for daron

[harryk3616]

http://cdn.grindtv.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/tiger1-copy.jpg       

[harryk3616]

http://cdn.grindtv.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/tiger2-copy.jpg

[harryk3616]

http://cdn.grindtv.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/tiger4.jpeg

[Aiala]

Wow, beautiful BIG ol' gal! (I don't see any claspers.)

I hope they let her live to fight another day. 

~A~

[harryk3616]

i saw it on facebook, they said it swam away unharmed, nice

[ChileRelleno]

WOW! That is a HUGE Tiger!
Incredible feat, luck & skill, awesome to read about it being successfully C&R'd.
Crazy, him swimming out with her to make sure she recovered, crazy dedication to a healthy release.

Here is the main link for the article.
http://www.grindtv.com/fishing/australian-shore-angler-battles-14-foot-tiger-shark-for-three-hours/#0eVcTtdQgxLUhmop.97

Australian shore angler battles 14-foot tiger shark for three hours

April 07, 2015 by Pete Thomas

image:
tiger1 copy

Max poses with tiger shark before setting predator free; photo via TBDsharkfishing

An Australian shore angler has caught and released what he claims is "one of the largest tiger sharks ever caught off a beach, anywhere, ever," and the accompanying photos support his contention.

The angler, whose name on the Facebook report is listed only as Max, says that based on measurements the tiger shark was 14 feet long and weighed at least 1,000 pounds. After it was released, Max added, "it swam off without hesitation."

image:
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Max tries to guide tiger shark back into the ocean; photo via TBDsharkfishing

According to the report by TBDsharkfishing, the catch was made after a three-hour fight at an unnamed beach in New South Wales. After only eight hours on Facebook, the post had garnered more than 4,000 likes and 600-plus shares.

The comments were largely congratulatory, but critics also expressed their opinions.

"Why oh why would you want to put this amazing creature through this horrifying ordeal... just in the name of sport?" wrote a commenter named Holly.

image:
tiger4

The fight lasted three grueling hours; photo via TBDsharkfishing

A commenter named Matt added, "Well done, buddy. Legend stuff. What beach so I don't surf there!!?"

The photos show a rope around the shark's tail and the heavy leader running from the mouth along the length of the body. Clearly, releasing a 14-foot apex predator is a task that must be carried out with great care.

The capture was dramatic. Max, who was accompanied by his girlfriend, had left a baited line out overnight. Come morning, as he was about to reel in the bait, the reel "slowly started to tick over."

image:
tiger3

The shark "swam off without hesitation."; photo via TBDsharkfishing

Max was using 100-pound-test line and a steel leader, and an old Penn Senator reel that he thought would not be up to the task.

The tiger shark ran straight to sea at first, and line screamed off the reel.

"My reel was so hot I couldn't touch it," Max wrote. "We poured water over the reel and that left me with a big cloud of steam [blowing] up in my face."

The initial run was nearly 3,000 yards. Max was nearly spooled before the shark turned left and started running parallel to the shore."That enabled me to sprint down the beach and start to use angles to my advantage, and that's the only reason I was able to stop this fish," Max stated.

The first hour passed slowly, leaving Max dehydrated and with blood blisters caused by the reel. During the second hour, the shark jumped and Max thought it was a hammerhead.

Then came another long run, deflating Max's hopes. "I was 100% drained by this stage," he wrote. "That run crushed me mentally. I felt like giving up."

But he gained a second or third wind, while the shark did not. It was reeled to the beach with the help of the tidal surges.

Max said the release effort was carried out as quickly as possible, after his girlfriend snapped several photos.

"I swam out after her to make sure she swam off OK, but she quickly out-swam me, which was a great sign that she had recovered quickly," Max wrote.

The angler then collapsed on the beach, recalling the drama in his mind. "I had just achieved everything I had ever set out to," he concluded. It was surreal."

The catch may or may not be some kind of world record for shore-caught tiger sharks. For the sake of comparison, the largest tiger shark ever caught by a lone angler from a boat, according to the International Game Fish Association, is a 1,785-pounder landed off Ulladulla, Australia, in 2004.

