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hickroots07 · Posted: Sun Oct 27, 2013 8:26 pm Post subject: My Sharkathon 2013 Report W/ Pics

I have heard it said that the surf always puts out in time as long as you put in the time. I think that might have been how I heard it... might have been Capt. Billy that said it. I'm not sure on that but it was to be the driving motivation behind the type of hardcore fishing to be endured at this year's Sharkathon. Swell info was calling for 4-6' and magic seaweed was saying 3-5' on Saturday. Not the most ideal conditions to be on the beach but Friday looked to be the best day of the tournament with a bit smaller surf forecasted.

Friday of Sharkathon 2013:

I get up and quickly load the truck and am leaving the house with the convoy of other vehicles around 9:30 am and hit the sand to see beautiful conditions. It isn't ideal conditions but definitely not the washing machine surf that was predicted. So with a new found hope we roll down the beach

We get to our little slice of Heaven at about the 13MM and start to get the rods deployed as fast as we can because we know the surf on Saturday will be brutal. We get some nice shark baits out and net up a few mullet. hours go by without a single click except for when the seaweed would clog the lines letting us know we had more work to do clearing the lines. Camp was set up and food was cooked as darkness fell upon the National Seashore without one fish in our camp. At about 10:30 we called it a night and reeled in the shark baits and sat around a camp fire and had a good time thinking about the craziness that happened last year as one of the girls had her tent fall on her in the thunderstorms that blew through. We called it a night with the winds howling and surf raging not so hopeful for the rest of the weekend.

Saturday Sharkathon 2013:

My wife wakes me up letting me know that the surf is pretty much up to our camp and washing under the vehicles. Great! But with what little hope we had said that the surf didn't look 4-6 like they said but maybe a 3-5. I guess that's better than 4-6'. I crawl out of the tent the surf almost literally at my feet. The surf is angry and the wind is ridiculous. I cast out a mullet I had casted the day before and it gets hit but ripped off the hook. I rebait and next cast catch a pretty large skipjack in the 20" range. Being grateful for what I did catch I quickly cut him up and threw out a chunk in what might have been the first gut. You couldn't really tell where one gut or bar started and ended. It was ugly. Next thing I know my rod is bobbing up down but no screaming reel. I watch a little longer and realize that this isn't seaweed. I grab it, set the hook and know I have a good fish on. A few minutes later I have a nice fat 39" red on the sand.

With a new found excitement I get more baits out only to have them weeded out or hit by hard heads. That was the story the rest of the day. At about 3 we saw the surf was not really going down much and were dreading the coming high tide. we didn't want to get stuck down island so we packed up and headed off the beach to resume the party at my house. on the last few miles heading out we were literally having to drive through puddles and waves as the tide came way way up. Later we found out that there was a coastal flood advisory. Thank God we left.

Sunday Sharkathon 2013 Weigh In:

Having one good fish to weigh in we got there about 11:30 to make sure we got it entered. We endured the devastating loss the Cowboys had against the Lions as they were calling door prize numbers with only one person in our group winning a leader. Ironically everyone but her won something last year. This year it was the exact opposite. anyways they get to the awards ceremonies and rumors of large reds are being circulated through the masses. Then comes the redfish division.... In 3rd place with a 38.5" red...... I don't remember the name because at this point it became very evident to me that I might very well place.

Then drama happens... there is a tie for first with two 39" reds.... me and the other contestant head up to the front to determine our fate with the flip of a coin. He wins the drawing to call the coin. The coin goes up.... he calls heads.....it lands tails.... winner by the unbiased coin flip..... me... holy cow what just happened......

This is what happened

We ended up splitting the 1st and 2nd place cash money and I got first place prizes and he got second.

I am very grateful and thankful for this and the other people who were there to help and be there when I won to cheer me on. This was the toughest fishing of any sharkathon I have been to. CANNOT WAIT till next year![/code]
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ziacatcher · Posted: Sun Oct 27, 2013 8:33 pm Post subject:

Congrats and thanks for the report.

BigSaltsFishing · Posted: Sun Oct 27, 2013 8:42 pm Post subject:

Congrats man. Great ending to a tough tourney.
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AcousTennis · Full Grown Flour Bluffian Joined: 13 Sep 2010 Posts: 1319

Hell yea! Congrats man that's awesome!!!
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Pfisch88 · Posted: Sun Oct 27, 2013 10:38 pm Post subject:

Here's my take. Saturday did mess up. I left at noon got off the beach and went to meet new friends at a dinner party. Today getting bad again ,tried to stop sedans from driving down, no luck. Hope they got back. Congrats on your finish.

Bay Dreamin' · Posted: Sun Oct 27, 2013 10:44 pm Post subject:

Dude that's awesome, good job. I guess the preparation you were talking about paid off. Thanks a bunch for the anchors as well. We can probably hook up this weekend if the weather is decent.

txscrambler · Horse Mullet Joined: 12 May 2012 Posts: 144

Congrats!

shallowsport · Posted: Mon Oct 28, 2013 2:44 am Post subject:

GREAT REPORT!!! And yes, CONGRATULATIONS. very nice catch. Looked like the water was very high.

ltorna1 · Full Grown Flour Bluffian Joined: 17 Apr 2009 Posts: 3240

Great fish and great prizes! Congrats man!
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Rebecca of Sunnybrookfarm · Full Grown Flour Bluffian Joined: 01 May 2008 Posts: 3973

Congrats Hicks!
becky
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deputydawg · Posted: Mon Oct 28, 2013 7:52 am Post subject:

Thats awesome! Congratulations!!!! Very Happy

FIDO · Posted: Mon Oct 28, 2013 8:08 am Post subject:

Congratulations!!!!!!
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hickroots07 · Posted: Mon Oct 28, 2013 8:27 am Post subject:

Thanks everyone. I'm still pretty excited about it. Very Happy

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Great captains, the stuff of legend, are made not by what they have caught, but by what they have given back.

Tyler · Site Admin Joined: 06 Mar 2006 Posts: 12865

Congrats Hickroots that's awesome. We gambled south and lost on trout.
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ccfishingcoach · Posted: Mon Oct 28, 2013 9:03 am Post subject:

Wow...so does that mean you are buying the bait next time? Sounds like you and the crew got it while it was good and made the best of a rough weekend. Congrats! Cool

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