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November 11, 2009
Fins to the Left... Fins to the Right...
One of the great things about fly fishing from a kayak is that you can cover a lot of water in virtual silence. As such, you're inevitably connected to the environment in ways you don't really sense when riding in a power boat or wading.
For example, the other day as I paddled across a small bay among Florida's 10,000 Islands, I counted 26 sharks finning at close range to my boat (sometimes bumping against it). Bull sharks, lemon sharks, nurse sharks, and some others. Some longer than 6 feet. And the thing was, I wasn't at all freaked out by their presence. Instead, I was awed by their graceful maneuvers in the shallow water. Watching them ambush mullet was like watching a pride of lions hunt gazelles. Slow, deliberate, suddenly vicious... with optimal efficiency and grace.
Granted, I was glad not to be wading, and I certainly didn't want to fall out of the boat. I don't go out of my way to commune with apex ocean predators at close range. (After all, I saw the film "Grizzly Man" and know where communing with brown bears got Tim Treadwell.)
But I've always thought that shark encounters--fishing, diving, or otherwise--were fantastic opportunities to be enjoyed and appreciated. Sadly, sharks are often feared more than they are admired. And I never understood the Neanderthal mentality of some people who kill sharks for the sake of an adrenaline rush.
Catching sharks, like any other fish, can offer great excitement (apparently even on a Barbie rod... see Mr. Merwin's post below). But in my mind, killing sharks, especially if you aren't going to eat them, defeats that purpose entirely.
Why is it, do you figure that some people are so wigged-out at the sight of a shark, and others are so intent on killing them?
Deeter
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Comments (17)
Deeter,
What part of "You're gonna need a bigger boat" didn't scare the heck out of you in 1975.
or this
"So, eleven hundred men went in the water; 316 men come out and the sharks took the rest, June the 29th, 1945. Anyway, we delivered the bomb."
I've had many encounters with sharks both surfing and fishing. Only recently do they scare the crap out of me. Getting old i guess.
To each his own I suppose, but I prefer to stay on my side of the food chain equation.
WaMtnhunter, you know that pact you have with the bears?
I have a similar one with sharks. I don't f*** with them, and they don't mess with me. I have seen some awful big ones very close to shore, and after a recounting from a guy who was doing manatee counts years ago, I always carry something that goes bang while I am fishing on the coast.
I used to shark fish a good bit until I decided that there is sometimes a fine line between being fisherman and bait. Until I hooked a hammerhead that was WAAAAAY bigger than I wanted him to be. No more of that. Me and heap big shark - PAX.
Deeter, it's a good thing you didn't see the ones you didn't see.......
True true.
Deeter,
OK. I give. What's your avatar?
I'm assuming you're not talking in the Hindu incarnation context, buckhunter... so I will tell you what that funny little picture is.
I am scuba diving in the South Platte River, about to "Go Deep" and watch trout eat flies (the little speck in the upper right hand corner is actually my friend Bruce Mardick, fly fishing). Of all the stories I've written for Field & Stream, I'm quite fond of the "Going Deep" stories... and BTW I have some new ones (walleye and pike) slated for 2010. In my mind, to understand fish, you must "BE THE FISH!" But, for the record, having seen these sharks, I'm not going to "Be the Snook" any time soon, I can tell you that much. Romano took this photo.
http://www.fieldandstream.com/photos/gallery/kentucky/2007/01/going-deep...
What kayak were you fishing out of?
I'm intrigued by kayaks. I had planned on getting a Malibu X-Factor for both fishing and duck hunting this year, but the deal kind of fell through so I'm still hoofing it and jon-boating it for my duck hunting.
Still want one badly, though. I'd even paddle around with sharks if I had one. But only small, docile sharks, with little teeth.
We were in Native Watercraft, Ultimate 14.5 kayaks, and I have only nice things to say about them by way of how they tracked, handled, etc. (They could carry a lot of gear.) By GPS, we could comfortably move at around 3 m.p.h. We stood and fished in them, but not around the sharks, to be sure. If I lived by flat water, I would get one for sure.
That's cool... dancing with sharks... eager to hear the story.
To me sharks seem like snakes. I say I don't mind them and that I admire them but when one is coming after me I'd just assume see it croak instead of me.
Stealth,is the word,if you are in shark territory with undisturbed, sincronized paddles they may ignore you. by
the other side the graceful of this animals can put anyone
in love for them as easy as watch a blue heron nesting
on mangrooves. But, what about the cayak fishing? 10000
islands is on the top of my will go list for next year.
I got into some Spanish mackerel off of South Padre Island the other day and hooked a jack crevalle that towed me a mile out in my 'yak. The sharks were working the Spanish over the sandbar and I could see them clearly. Wonderful day of fishing. Kayaks are the way to go in saltwater, whether in open water or back bays.
