Fun with a Yak and a Shark

[fish-aholic]

I opened my email this morning to find this story. Rick is a childhood friend who moved to Satellite Beach (near cape canaveral) sometime in the early-mid 80's. Ater reading the story, I knew it was one for this board.


Rick was fishing in the ocean this morning and was about a mile off shore in his kayak. He caught a nice fish which was pulling him around, said the fish was quite powerful. Reeling the fish in, he looked down and saw that the tail was missing and blood coloring the water. As he watched, about a nine foot shark appeared at which time he let the line out to get the fish away from his kayak. He began rowing towards shore and could tell he was getting hits on his line. When he got to shore, the picture below shows all that remained of his fish. It was just a light snack for the shark.

[Steve]

Kind'a reminds me of the story, "The Old Man and the Sea".
That's where I started sharking, about 20 miles south of him in Melbourne Beach.
Once you paddle out and get in about 20' the water is crystal blue. Just got to get away from the sand in the breakers.

Hard to tell, is that a Snook head he's holding?
It's about the right size for sharking.... hehe

[Sam]

That's awesome! I bet that was pretty intense out there. Sharks can sense a fish in jeopardy... Very cool story, Jeff. :v:

[fish-aholic]

Not sure what kind of fish it is. I've actually been wondering exactly what it is myself. I haven't fished for those florida fish enough to be sure. If I see his dad get online this morning I'll ask if he knows for sure what it is.

[Steve]

Wait a minute, not a Snook. Snook tapers down the head to the nose and a smaller mouth.
Only thing I can think of is a Grouper, would be nice to know what the body looked like.

[Pier_man0909]

Jack Crevalle

[Rockboy42]

im not to firmiliar with fl fish but to me it looks like type of grouper but i would like to know forsure!

[Steve]

Close, but not a Jack. Jack's have a downward face.

[Bull Red]

sheepshead, my best guess from the head

[igormothra]

if you look at the two pictures side by side I think it may be a jack... note he is lipping the head so the mouth looks a little different, but the position of the eye near the upper lip and how close it is to the forehead.... also look at the gill plate... almost exact I think.

[Bohica]

Look at the pectoral fins. Definitely not a Jack. I'm gonna say grouper.

[Steve]

I'm sticking with what I wrote almost a year ago, a Groupie.
It's been a long time, the proof is toast and the person holding it doesn't know.
It was and still is, a fish..... A dead fish.....

[Bull Red]

Whatever it is, that guy has got one heck of a fishing story!

[DumBbaSS]

Great story!! as for the fish I say it's a Amberjack