Myrtle Beach Fishing, South Carolina Fishing, Catch of the Season 2004 Spinner Shark Slam

Dave Nieman

Shows Spinner who's the Boss!

When Dave Nieman , a Connecticut iron worker called me and said he wanted to take his two son's out fishing I found an available slot and we were on, but when Dave continued and said "I want to catch a shark, a big shark", I smiled, knowing here was a true Extreme Fisherman. Extreme Fisherman charters are all about light tackle and light lb test; we often catch quite a few accidentally when we are fishing for Bull Red drum, Speedy Spanish/ King mackerel, Cobia and many other species along the beach, the jetties, near shore, inshore inlets and channel waters. All can be some of the most exciting and exhilarating Myrtle Beach Fishing, especially when we land a big boy on these rods and reels. So bumping into a shark is always a possibility as they hit all the same baits and rigs. I normally have 5 rods and reels with 10 and 14lb test on board, but reserve one with 25lb test primarily for trolling. Well the half day trip went well with Dave's and his son's landing Lady Fish , Blues , Flounder, Sharks and bottom fish, drifting, anchoring near beach and jetties. The sharks were 3 to 4 ft range, nice, but no Cupi Doll for Dave.

The trip was ending; Dave asked me what the possibilities were if we stayed out and extended to a full day trip? Well the tide had just flipped to the incoming and I was luckily off on the PM side, plus we had fresh lady fish and blues as bait to entice any marauding mauler looking for and easy meal. I replied, "yes, the bite's on, good chance we will nail one "accidentally" on the continuing inbound surge". "Let's go for it", Dave came back with the eagerness of his Extreme Fisherman personality. Not five minutes later we got a big time hookup on Dave's rig, but before one of his son's could react as instructed and get his line in, so I could turn the boat about for the chase before being spooled, the fish ran too fast got on our 6, spooled out and broke us off. ( **x*#*#*x*) I re-rigged and told Dave not to worry, calming his frustration, saying, "if there's one on patrol, got to be another". Well not fifteen minutes later, GA-BAM, what a hook up! Dave, still holding the heavier pole was on. This fish was for real. Then, Holy Thunder-Galloping Gad-ZA-Fish-Hooks! A leaping, spectacular horizontal, jump-roll-spin, followed by an mini-earthquake splash! This was a Monster Spinner Shark, with Dave's dream written all over it and it wasn't going to an afternoon tea at the local bait corral! The fish headed straight out to sea perpendicular from the beach. It was all I could do keep Dave in fighting position without sending him overboard in the four- five foot long fetch rollers just capping outside the inlet. I brought the "Crossover" Extreme Fisherman Skiff hard over bearing true on the Shark till Dave got his sea legs set.

His son's, now well versed in getting the other poles and lines in and secure with a such powerful fish on, went into action in unison. Great work, just in the nick of time, Perfecto! Dave was already into the 100 yd gelspun backing. If I hadn't been able to come about and get him on a straight 12 right within those first few seconds, this behemoth would again have an extreme angle on us and we would have heard the sinking heart sound as the reel spooled again with the resounding SNAP, and subconsciously hear the primordial prowler say, "kiss my ass... I'm gone!"

But Dave wasn't having any of that...the battle was on, with me yelling, " let him run, let him run" and then " reel, reel, reel! Together we fell into rhythmic sync in this fish fighting drill as if we were on a Marine Parade grounds. Soon the Extreme coaching paid off as Dave began let this bad boy know he was on him like the Train Dicks of old on Butch and Sundance. After two hours plus of successive repeated chases and reeling with our light line, bow hard on the fish, we tried to gain on this Blue Water Bully. A small flotilla of boats and jet skis who had seen the jumps following us out a half mile into the snow tipped slow churning seas. The powerful speedster shark wouldn't give in and neither would the Extreme Iron Man, Dave. Standing tall up front, rocking and rolling, I kept maneuvering to keep him on board; Dave never flinched. After one hour I asked if he wanted to be relieved for a few minutes, but as if almost insulted, I heard a sharp, "No way ". Forty more minutes passed as I turned left and right to advance and slowed keeping the line straight, letting him continue to add revolutions, trying to wear this beast down, constantly praying to avoid a break off with one of the shark's amazing- rage filled successive runs. Finally, it was at the two hour plus mark. Dave started to gain without throttle forward on the shark. We the fin started circling the boat, we had him. I grabbed the camera and in the swaying seas tried to get the shots and control the boat. His son's were busy bailing as we were taking on a little water aft over the transom, in the Unsinkable 19 ft Extreme Fisherman Light Tackle craft.

The charter ran over the full day mark but who cared. Finally after watching the blue/black triangle carve smaller and smaller figure eights on the sea surface for several minutes, we managed to a bring this high finned brute on the port beam; I'm yelling to Dave to now go very easy on the fragile line. In many ways bringing a fish that has you totally outgunned in close is the hardest part, as the slightest mistake, especially on light tackle.....he's gone, in a flash. I went for his tail but instantly I got a huge shower of tail splashing water as the fish just wouldn't quit and took on off on eating up another 15 minutes. Then again, finally, along side, I yelled to Dave " I got a couple of pictures, this shark is 7 ft plus; I'm going to cut him off". Again Dave would have none of it. He yelled "I'll pull him up". Unbelievably before I could grab for a tail loop , he grabbed his tail and tried to pull him up on the port stern quarter. The shark was too heavy for him but I managed to get another picture before I cut him off.... and Zoom-O...he was gone.

Well what can I say? Where there is a will, there is a way, and I' tell you this Dave fellow from Connecticut speaks well for the tight walking-nerve of steel workers who make their living on the high buildings, as he fought this very big bad boy standing up front, rocking , bouncing back and forth, up and down, feet cemented to the deck, keeping the pressure on. Here's an Iron Worker who earned the badge of Extreme Fisherman Machismo. On this day...the Spartan Spinner knew he had met his match.

On 25 lb test with a fish that most likely weighed in around 150LBs or more?...this is Myrtle Beach Fishing here and South Carolina Fishing...at it's best.

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