# Pics of 7'+ Greater Hammerhead



## Pigfish (May 27, 2004)

Oldsalt, thanks for the intial post. I miss the PINS days old buddy!

I was fishing on my kayak (tamden ocean kayak) solo, when I caught, landed, and released this 7' + Greater Hammerhead off of St. Petersburg, FL (Gulf of Mexico). I haved work for several years on party and private fishing boats and have seen both greater and scolloped hammerheads. The head (hammer) was straight, the dorsal fin was curved and pointed, and the second dorsal was large. Pectorals were also slightly curved. It was a female in excellent condition.

*Bait*: 20" Live whiting, drifted on the bottom.

*Tackle:* 6' 100# wire with diachi blood 2/0 circle, w/ 2oz trolling weight.

*Rod and Reel:* 20 # Blank with Penn 9500 spinning W/ 30# big game supreme.

*Water conditions:* wind west 10 Mph, Water temp. 78F, mod. chop.

When she hit the bait for the first time, made a blistering run a dropped it. 30 seconds later, she came back and I let her eat it, gave her a solid 6 count and tighten the drag slowly..........boom! She felt the hook and took off! It was a good 40 minutes before I knew what I have hooked with. I have caught many small sharks to five feet on the kayak before and I knew this was a lot larger. She was pulling me at about 2-5 mph dragging me out to sea for the most time.

In the olden days of whaling when the small Dory boats would harpoon a whale it would drag the small boat around, and the sailors named this "A Nantukett sleigh ride". Well being in the south I went on a "Southern sleigh ride".

When I gained most line back, real fear set in upon me. I knew it was large but how large? 6', 7', or even 10'? What was this monster dragging me almost two miles into the gulf? As the leader got closer, I envisioned an angry 8'+ bull deciding to torment his torcher, Aka.... chew on the kayak. Or a lemon, tiger, giant nurse, jewfish, or even tiger what was it! As the silhouette became clear my fear turn to joy, a Hammer, a greater Hammerhead shark!

I play her for another 45 minute or so, they decided to land it on the yak. I
got her along side grabbed her tail, one hand barely got halfway base of the tail, held it with one hand and pulled the head aboard with the leader. She bagain to spaz- out so I pulled the leader and the hook broke, held the tail for a few more seconds they relaesed her............ beautiful fish.

Now I had about a two mile paddle back to beach.........

The Pigfish (Mike Meilak)

These pics are from a disposable waterproof camera, so the quality is not the best.


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## thefishingmusician (May 26, 2004)

*Great Report!*

Felt like I was there. What a rush!

Thanks,

TFM


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## Curmit (May 25, 2004)

Sweet job man, thanks for sharing that insane tale.


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## Boston (May 26, 2004)

*There?*

You ain't all there are ya? Holy ****!! I bet that was exciting!!


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## Old salt (May 21, 2004)

*You da man!*

Sweet pics and report buddy. Mikey was my fishing buddy several years ago when my 12/0 got spooled and destroyed.

If you get the chance, post a pic of the 38" snook you got yesterday from the yak (on a wire leader with a live whiting--who says snook are picky!).


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## Oz (May 24, 2004)

Very, very awesome man. Congrats!


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## 3rd Coast Fish-n-Crew (May 24, 2004)

*Nice thats a thrill of a life time!*


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## GarFisher (May 22, 2004)

Man I get chills thinking about it. I keep thinking about Hemmingway's story The Old Man and The Sea. Your has a better ending I think. Congrats on the shark and thanks for sharing the story.


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## Freshwaterman (May 21, 2004)

Hey Mike--
Put that story here---> http://kfs.infopop.cc/eve/ubb.x?a=tpc&s=418607442&f=948607442&m=688106845 and it might get into a new yakfishing magazine.


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## medulla762 (May 24, 2004)

What an absolutely awesome 2cool adventure!


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## frenzy (May 25, 2004)

*Awesome*

Nice story and catch.Congrats on the hammer.


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## Michael Shindle (May 22, 2004)

Cool brotha! The only Greater that I've ever caught was in Fl also...11' female 7/27/87 Pensacola Beach...Shark Godz baby! Adios!


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## Pigfish (May 27, 2004)

Thanks, to all awesome battle! Subourbon, I did post it on that site, thanks! I had fix it up a little though. 

Oh, Oldsalt the wind here is St. Petersburg is 5 mph and variable. What's the wind like in Corpus? Ha Ha HA! SE at 74 mph?

Mr. Pigfish


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## Old salt (May 21, 2004)

*The wind*

Yea, that's real funny Pigfish. It was down to 23 knots a few days ago.


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## whopperstopper (May 21, 2004)

Great story Mike... I bet you used up all of your adrenallin and then some on that little adventure..


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## bigdawg (May 23, 2004)

*awesome*

what was going thru your head when you were heading out that far? or did you even think about it? i cant even imagine that, i guess when you've got something that big pulling you around you probably dont even think about where you are being pulled. was there or is there a limit to how far you would have gone? in the old man and the sea all he cared about was landing that fish i guess that is all i would be thinking to. anyways great report that had to be the ride of a lifetime.


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## Pigfish (May 27, 2004)

No, I would have fought it until the end, him or me, no limits no fear, must catch fish! Mr Pigfish


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## 2old2wade (Jun 20, 2004)

*Beautiful photos.*

Those photos are works of art in themselves!


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## brewjr (May 21, 2004)

Nice fish and cool story.


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