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[BT]

As I proceeded into the wade gut I was still puzzled by the species of this large dark colored shark just in front of me. I took a few more steps and the shark approached me, sped up, lifted her head out of the water and gave me a look with those giant black eyes, then flashed a mouthful of large gleaming menacing teeth. I knew in an instant that I was looking into the mouth of a Mako and that everything I'd done previously had just been altered.

This trip had been in the making for a few weeks now as I kept my eye on the conditions and looked for a window that my girlfriend Jessica could make coming in from out of town. She'd never camped on the beach and never caught a shark so I wanted to make sure everything would be in our favor. The day had already been good for us and she'd landed 3 Blacktips in the preceding hours. She was smiling ear-to-ear, mission accomplished!

With the trip already a success I wanted to run out some final baits for the night before focusing on getting dinner prepared. The Blacktips were making things difficult, I could never get more than a couple lines out before one of them would come through and destroy a bait. As a result I only had two out when Jessica suggested that would be enough for the night and recommended I take a break. With that in mind I figured I might as well dry off and kick back for a minute. She grabbed a trash bag and took a stroll up the beach picking up trash that had been bugging her all afternoon.

I started gathering the cooking gear and getting it ready to produce the finest meal I've ever brought down the beach with me. Jessica walked back up just in time for one of the rods to get bumped pretty good and then it started to dance. I told her she better get up there and take care of it, I laughed as her smile lit up. She got in position, pushed the drag up, and cranked hard just as I'd told her to do previously. The rod doubled over and went flat; surprised at how far it went over I got up on the truck with her. She was still cranking hard with the rod bent over down to the grip and no line going in or out. I looked down at the drag and realized she'd pushed it almost to strike, considerably more drag than I'd normally have used at this time in a fight but at about that time the shark decided it was time to vacate the area and started dumping line with considerable speed. Jessica, not knowing what to do suggested that I take over because she didn't think she was going to be able to handle it. At this point I knew it was a good fish and there was no way she was going to hand it off. I gave her a Rock Star pep talk and told her "hang on and keep cranking." The fish turned north and the rod stayed doubled over, line was won and lost several times to the mystery fish. I stood there watching and instructing when I noticed something I've never seen before; the mainline and rod were pointed straight out but the float was further north by a considerable amount and with each passing minute that distance got further and further. This giant bow in the line left by a speeding shark could only be one rational species in my mind but I kept it too myself.

At about this point Jessica announces to me that this shark is a female. Her justification is that no male would fight this hard and she is confident that only a female would. I laugh as I tell her I'm still working on species and you have already figured out which bathroom it uses. The line is still trailing the shark by a wide margin when the float surprisingly comes over the second bar and proceeds all the way to the first before turning around and going back over the second when more line is lost. But within seconds the float makes a beeline for the beach and goes into the wade gut. Completely astonished by this and my jaw probably hanging I suddenly spot a large dark dorsal followed by the back of a large shark break the surface as it torpedoed back across the first bar on the surface and then dove below the waves and shot out across the second bar. As best I can remember this is when Jessica started to express her displeasure, loudly. I laughed but noticed a curious thing, the line was still no where near caught up to the fish and that large dorsal was not the sickle I was expecting to see. As confused as ever and the shark now heading back towards the wade gut I jumped down and grabbed the tail rope.

She came into the wade gut 100 yards to our North and was swimming in circles around my float with this strange dark dorsal sticking out of the water. The mainline still had not made it to the beach so I wasn't able to use that to help me get to the leader. I walked into the wade gut up to my waist and was looking to get some control over this beast. I made a move to get to the float it was circling but as I started in through deeper water the shark came around in my direction, sped up, and gave me the shock of my life. I knew then I was dealing with a Mako but I still had no control over it and she cut me off from getting to the float. I had the tail rope though and when she came into the shallow part of her circle I thought it best to put it to work. In my attempt to get that rope around her tail she not only got away but also made me pay for it, several times we repeated this. This beast had plenty of energy left in the tank; she'd dart across the wade gut in one direction and then turn around and dart in another. At one point she pulled the leader tight across the back of my legs forcing me to shift my focus to it and get untangled. She swapped directions again and came straight at me in chest deep water; my only recourse was to move away from the beach into yet deeper water to avoid the pointy end of a Mako. In doing so she passed me by and moved into shallower water and by this time I had devised a new strategy for getting that tail rope securely in place. I made a final move and tackled her tail refusing to give up as she beat me mercilessly with it. The rope finally on I pulled it tight and she let loose with everything in an attempt to pull my arms out of their sockets.

From this point forward it was far more normal. Jessica rounded up all the gear and got it ready for a speedy release. We got our measurements, placed a tag in her, and got a DNA sample. She measured 8'8" and put smile on our faces that has yet to rub off. The greatest part was watching her swim through the waves back over the first bar though. Truly a remarkable species of shark, one I've always had a lot of respect for and one I will never forget.

-Brad










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Brad

[hickroots07]

Very Rockstarish! Nice write up too! What a beauty
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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.

[Hornbill]

Thats awesome!
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Wish I was fishing.

[AnmRanch]

Awesome!

[shallowsport]

Incredible, anyway you look at it!
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"I do hunt and I do fish and I do not apologize to anyone that I hunt and fish." - Norman Schwarzkopf

[BT]

Thank you all. Glad to share such an amazing catch.
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Brad

[WantabeFishin]

Amazing!
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There Are Two Types of People: MARINES and Those Who Wish They Were.

[TroutSupport]

Nice work!

[david weber]

Very Very Cool!

[mesquitecountry]

absolutely awesome, beautiful fish

[troutless]

Awesome detailed report a photo's. This is the first "Mako" I've seen caught and it's a very beautiful Shark. Thanks for sharing.

[Big Jack]

what a rocket. bet that was fun
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"Charlie Don't Surf"

[RiPPin LiPS]

What a beautiful shark!! Those pictures are stunning... That memory will stay embedded in your mind FOREVER!!!

Way to go and TFTR
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"While everyone else is asleep, we're out giggin em DEEP"!!

[BT]

Thank you all. She certainly is a beauty. Shark too!!
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Brad