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I'm not sure where to start, so let's go to the beginning.

I got to the beach before Steve and eye-balled some potentially tough fishing conditions.  The surf was small, but there was a lot of salad in the close break and it would have been too frustrating.  I called Steve and took the drive to meet him at another beach since Plan A was out. 

Plan B was a little weedy, but nowhere as bad as the first beach so we set up and gave it a go.  It was funny that our Game Warden friends showed up again and we had a fun talk with them.  OK, back to fishing...  Steve picked up weeds on his first 3 casts and I thought Steve was going to pack it in because of all the salad.  I was not getting a bunch of weeds, but Steve kept casting on a lump of weeds and altered his landing spot on the remaining baits.

As the sun was setting, we both saw Steve's rod do a double bump.  Steve grabbed the rod and I actually seen him set the hook.  I wasn't sure if it was a shark or not, then saw his rod start bouncing just like a shark!  It was a nice one too!

Since it happened at sunset, a few people saw it and was really freaked out when I landed it.  One lady said "I thought you caught a turtle."  Steve said "I wish I caught a turtle".  lol

Steve had to take notes of the sizes since there were more than one caught tonight.

Conditions:
Incoming Tide
Mackerel
Full Moon
1'-2' surf

Steve finally beached his 88" beauty and was sure to let me know he was one more shark closer to me on the list!

(Female)

#1

(http://i1356.photobucket.com/albums/q733/Latimeria3/P1010243_zpsf1s0poam.jpg) (http://s1356.photobucket.com/user/Latimeria3/media/P1010243_zpsf1s0poam.jpg.html)



Not too long after Squatch gets a big bite, but misses it and I followed up with a similar swing and miss.  Damn, could have had 2 more on the beach, but no worries.  It was about to go wide open.

On the next cast or two later, Steve's rod does a big jump and he's on with another shark!  I went to reel in my rig when I noticed my line was laying straight on the ground.  I reeled in as fast as I could and caught up with her.  A DOUBLE HEADER!

They kept crossing and trying to mess us up.  We were assuming they were Soupfin, but were so much stronger than our last few. 

Unbelievably, we did the sand dance and both tailed our huge Soupfin at the same time for the first double header of big sharks that I could remember in at least the last 6 or 7 years.

Squatch's Soupfin - 75"
Latimeria's Soupfin - 73"

(Both Females)

(http://i1356.photobucket.com/albums/q733/Latimeria3/P1010261_zps0j0hddlb.jpg) (http://s1356.photobucket.com/user/Latimeria3/media/P1010261_zps0j0hddlb.jpg.html)

BOOM! #2 and #3

(http://i1356.photobucket.com/albums/q733/Latimeria3/P1010268_zpsmoygcpbl.jpg) (http://s1356.photobucket.com/user/Latimeria3/media/P1010268_zpsmoygcpbl.jpg.html)


So far all three sharks were just fat and robust!!!

So, it was already a successful night and we could have driven home happy, but that was not enough.
Steve had a bad backlash and wound up busting off I think.  All I know is Steve was out of the water giving me the entire surf to myself, so I pitched a great fresh bait out and hoping.
Soon as Steve got his new rig tied on, I saw my rod bounce and double over!  Shark on!

This one felt big and did a lot of running, so I almost thought it was a Black Sea Bass, but soon got it to the surf and realized it was a feisty Male Sevengill!

68" Male Sevengill

#4  (Firecracker crazy shark)

(http://i1356.photobucket.com/albums/q733/Latimeria3/P1010285_zps8k0ki21l.jpg) (http://s1356.photobucket.com/user/Latimeria3/media/P1010285_zps8k0ki21l.jpg.html)

(http://i1356.photobucket.com/albums/q733/Latimeria3/P1010287_zpsxulbb7ej.jpg) (http://s1356.photobucket.com/user/Latimeria3/media/P1010287_zpsxulbb7ej.jpg.html)


We should just call it quits now as we both caught a Sevengill and Soupfin and a second first of the evening.. a 4-shark night.  I only can recall 3 shark nights, but don't remember a 4 shark night.

Yep, we should go home, but both of us get bit again!  Damn!  Both of us lost the fish and it could have been an 8 fish night to go along with the last two we missed also.  That just meant we still had time to fish... especially since it was only 7:00 at this point!!!!!

So now Steve is a little bummed that even he caught 2 sharks (one of each) that he did not climb up the leaderboard and gain ground on me.  How do you make Steve feel better?  Catch another Sevengill and a WHOPPER!   ;D


I had a great bite and set the hook on what I thought might have been reef.... until it started swimming away! lol

This one was big and we both knew it.  What a pain in the ass trying to get it tail grabbed and slid onto the beach.  She was big and round!