Were talking about 10's of thousands of years of in-grained fear to over come here. It won' happen over night.
sgaredneck
We used to catch some nice sharks fishing at night in Hawaii. That is, until we hooked a 500+ tiger shark one night. Signed that treaty right then and there. No mas.
I've fished in the everglades a few times from a kayak, but the gators were making me nervous. These days, I don't fish in gator habitat in anything smaller than a canoe. In salt water, I've seen some small sharks & a few good sized nurse sharks, but a good sized bull near your kayak would be something to be concerned about.
you ask why people are so afraid of sharks. because they will eat you! like the bull shark that swam many miles in fresh water and ate that kid in a creek or small river. i'm with mtn hunter. i want to stay on the correct side of the food chain.
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Deeter,
What part of "You're gonna need a bigger boat" didn't scare the heck out of you in 1975.
or this
"So, eleven hundred men went in the water; 316 men come out and the sharks took the rest, June the 29th, 1945. Anyway, we delivered the bomb."
To each his own I suppose, but I prefer to stay on my side of the food chain equation.
I've had many encounters with sharks both surfing and fishing. Only recently do they scare the crap out of me. Getting old i guess.
WaMtnhunter, you know that pact you have with the bears?
I have a similar one with sharks. I don't f*** with them, and they don't mess with me. I have seen some awful big ones very close to shore, and after a recounting from a guy who was doing manatee counts years ago, I always carry something that goes bang while I am fishing on the coast.
I used to shark fish a good bit until I decided that there is sometimes a fine line between being fisherman and bait. Until I hooked a hammerhead that was WAAAAAY bigger than I wanted him to be. No more of that. Me and heap big shark - PAX.
Deeter, it's a good thing you didn't see the ones you didn't see.......
True true.
I'm assuming you're not talking in the Hindu incarnation context, buckhunter... so I will tell you what that funny little picture is.
I am scuba diving in the South Platte River, about to "Go Deep" and watch trout eat flies (the little speck in the upper right hand corner is actually my friend Bruce Mardick, fly fishing). Of all the stories I've written for Field & Stream, I'm quite fond of the "Going Deep" stories... and BTW I have some new ones (walleye and pike) slated for 2010. In my mind, to understand fish, you must "BE THE FISH!" But, for the record, having seen these sharks, I'm not going to "Be the Snook" any time soon, I can tell you that much. Romano took this photo.
http://www.fieldandstream.com/photos/gallery/kentucky/2007/01/going-deep...
That's cool... dancing with sharks... eager to hear the story.
Deeter,
OK. I give. What's your avatar?
What kayak were you fishing out of?
I'm intrigued by kayaks. I had planned on getting a Malibu X-Factor for both fishing and duck hunting this year, but the deal kind of fell through so I'm still hoofing it and jon-boating it for my duck hunting.
Still want one badly, though. I'd even paddle around with sharks if I had one. But only small, docile sharks, with little teeth.
We were in Native Watercraft, Ultimate 14.5 kayaks, and I have only nice things to say about them by way of how they tracked, handled, etc. (They could carry a lot of gear.) By GPS, we could comfortably move at around 3 m.p.h. We stood and fished in them, but not around the sharks, to be sure. If I lived by flat water, I would get one for sure.
sgaredneck
We used to catch some nice sharks fishing at night in Hawaii. That is, until we hooked a 500+ tiger shark one night. Signed that treaty right then and there. No mas.
you ask why people are so afraid of sharks. because they will eat you! like the bull shark that swam many miles in fresh water and ate that kid in a creek or small river. i'm with mtn hunter. i want to stay on the correct side of the food chain.
To me sharks seem like snakes. I say I don't mind them and that I admire them but when one is coming after me I'd just assume see it croak instead of me.
Stealth,is the word,if you are in shark territory with undisturbed, sincronized paddles they may ignore you. by
the other side the graceful of this animals can put anyone
in love for them as easy as watch a blue heron nesting
on mangrooves. But, what about the cayak fishing? 10000
islands is on the top of my will go list for next year.
I got into some Spanish mackerel off of South Padre Island the other day and hooked a jack crevalle that towed me a mile out in my 'yak. The sharks were working the Spanish over the sandbar and I could see them clearly. Wonderful day of fishing. Kayaks are the way to go in saltwater, whether in open water or back bays.
Were talking about 10's of thousands of years of in-grained fear to over come here. It won' happen over night.
I've fished in the everglades a few times from a kayak, but the gators were making me nervous. These days, I don't fish in gator habitat in anything smaller than a canoe. In salt water, I've seen some small sharks & a few good sized nurse sharks, but a good sized bull near your kayak would be something to be concerned about.
Post a Comment