Capt. Bruce Miller & Mates Capt. Rich Oris & Jarred Pollara took the group of Dennis Galante, Jim Iavaronne, Bob Azurak, Capt. Tom Walsh, Capt Jim Lennel of Toms River and Anthony Costello of Bordentown out to fish both the Mako Mania 22nd Annual Shark Tournament & Jersey Coast Shark anglers Tournament's on the same day outing. While we would normally fish our favorite shark spot, The Lower Fingers, we decieded that with all the talk about everyone heade down there on Sat. we elected to fish elsewhere ! So we plugged in "Shark Hole" ( that's just inshore of the Glory Hole by a few clicks.) Arriving at about 7:30 we set our chum slick and began our drift. It wasn't too long before we had bluefish, which in this case was a good thing for our baits. Around 10 am the close line set at 35 ft. went off and after a 15 minute fight angler Bob Azurak bought a 150 est. blue shark to the boat, which was tagged and released by Capt. Bruce. After more bluefish and some "mystery run-off's" we finally hooked up to something decent. It was a Thresher in the 500 lb., speaking conservatively, & up class. Capt. Rich Oris handled the rod chores on this one while Capt. Bruce fired up the engines.The 50 International was dumping line as fast as we backed down & finally got it under control. In 35 minutes Dennis Galante & Jim Lennel had the shark leadered .
As they puled the huge Thresher towards the transom Capt. Tom walsk hit it with the flying gaff, then all heck broke loose. The shark started swinging the long sickle tail in an out of the fishing cockpit and flipped the flyer out. In doing so the tail nearly hit Capt. Tom and did put a big welt on the back of Dennis who turned around just in time. The tail came down on the leader with full force and actually snapped the wire leader and the Thresher sounded ! Well like they say, " some days you get the fish and other days they get you". In all my 35 years of shark fishing that Thresher was the biggest I've ever seen. In fact in 1981 I won the 2nd Jersey Coast Shark Tournament with a 381 lb.Thresher and this one was almost twice as big.
It was a good day though with only our ego's hurt with loosing the shark. As usual we will try again next year ! Now I have to go to Cark's Landing to weigh in todays catch for Mako Mania as a member of the Greater Point Pleasant Charter Boat Assoc'. As of last night (Sat) the biggest Mako weighed was 284 lbs. as per our President Rainer Mollering.
Tight Lines,
Captain Bruce