750LB Mako FT Lauderdale free gaffed

[fountain17]

I guess to each his own

http://www.justnews.com/video/21212068/index.html

[commtuna08]

61 Garlington: $3 million
4 Aftco Gaffs: $400
Free gaffing a shark on video and letting the world see your a dumbass: PRICELESS

[fountain17]

Yep...kinda of takes the 'sport' out of "sportfishing"
A Bunch of toolboxes IMO.... unless I missed a rod or a reel or an angler in the video....

[george84]

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/o...,6175650.story

FWIW - the full story says they landed it on rod and reel. I don't think it would be possible to "free gaff" a 748lb Mako. Has anyone actually seen how high these things jump? Just doesn't seem possible that they could free gaff a green Mako that size and not end up with serious problems.

[tuna-slayer]

hey foutain im pretty sure if you saw a huge mako around your boat your would try to kill it to and if you listen the say they got the wire in his mouth and there was a bent butt 80 in the video with line in the water so they were sportsman about it so dont bash people if your to lazy to pay attention to the video i think those guys are one hell of a crew to put a fish of that in the boat.... obvioulsy you just sit behind a computer and judge people cause you dont know what it takes to put a large fish in the boat it would be nearly impossible to free gaff a 750 pound mako

[george84]

just to set the story straight...this is from a poster on a south florida swordfishing forum:

I was out with Weekley Rehab on Saturday and we transfered help to D&D to get the fish on their boat. I saw some video on the 11:00 news last night. The Mako ate most of a big sword and then they said they baited it with a fresh bonito when it came to the boat to dine on the remainder of the sword that they had tied off to the side. We were close to them for a couple of hours and saw them continually making Circles and maneuvering so we suspected they had a fish on but nothing quite like that. When we were passing them to make another drift they called us and asked for any help we could provide as the 4 guys on the boat couldn't make any progress and were very tired. We were glad to help and the fish was awesome.

[SeaMent]

61 Garlington: $3 million
4 Aftco Gaffs: $400
Free gaffing a shark on video and letting the world see your a dumbass: PRICELESS

If I'm not mistaken the D&D is a 44' Garlington and she's on the market right now and one hot little ride I might add

[Kahi]

Firstly the idea that this catch is now one National news is amazing...this took zero skill. I have no issue with harvesting meat, its our right as hunters. My complaint is two fold...1. it's just idiotic to free gaff anything that large, angry and not ready to be boated. Especially a notoriously violent fighter, that is known to spin, flip and bit anything till its fully dispatched. 2. Free gaffing is illegal...wether it be tripletail or a mako...not sure if that is a Florida law, but it is a law none the less.

Regarding a flyer gaff...I watched the video, which has been edited to recently to not show the lack of use of rod/reel. The video clearly shows a straight gaff and some sort of make shift tail roper.

This just sucks...It's bad sport, worse publicity and drives me nuts to hear othesr hi-fiving these goons. Gaff a few dolphin as they swarm....gaff a tripletail if you come across it....but it ain't fishing. We are fisherman...that's why we are part of the other stuff...the chat rooms, reading up on our sport...teaching kids...we do the work...I'm not some preachy fisherman...I fish kill tourneys..harvest my limit (when I can) but this is just shit..Next time, i will bring my .50 cal rifle..create a horse meat chum line and just plug away at anything that comes by my boat.

[george84]

Unless they stuck it with a harpoon and attached a float or bangsticked it (neither of which they did in the video) there is no way to "free gaff" a 748lb mako. Think of how dumb it sounds even suggesting that...are you kidding me? That fish would pull you over the gunnel faster than you could crap your pants if you tried to stick it green with a straight gaff.

I could care less if these guys actually did find some way to gaff a green mako and lived to tell about it, more power to them. All I'm saying is...a fish that size...it's just not possible.

[Kahi]

They take a few swipes at the green mako...it bleeds out a bit then they tail rope it....hang it till it drowns...clowns got lucky