Long night for a shark
Blaine Kenny, co-owner of Coastal Worldwide – a renowned shark fishing outfitter and tour group operator in Pensacola – embarked on his remarkable endeavor with his business partner, Dylan Wier, showcasing their prowess and determination to catch the “biggest sharks possible.” In the shortened video below, you can see the moment they reeled in a giant great white shark, much to their own amazement. The daring duo embarked on their quest at Navarre Beach, east of Pensacola. Their strategy was simple but daring — “using the biggest bait possible”, which, in this case, was the head from a 150-pound swordfish and another from an 80-pound yellowfin tuna. The two anglers cast their rods and patiently waited for what would become an 11-hour-long test of skill, patience, and determination on the beach. As dawn broke a powerful tug on Kenny’s fishing line signaled the epic battle that was about to unfold. The adrenaline-fueled struggle commenced – and the entire battle was captured on camera. The entire process took an hour, since Kenny would draw in the fish and it would pull back out into the water. “He’s not letting me take anything,” he explains in the full length clip, which is close to 25 minutes long. Amidst the intense struggle, Kenny’s voice echoed with excitement as the great white shark made dramatic leaps out of the water. The battle extended for an hour as the massive creature repeatedly pulled back into the depths, refusing to surrender.
Dylan served as Kenny’s spotter and source of encouragement. He speculated the possibilities, suggesting it could be a “big, big wintertime shark” and refusing to jump to conclusions. Dylan provided aerial reconnaissance with the aid of a drone to determine what was on the end of Kenny’s line. “Look at that, that’s a white shark!” Kenny, filled with amazement, continued his arduous battle to bring the shark to shore. The relief and joy that followed were palpable as he eventually succeeded in hauling the massive animal into the shallow waters of the shore. Due to the great white’s protected status and conservation efforts, Wier emphasized the importance of swiftly freeing the shark; fisherman are not officially allowed to even measure the shark upon its capture. He eventually pulled the massive animal onto the shore. Kenny said he had to get it in and back out to the water as fast as possible. Once Kenny removed the hook from the shark, the animal was released.
Kenny reflected on the indescribable feeling of the encounter. The awe-inspiring moment left him lost for words, highlighting the profound connection between humans and the natural world. “Truly, truly words cannot describe the feeling of this fish right here,” Kenny said. Despite Florida’s reputation as the “shark bite capital of the world” encounters with great white sharks are rare and extraordinary. In their own words, Kenny and Wier’s mission is to share the exhilaration of fishing and the wonders of the natural world with fellow enthusiasts, offering them the “best seat in the house” to witness awe-inspiring moments like this one.
Fish stories:
Father Michael was an avid fisherman, and whenever he was not fulfilling his priestly duties, he would be out on the shore. Last summer there had been weeks of stormy weather and he hadn’t been able to go fishing at all. He was desperate. One morning, the day dawned calm and mild: he could go. But – it was Sunday! He was supposed to be taking Mass in the church. “I know,” he thought. “I’ll pretend I have the ‘flu and Father O’Leary can take Mass for me.”
However, he could not hide from God. One of the angels spotted him, and immediately snitched on him to God. God peered through the clouds and frowned. “Are you going to punish him?” asked the angel. God nodded. The angel watched, expecting Father Michael to step in a wasp’s nest or fall into the sea. Suddenly, Father Michael hooked into a massive fish, and after a lengthy struggle the fish was on the bank. It was a huge salmon, almost certainly a record.
“But…I thought you were going to punish him?” asked the angel.
“I did,” said God. “Now who can he tell?”
It’s my ambition to see a great white shark before I die.
Just not RIGHT before I die.
A fisherman was lugging a fish about as big as him down the pier to the wonder of the other guys standing around. Along the way he met a buddy who had a stringer with several fish on it. The proud fisherman dropped his oversized catch with a plop and said, “Howdy, Al” and waited for a comment. The fishing buddy looked over the beast and thought and thought then said, “Only caught one, eh?”
Wife after returning from fishing trip with husband to neighbor: “I did everything all wrong again today — I talked too much and too loud. I used the wrong bait. I reeled in too soon and I caught more than he did.”
Here is an Alaskan fish:
February 5th Birthdays
1981 – Sara Evans, 1985 – Crystal Hunt, 1971 – Michelle Butterly, 1962 Jenifer Jason Leigh
1986 – Christiano Renaldo, 1988 – Darren Chris, 1990 – Jeremy Sunpter, 1934 – Hank Aaron