i fulfilled one of my long term goals on the weekend. i have always wanted to bowfish a big shark. i have put a few hours into getting my gear ready trying to foresee what will happen when you put an arrow in one. i have never wanted to just shoot one and run it onto a float....boring. so i knew i would need a system with a drag. i tried to make a handline with a drag system to use on the bow but i couldn't get it right so i thought, 'why don't i just run it onto a rod'? so that was my plan. i got myself a new rod and put a shimano TLD 15 reel on it and spooled it with 50# braid. i have made a custom bracket to hold a handline as the spool for the bow. i put 18m of 130# dacron trolling line on the bow to shoot with then the back end of this was tied to the rod. the plan was to shoot it let the fish take the line off the bow then give it some with the rod!
with my grand plans in place i set out on saturday to try and get a shark. i anchored up in a what i thought would be a good spot then over the side went my berley buckets. with the outgoing tide a nice berley trail was extending beyond the back of the boat. now the waiting game....
about 2 hours later i saw the 1st shark, quite small but it was a shark. then a bigger one came in. they wouldn't come close though, staying out of range. so i tied a big chunk of fish on to a length of rope and threw it out there. well come in spinner......i dragged it back and a big one followed it right to the boat. now i had to quickly get my gear ready to shoot. he was right on me when i was ready. i just drew..... then all i remember is the arrow hitting the water and him taking of with it!!
i stood there watching my plan unfold before me. the line was peeling of the bow and once i had him on the rod i reached over and pulled the slip knot i tied in the anchor rope and i was free to fight.
about 1/2 hour later i had a tiger shark beside the boat. i nocked him on the head and gaffed him in the tail so i could get a rope around his tail so i could tow him to a nearby island beach for a photo and dressing out.
a big goal behind me. what a day. it's great when a plan comes together. he turned out to be 8' long.
(http://i530.photobucket.com/albums/dd349/ozyclint/8foottigershark.jpg)
(http://i530.photobucket.com/albums/dd349/ozyclint/DSCF3001.jpg)
Congrats Clint,another trophy hunt.You get plenty of BIG games up there.
Now Clint,you have to post bow poundage and arrow weight.
Wow, thats awesome! Nice pics too.
Whoa, don't see that too often. Congrats, Clint!!!
:thumbsup: :notworthy:
:thumbsup:
Very Cool - I had to dispose of a halibut with a 357 once - but never arrowed one.....hmmm makes me think I missed out on something.
jer Bear
Awesome :notworthy:
That would have made a great video. congrats.
Man o man.Thats is epic.I think thats about the coolest thing Ive ever seen on here.You might ought to try and write up a good story for TBM.Congradulations on fulfilling a goal.
QuoteOriginally posted by Izzy:
Man o man.Thats is epic.I think thats about the coolest thing Ive ever seen on here.You might ought to try and write up a good story for TBM.Congradulations on fulfilling a goal.
X2 from me! :thumbsup:
:thumbsup:
Incredible!!! Great idea on the bow and pole combo, looks like it worked like a charm. Curious, where did you hit the shark, is that the entry just behind the gills?
One thing for sure Clint when You put Your mind to doing something You follow through.
Great pics. Don't forget some pics of the steaks on the grill.
bretto
beautiful shark Clint
Awesome work mate.
Awesome! I'm with Izzy I want full details and a story!
Congratulations!
WOW!!!!!!!
Very, very cool!! Great pix as well!
We used to do that with carp. I shot. my fisherman friend reeled them in.....no where near as cool as a Tiger Shark!!
Hunting from the boat is like tree stand hunting.
So swimming in the water would be like stalking lol.
Outstanding hunt, and a heck of a fine animal! I've heard sharks are delicious.
That sharkskin is beautiful! What are you going to make out of it?
Good one Clint, :thumbsup:
Very cool!
Way too cool, great job and congratulations! :clapper:
Thanks for sharing Ozy! Love to do that sometime.
The pinnacle of bowfishing in my book :thumbsup:
Gday Clint!!!!!!!!! Looks like you'll be havin some Shark on the barbie!! I've had shovelnose shark before, (real good), but never Tiger, Way cool!! :eek:
Now that's COOL!
Clint that is just Awesome.
Uhhhhh.....
.........WOW!
What more can I say That's cool
I think that is the BEST Trophy PIC that I've ever seen! VERY COOL! We've got to try that sometime....Congratulations!!!!!!!!!!
:clapper:
That is cool!
Congrats,
Bisch
You may have just started a new trend. That would be really neat to have done.
ChuckC
That is cool... Wow!!!!
Congrats, man!
Todd
Simply impressive. Bravo!
Wahoo! How cool is this? Way! Great "Hero" shot!! Thanks for sharing.
God bless,Mudd
Cool deal. Good shooting and good looking shark. Congrats
Man, that is awesome :thumbsup:
Simply cool!
Love it ! Great pictures and story. I always wanted to do the same thing. I use to know some guys when i was a kid that shot sharks from the piers in North Carolina and then play them off rods. I have it on my "To Do" list as well.
Hope you take that skin and back a bow with it.
Thanks for sharing, Jack
I've been wanting to do the same thing in the Keys with Dorado...thanks for the idea!
thats got to be the coolest predator hunt ever :thumbsup:
Awesome!
Nice Tiger Shark! Looks in the 7/8ft range! I still say there is nothing like a big pull on your line!!Hold ON! >>>------> Congrats!!!!!