[ChileRelleno]

More on the story from the man who caught it available on Facebook, TBDsharkfishing.

Take the time to read this... What a fight, what a story... What a shark! 

I have finally achieved what I considered to be the epitome of land based catch and release shark fishing, an easily 1000lb plus tiger shark. This shark was almost a decade in the making, and absolutely tested everything I have learnt in that period of time to the point of breaking, myself included.

12'6 inch / 3.84m TO THE FORK!!! Female tiger shark. Most large tiger sharks (12ft total length) have a gap between the fork to the tip of the tail ranging between 1'6" to 2ft so that PUTS THIS SHARK 14ft to 14ft 6inch overall length!!!

(For those who are dubious please consider the current catch and release WR tiger shark held by Joey Polk: 10'8" fork length, 12'9" overall length --- difference 2'1" from fork length to overall length, add the fact a bigger fish will obviously have a bigger tail)

This is ONE of the largest tiger sharks ever caught off a beach, anywhere, ever. What's even better, is that it swam off with no hesitation.

The report:

After getting absolutely hammered up at rainbow beach with the weather all for nothing spectacular fishing wise I made the call to head back down to a beach in NSW that I have had some success with in the past. The first night baits sat there with no touches, apart from my sand bag letting go on the 80w around 3 am so I chose to reel it in and leave it be untill the morning. Morning came and just as I was about to reel in the
senator 12/0 around 715am it slowly started to tick over.

I let it have it for a decent amount of time, not expecting much as this was my small bait for the night. But once I tightened up the drag and the 24/0 circle hook dug home I knew I was engaged into something I potentially couldn't handle as I was fishing just myself and my gf, on an almost 40year old penn senator 12/0 antique!!!

Not wasting any time I instantly locked the drag down to full, and shoved my hands in the reel for extra pressure which in turn the shark picked up pace, heading straight out. There was nothing I could do, I was going to get spooled. My reel got so hot I couldn't touch it, we poured water over the reel and that left me with a big cloud of steam blow up in my face....

My only saving grace was after a 900m continuous run, (I only had 50ish meters left on my reel!!) it suddenly turned hard left! That enabled me to sprint down the beach and start to use angles to my advantage, and that's the only reason I was able to stop this fish, which is a scary thought. Had it have continued on it's way another 50m this report would be a completely different story!

The first hour this shark absolutely made a mockery out of me. I was hurting bad, really bad. I've never been in so much pain. Sun burning in my face, shocking burns and blisters all over my hands, sweat and sunscreen dripping into my eyes, and my whole body aching from holding the intense pressure for such an extended time. Thoughts crossed my head like I can't do this, It's too big, I'm not prepared enough, I'm on my own.....

The second hour I slowly made progress, got it to about 150m out when we got our first glimpse of it, when it jumped out of the water!!! What a sight, I have never seen that before!
I called big hammer while gasping for air. As I thought the fight was coming to a close it then proceeded to do another 600m run straight out, on lockdown drag with my hands tightly gripping the spool ignoring the painful burns and blood blisters. I was 100% drained by this stage. That run crushed me mentally, I felt like giving up. I didn't know how much longer I could possibly stand up to this shark.

Just as the third hour ticked over I managed to get it into shore. Being an absolute monster I left it in the water as much as possible, quickly removed the 24/0 circle hook which was perfectly hooked In the corner of the jaw, got a fork measurement (everytime I went for an overall it would kick me off- remember I was fishing solo and this shark was a lot bigger than me and in water) got a few quick photos and sent her off on her way! I swam out after her to make sure she swam off ok, but she quickly out swam me which was a great sign that she had recovered quickly.

I collapsed on the beach and tried taking it all in. I had just achieved everything I had ever set out to. It was surreal. The time was 10.30am, meaning I was on the rod and reel for over 3 hours.

