah hell - I'm screwed. What were the prey fish I can take then to balance things out?

 

[RamFan503]

Pretty cool pictures, sounds like a blast. It's nice you released them as well. There's been a few stories of people seeing dolphins by the shore, beaching them, and then taking pictures with them till they died. Such a shame.

Of course if you're eating them then by all means. I'm not a hunter myself, but I have no issue with people hunting if they eat what they kill.

I think my first thought would be to beat the shit out of those people. WTF is that about?

As to the hunting thing. I've done a couple control hunts for predators (coyotes) but everything else goes on a plate or in my smoker. I always figure that the animal had a far better life before it hit my table than some factory farmed animal. In fact they had a far better life than virtually any food animal save maybe true Kobe cattle in Japan.

And sorry for hijacking the thread King.

 

[bluecoconuts]

I think my first thought would be to beat the crap out of those people. WTF is that about?

As to the hunting thing. I've done a couple control hunts for predators (coyotes) but everything else goes on a plate or in my smoker. I always figure that the animal had a far better life before it hit my table than some factory farmed animal. In fact they had a far better life than virtually any food animal save maybe true Kobe cattle in Japan.

And sorry for hijacking the thread King.

That doesn't bother me any either, you're hunting for a reason. There are some people who like hunting just because they like to kill things, that just seems pointless to me. Most people I meet assume I'm an avid hunter and start talking about how much fun they have going out and using high caliber rounds on small game just to see them blow up. Seems completely pointless to me.

 

[Selassie I]

LOL

I hijack threads all of the time. I consider it a good thing Stu.

 

[RamFan503]

That doesn't bother me any either, you're hunting for a reason. There are some people who like hunting just because they like to kill things, that just seems pointless to me. Most people I meet assume I'm an avid hunter and start talking about how much fun they have going out and using high caliber rounds on small game just to see them blow up. Seems completely pointless to me.

Nah man. I won't deny the hunt is a big part of it but I bow hunt and rifle hunt and generally refer to myself as a meat hunter. I have some racks and rugs at my house but - meh.

 

[Angry Ram]

Being that I generally fish for that prey, it hardly sounds like a problem in the ecosystem I affect and utilize.

Apparently anything humans can do can freak up biodiversity. I'm just not there. I totally am against large scale destruction of any species for the sake of getting rid of them. I just don't buy into the idea that everything humans do is the cause for climate change and the destruction of the ecosystem. Certainly there are those that abuse the earth but I would say that most of those I know that go out and actually harvest animals from land and water have a better understanding than most who simply (and don't think I'm grouping you in with them) speak out against man's intervention or the cruelties of hunting and fishing. I realize you are referring to sharks specifically here and I get the feeling you are ok with taking other fish (prey).

If it sits any better with you, I take far more prey fish than sharks so I'm doing my part there - right? Wait! Salmon, Steelhead, Trout, Halibut, Skates, Flounder, Cod, bass.... they are all predators. Ah hell - I'm screwed. What were the prey fish I can take then to balance things out?

No don't get me wrong, even tho I'm veggie I don't have a probelm w/ people hunting and eating animals, including fish. What bothers me, is fishing, especially sharks, b/c they are a keystone species. Remove them or greatly reduce their number (which is done much faster b/c of shorter reproduction rates compared to trout, salmon, etc) fucks it up. If you cut off the salmon or trout or w/e, then OK the sharks will find some other species.

I'm not saying humans cause climate change either, but removing/reducing shark number does have an effect on the oceanic carbon cycle, which has an effect on climate.

I had to write this topic for a paper for my environmental sustainability class BTW, and of all the topics this was the LEAST hippie. And even then I had to chose my words carefully so it could fit the agenda of the professor (being that every human activity is bad). I'm just saying, using simple science...removing keystone species like shark truly fucks up oceanic ecosystem, which has an effect globally over time.

 

[CGI_Ram]

Cool stuff. Thanks for sharing.

And... One son is a Rams fan while the other is... not?

That's the good thing about having twins... You can give one away and not lose that much.

 

[Selassie I]

Cool stuff. Thanks for sharing.

And... One son is a Rams fan while the other is... not?

That's the good thing about having twins... You can give one away and not lose that much.

The other one is a colts fan. The last 16 years have been pretty good for colts fans. My twins strive to be different... I help out with that by making the colt fan twin sleep outside.

I could give him away easily as long as who's ever taking him doesn't know about his HIGH maintenance girlfriend.