I'm with DW. That is the coolest trophy picture I've ever seen. Congrats. :thumbsup: :notworthy:
Dennis
Very cool. Congrats.
Terry
Very impressive! Congrats on a worthy trophy :notworthy:
That is way cool.
When I saw your set up I thought it was very cleaver with the open spool and reel, though I did wonder what kinda arrow head you used that would take that kind of pulling without coming out.
Can you share that?
Great pics!
That is very impresive. A trophy for sure.
Maybe we need to add Great Whites to the Super Slam list.------------Bone
Thats quite the bucket list you have there Clint! Whats next - Great White from kayak?? You crazy Mate, lifes short have fun. Awesum picture!Congrats.
here's the head, it's a garpoon point that i made a special adapter for to allow me to put on a broadhead. i made up a cable slide system so there is no risk of losing fish because of a broken arrow.
(http://i530.photobucket.com/albums/dd349/ozyclint/DSCF0903.jpg)
i was using my 69# bob lee. i think the arrow weighs about 1500grs. i had to go to a fat dacron string with silencers to soak up some spine.
i hit it in the gill slit facing the camera and the head came out the base of the pectoral fin on the same side.
Very cool! What did you do with the shark?
I have wanted to do this for a long time (not many sharks in Kansas), Thank you for sharing your adventure with us
Lucas
SON! you just brought my 2 fav sports together traditional shooting, and shark fishing! I have to say that is one of the cool'st things i have ever saw. Way to go man!!!
slivrslinger- i have the meat in the freezer. i cleaned up the jaws and they are drying now. they will make a nice wall setting!
That's Bad -ss Dude Awesome!!!
i just got back from another outing.....
i hit another shark, this time it was a hammerhead about 9'-10' long!
couldn't believe it when i saw it. i let it take the line off the bow and took up some strain on the rod but shortly after the arrow pulled out. :banghead: it seems i didn't hit him good enough. when i got the arrow back the barbs where still yet to be deployed. looks like it didn't go in far enough. :( i think i hit it somewhere near the dorsal fin.
oh well that's hunting for you! it lives to swim another day. sure keeps you keen though!
it was great just to see such a fish.
BTW, tuna oil rocks!!
just thought i'd share some more pics i took recently. they just show me posing with all my gear setup as if ready to shoot. just to give you an idea of how i do it.
(http://i530.photobucket.com/albums/dd349/ozyclint/P2200292.jpg)
(http://i530.photobucket.com/albums/dd349/ozyclint/P2200299.jpg)
Now I understand why you towed the shark !!!!!
your pics and adventure are GREAT!!!!
thanks for sharing
Thats cool! I've shot a lot of carp in my day and have always wondered about a shark set-up. Great rig. Are the bare feet for better traction once a fish is pulling you around? :eek:
Thanks for sharing.
gun- no, i'm in the boat when i shoot the sharks. i'm just standing on the beach for a pic of my setup.
Thats a great set up Clint........butya need a bigger boat! end up with a Mako on ya lap.
Your threads are great and for someone like me just about to have a go at bowfishing very informative. Thanks for posting.
On a side note, my cousins lad nearly got grabbed by a salty a couple of months ago, he was feeding it for some tourists at a zoo in or near Townsville where he works as a handler, it chased him for more chicken and he slipped and went down, quick actions by his mate with a big stick saved a mauling.
Do you see any Salty's up there?
That is incredible! Amazing pics, hope to see some more :clapper:
Jeremy
This still amazes me, what an adventure. I'd love to do that and fried shark is very tasty. Nice Clint.
wolfkiss- yes......yes we do! all the time :scared:
up to and sometimes bigger than 16'
(http://i530.photobucket.com/albums/dd349/ozyclint/bigsalty.jpg)
Are they protected?, I bet they need thining out!
Don't fall asleep on the beach!
Next time I get on a plane I want it to be headed down under.
Hunters paradise where you are, thanks for posting the pic.
Clint, thats what I meant. For diggin yer toenails into the floor! Ha Ha
yes they are protected and yes there is too many of them in certain areas.
there has been talk of starting up safaris hunts for them but typically the antihunters and tree huggers don't like it. steve irwin said he wouldn't like to see 'his' crocs being shot.
like the managed culling of up to 10 crocs annually will make an impact in their populations. economic benefit for no impact on the ecology of the population. just doesn't make sense... :banghead:
hi Clint, i just stumbled across this thread and i'm blown away. What an adventure, that is just fu... awesome !!!
----------
Andy
What a whopper of a shark... GREAT JOB...
:thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :clapper:
Will it be possible to shoot other game fish like that as well? I suppose the trick would be to get them close enough for a shot ...
Very nicely done Clint
thats insane. time to make a trad bowfishing rig...
if i could give karma , you'd get +10
-hov
That's awesome, I'v heard of bow fishing, shooting gar and alligator but never shark. Pretty cool, congrats!
WOW,,,
THIS IS UNREAL!!!AWESOME
Just saw this post. What a great hunt, good work and nice set up.
Awesome, what a trophy, are you getting it mounted?
Very Cool - congrats...
WOW ... that is one of the coolest things I have seen in a long time!!! Congratulations on an awesome and unique trophy! :thumbsup: :notworthy:
Those crazy shark shows are back on tv.
So had to bring up this very cool bowfishing.
Again, very cool Clint.
Always enjoy your adventures!