After the fight, apart from being extremely sore, I observed I had guzzled down over 6L of water during the 3 hour event.

My beautiful antique 12/0 metal plates have actually warped out of shape!!
The spool now moves side to side about 3cm, the drag plates are completely burnt out and the clicker is broken, and my rod actually came seperated when the epoxy cracked where the grip joins onto the reel seat, and the blank has a stress crack running right up it now under the abuse I put it through, But I cannot thank it enough for holding up to a fish of a lifetime. It will now be gracefully retired as a wall hang next to a blown up canvas print of the shark.

I cannot thank everyone enough who's played a part in making this possible. Right from when I was a rookie sharker asking everyone stupid questions. I would also like to thank our followers. You all motivate us to fish harder, to kayak baits through surf at 2am when it's a lot easier to just jump in a warm sleeping bag.

I wouldn't change the experience for anything in the world, it was true old school sharkin.
Monster tiger, on a penn senator.

What more could you want!?!?!

Max
TBDsharkfishing

[harryk3616]

nice story

[ChileRelleno]

Harry, thank you for posting this.
My heart is pounding just reading about it, it might have been days before I went on SoS and saw it.

[Shark Hunter]

Thanks Harry! I really enjoyed that.
Calm Down John.

[ChileRelleno]

Calm Down John.

No apology, I'm easily excitable, especially with big fish.

[Shark Hunter]

The first thing I notice on his gear, is the Black Magic Harness and Belt. That's top of the line.
A 3000 yard run with 100lb line has to be braid. That looks like a 12/0 to me, as he said it was his antique, and it will hold that.
That's a perfect combo and I bet if It was one of our 12/0's John. The fight wouldn't have lasted that long. He also said it warped his plates and cracked the rod. I believe it.
I just think with a reel in top condition, the fight could have been cut in half and the reel would fish another day. It wouldn't surprise me if that reel he was using had the old asbestos drags in it. That would explain the heat issue. I also received a spool of 1100 yards of 100 lb Bullbuster Mono today. I think I'm going to start running this on my 12/0's. That way, I can have the same capacity as 130lb on a 14/0.
With Adam's inserts going to be released soon. The Senator will be more capable than it was ever meant to be. I have stainless posts and gears for my 16/0. When I get her rigged up, I'll send you a pic to Drool on John.
The release is the topper. Just a few pics and off she goes. Awesome Catch!

[ChileRelleno]

Antique 12/0 metal plates are warped', did he have custom aluminum side plates?
I'm gonna PM him and ask about that and a couple of others, such as dragstack.  
I would love to inspect that reel and see the damages.

I don't know Daron, the forces exerted by a fish that big are exponentially higher than our 11'5" Hammer.
Stock in decent condition with 100s in the stack, I can see it getting FUBAR'd on that fish.
He says in the long report, "after a 900m continuous run, (I only had 50ish meters left on my reel!!)"
That is approx 1039 yards of line, sounds like straight mono to me.

900 meters in fully locked down drag, that'll warm up any reel.

His rod & reel barely survived, dammit man.
So many questions.

There are more pics on FB... I'm in awe, no really, awestruck at that leviathan.

[ChileRelleno]

Questions I asked.

Hello TBD & Max, some of us reel junkies over at www.alantani.com are sharkers too.
And we have some questions about your reel.
Please & thank you.

12/0 metal plates are warped?
Did you have regular polymer side plates or some custom aluminum of some sort?

Did it have a 1pc or 3pc chromed brass spool, or a newer aluminum spool?

Have you inspected the internals of the reel yet?
Where is all the side to side play coming from, internal damage to parts, plates melting on the inside or simply plates warping from the heat?

Drag stack, original asbestos drags or newer ht-100 carbon fiber drags?
Did the drag stack smoke or just get hot on the 900M run?

Were you spooled up with braid or mono, or mono over braid?

Regards,
John
Mobile, Alabama, USA

[Shark Hunter]

Either way John. The Man got it Done on a 12/0. I am patiently waiting for my turn on a Kraken!