Fish story

[22WRF]

Every angler has one.
"the one that got away" story that nobody in their right mind would believe.

Fishing in the Outcast Cobia Invitational on Friday, the eight-man crew of Redman, Robert Adams, Drew Redman, Jon Pinney, Matt Clark, Mike Cronk, Jeremy Cox and J.D. Cox was anxious to find some fish.

Heading east along Pensacola Beach, Redman spotted a large shadow in the water about 100 yards offshore. Thinking it was a large ray that could be hiding a pod of cobia, he aimed the boat at the mystery spot and closed in.

"Initially, we saw a splash that we thought was a manta ray," Pinney said. "It was about 30 yardsoff shore."

As the boat got closer, debate arose as to what the spot in the water was. A ray? A whale? It was neither.

What they found was a 14-foot mako shark making a meal of a tarpon estimated to be more than 200 pounds.

"What was left we estimated to be 180-200 pounds," Pinney said. "It was cut off right behind the dorsal fin. I'd say it was missing 30 inches minimum. The total weight had to be 220-250 pounds. Both (the shark and the tarpon) were potential state records."

This still shot taken from video shot aboard the Snapper Trapper shows the mako toting around a tarpon that weighed more than 200 pounds.

After the initial shock of their discovery wore off, the crew decided the only way to catch the shark was to steal its meal.

"Nobody ever thought about falling overboard," Pinney said. "The adrenaline rush was just so high, it never crossed our minds. I was up in the tower filming; I never thought about it."

After several failed attempts, Adams snagged the tarpon with a snatch hook. Pulling the fish from the shark was just the beginning of the battle.

Unwilling to part with such a tasty morsel, the shark repeatedly came after the tarpon as if it was a co-star in an updated version of the Hemingway classic "The Old Man and the Sea."

"That shark worked hard for that fish," Adams said. "You don't just catch a 200-pound tarpon with no effort. He was wore out when he got to us."

Finally securing the fish with a gaff, the 6-foot, 190-pound Jeremy Cox realized he couldn't hoist the carcass into the boat alone. It took three men and two gaffs to flop the mangled remains onto teh stern of the Snapper Trapper.

The crew erupted with joy.

"It took us about 45 minutes to an hour to get it away from the shark, Paul Redman said. "It was like we won something."

With a bit of quick thinking and a sharp knife, Jeremy Cox cut a piece of the tarpon and rigged it to a 50-wide Shimano TLD 2-speed.

While Cox was readying his rig, the rest of the crew was pitching northern mackerel overboard to keep the shark interested.

Still missing its lunch, the shark was more than eager to make a meal of J.D. Cox's offering.

Fighting a shark in the 1,200-pound range with nothing but 280-pound test line and adrenaline is no easy task.

Redman and the crew chased the shark as it peeled yard after yard of line off the reel and finally, after a 45-minute struggle, it was over.

Hungry and more than a little frazzled, the shark broke free and headed for open water.

"I've been disappointed when we lost fish before," Pinney said. "But I don't think anybody on our boat was too disappointed because of the show that he gave us. It was wild. It still hasn't set in just how big the shark was."

[inplanotx]

DANG!!!!

[Shooter45]

Now thats a great story. Thanks for sharing.

[SouthernMoss]

What a story!!!

[berto64]

What kind of score did ya get for the Tarpon?

[Keola]

Awesome story, cool pictures and beautiful water.

[IShootBack]

thanks...I just got addicted to saltwater surf fishing. My budy pulled in a 5' sand shark - the biggest of the day (we caught and released about 30) - HE LOOKS AT ME TO TAKE OUT THE HOOK...I still have all of my fingers.