Left Friday morning with Kitefisherman, Free dive Slayer, Fishunta', and his two tropical fish collection partners Brett and Sean. We dove most of the day off of Steinhatchee from 60'-100' on ledges and hard bottom getting good stringers of local hogs, gags, and red grouper. Continued onward to the Middle grounds, and got on the most hellacious mango bite of the summer interspersed with kingfish smacking the flat lines. From 11PM-4AM we were all either fighting fish, unhooking fish, or rerigging.

Saturday August 23, 2003, a day that will be etched in the personal dive memory banks. On my first dive I hadn't been in the water more than five minutes when I saw a 7'-8' bull shark swimming lazily towards me. Although it seemed like it wasn't interested, a direct collision course was imminent. When it got within 5' I shot it in the head with a free shaft which barely had room to exit the gun, and ended the shark's apparent casual attitude. It went absolutely bananas, shaking it's head wildly, and violently thrashing into the ledge, kicking up a tremendous sand cloud. I went in the other direction at Olympic backstroke speed and shot a few mangos after calming down, returning to the jug line when my bottom time was getting close. I could still see the sand cloud at the edge of visibility during my ascent, and when I was about 20' off the bottom, that same shark shot out of the cloud swimming straight for me. It had shaken the shaft, and had a huge torrent of emerald green colored blood streaming from the hole in it's head. Only having my line shaft at this point, I jabbed it hard as it came by which thankfully made it go away. This was just a warm-up of what was to come.

Later in the day I'm with Kite on a 20' ledge where I shot an amberjack with the line shaft of my Spear fishing Specialties Rhino gun. Seeing more jacks in the distance I let it lay dead on the bottom, shaft still in the fish, and hovered up the length of the line to reload my free shaft to get ready for the next contestant. Within 10 seconds the mack daddy herd swims in, 50 large amberjack which circled us like a veritable fish tornado. Kite let loose on a big boy which fought him ferociously. It was then the blood in my veins went ice cold. Swimming up the ledge towards us was a monstrous 12'+ dusky in full threat posture, pectoral fins down, back arched, erratically darting back and forth. It made several very close passes at Kite who was kneeling on ledge, back turned to the shark, still fighting his aj unaware that one of the largest predators I had ever seen to date is within petting distance of him. I tried desperately to get a good shot but couldn't because the shark was swimming so fast. It then turned and rocketed directly up at me with it's mouth wide open giving me a small window of opportunity. The moment before releasing the shaft with it's black eyes staring right at me, jaws gnashing will be a snapshot in my mind forever. Kite and I slayed a couple more amberjack, but took turns watching while the other shot.

We finished the trip with a full box, spearing the usual summer pattern of big hogfish, red grouper, mangos, and an good supply of gags which are always a bonus in the hot August water. Free dive Slayer is slowly being converted to free shafting (Free shaft Slayer?), and had some mad 10+ fish hoops of death. Looking forward to seeing him with his new mullet haircut which he has to grow for losing a bet. Another great time with lots of laughs, thanks to Fishunta' who has helped put 4 or 5 trips together in the past year so he can show all his Boca boys a little something about Westside slinging. Kitefisherman please post up the pics when you can. Standing by.

SLAYTISTICS
mango snapper=140 (double rec bag fo' sho'!!)
gag and red grouper=37
hogfish=42
amberjack=14 (double rec bag ma nizzel!!)
king mackerel=12