1100+++ TIGER SHARK @ MONSTER SHARK TOURNEY!!!!!

[Innovator]

Makes you kind of wonder about kill tournaments. What a fuking waste. Maybe Damon should've done the math with regard to getting to the scales on time, he's a better captain than that. If you miss scales by 10-15 minutes you weren't going to make it at all. Maybe should've released the shark.

Hate to see a 1000lb shark donated to research instead of swimming.

Lame deal Castafari...

Comon' Now. While I do not think Tiger sharks should be qualifying fish in shark tournaments, and after that year they are no longer allowed in O.B. To be able to determine your ETA from over 80 miles from the weigh station, given sea conditions, tides, and added weight, a speed difference of .5 kts could eat up 10-15 minutes very easily. So to make the decision to release such a huge fish, when if fact they are allowed in the tournament and I hate to say the truth allot of money on the line, what would any boat in the tournament have done??? What is worse bringing in under weight fish, illegal species etc. They fished according to the rules of the tournament. A head tide from the hooter to OB could cost you 5 minutes alone!

So your telling me you would have been able to calculate the run time and would have released the fish? Really?

[fat2na.com]

80 miles from station, you're right Kevin. A good captain and most of today's electronics can't neccessarily compute set and drift and give you a perfect ETA. Most times they're fairly close but I would agree, especially up there with the major current changes.

I guess my point would've been better stated, and I am by no means a conservationist, it's just lame to see a fish of that size and age killed for no reason. I'm sure D.S. is jaded that it was killed for no reason in retrospect also. Can't say whether or not I would've taken it though, guess you'd just have to be in that position. It just seems like such a waste given it's species.

[Innovator]

Dorian, I am right there with you in regards to the taking of Tiger Sharks in tournaments. I have been in favor of keeping only edible species for many years. Mostly because of the heat the killing of inedible species brings to tournaments. I have had the Humane Society of the US, attempt to threaten and protest my business and sponsorship of fishing tournaments. They have printed and distributed fliers and newsletters listing my company as business to boycott. I have received hate mail and been harassed with phone calls. I have refused to back down to them and withdraw my sponsorship of tournaments.

I am happy to see certain species withdrawn from contention in kill tournaments, but I will not bash a vessel for competing with in the rules of a tournament and complying within the state and federal regulations. It is unfortunate he was 10-15 minutes late. If he were on time and won the tournament he would have been a hero. I don't think we are very far apart from our thinking, but I refuse to give these idiots (Humane Society of the US) any fuel for the fire. I fish and promote sustainable fishing practices by keeping only what you can eat and reduce the capture of inedible species, but until the state or federal regulations prohibit the capture of a particular species, I will not judge what a fisherman may decide to capture or release. I will however lobby/educate to prevent the unnecessary or excessive killing of any species.

This may have been a bit long winded and off the original point and is not specifically geared towards you, but this is my livelihood and I will not let these uneducated tree huggers aimlessly attack my business, livelihood, or passion for fishing. We give them an inch they will take a mile.

Kevin

[LuckyLady]

More than a beast in my book

[OCtuna]

Wow guys thats a huge shark!