(http://i1356.photobucket.com/albums/q733/Latimeria3/P1010293_zpshprohov0.jpg) (http://s1356.photobucket.com/user/Latimeria3/media/P1010293_zpshprohov0.jpg.html)


#5

Female - 98.5"

(http://i1356.photobucket.com/albums/q733/Latimeria3/P1010288_zpshfmisged.jpg) (http://s1356.photobucket.com/user/Latimeria3/media/P1010288_zpshfmisged.jpg.html)

Now Steve is bummed because after all of that, he's now down one on the list.

It wouldn't take Steve long before he got the chance to tie it up with the SIXTH shark of the evening!

Squatch got the typical shark bite and sent the hook home!  Shark on again!!!!


#6

Female and 84"

(http://i1356.photobucket.com/albums/q733/Latimeria3/P1010305_zpstyhe7riw.jpg) (http://s1356.photobucket.com/user/Latimeria3/media/P1010305_zpstyhe7riw.jpg.html)

(http://i1356.photobucket.com/albums/q733/Latimeria3/P1010298_zpso4ezj0vu.jpg) (http://s1356.photobucket.com/user/Latimeria3/media/P1010298_zpso4ezj0vu.jpg.html)



Tied up at 3 a piece and should have had 10 sharks on the beach instead of the 6 if we would have not lost the earlier fish.

Well, just like in sports, there needs to be a winner.  We figured a 7th shark would be busting the Casino with all of these big-fat sharks...



This one he was calling as a big one from all the fight it had, but I think it was just us being sore and tired from fighting and landing all these sharks.

Not a monster, but a legit female Soupfin for sure!

#7 68" and FAT!

(http://i1356.photobucket.com/albums/q733/Latimeria3/P1010312_zpscqusyfbn.jpg) (http://s1356.photobucket.com/user/Latimeria3/media/P1010312_zpscqusyfbn.jpg.html)

She also looked like she was tasted by a big Sevengill from the cut on her, or could have been reef.  It looks toothy though.

(http://i1356.photobucket.com/albums/q733/Latimeria3/P1010307_zpsi6wuekcw.jpg) (http://s1356.photobucket.com/user/Latimeria3/media/P1010307_zpsi6wuekcw.jpg.html)



Well, we packed it in at 9:00.

Final Tally, 7 surf sharks.

Steve: 2 Soupfin and 2 Sevengills
Me:  1 Soupfin and 2 Sevengills

It was the night of the firsts.

First 4 shark night (Overshadowed with every one afterwards)
First double header
First 7 shark night
First 4 shark night by one person
All quality fish... 

Wow, just wow.  I'm sore as sh!t this morning as none of the sharks wanted to stay near the rods, so we had to drag them all a long way each time.  My back is killing me!

Great job Squatch!  The bar has been raised!

Thanks for reading and until next tide!!!!

Wow, very impressive evening  :o It's going to be hard to beat, but something tells me you guys eventually will  8)

Wow! Simply amazing!

WOW!
:o

Out Frick'n Standing guys.  I stoked for both of you, God knows you've put your time in.  Once again, much congrats!!!!!!!!!!!!

(http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i119/vdisney/thumbsupshirt.jpg) (http://s70.photobucket.com/user/vdisney/media/thumbsupshirt.jpg.html)

Truly epic. That's a trip many dream of. You guys were living that dream.

 :o :o :o :o :o

I have to say, I really was getting a bad attitude from landing in the weed pile every cast. Amazing how changing my aim from 1200 to 1130 made all the difference in the world and I remained virtually unmolested by the weeds.

What a night it turned out to be, even though I caught four sharks, I only closed the gap by one fish. Oh well, it is fun trying.

Wow!! Out of nowhere a night like that comes along. WTG!! this'll get all of our blood boiling for sure.. You guys have set the bar for the upcoming season, quite high I would say. :o...I wonder if that super low tide that immediately preceded your sesh had any influence on things?  ???
JOE

Holy shiet muslims!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You guys had a night for the ages!!!!

Holy smokes.

This is ridiculously awesome guys! Making the trek down tonigt. Hopefully will see someone down there cause I only vaguely know the area.  ;D

Talk about going from zero to a hundred mph with the shark fishing. I guess the trout can wait.  ;)

That is unreal!

Holding it down like always! Way to go guys! You put in the time and get rewarded!

Ok I was jealous before just because,  but NOW I'm REALLY Jealous!!!!  We certainly do NOT have sharks like that in AZ!  Congrats guys, looks like it was a great night to be out on the water!

Wow what a night.
We go out hoping to get 1 and you guys slay them with 7.
Great night of fishing for sure.

: shoresurfer  December 15, 2016, 04:59:45 p
Wow what a night.
We go out hoping to get 1 and you guys slay them with 7.
Great night of fishing for sure.

We've never seen more than 3 in a night and with the 4 missed fish, we could have had 11!  This was a case of being in the right spot at the right time and it didn't look like it in the beginning.  lol

: LONGCAST JOE  December 14, 2016, 12:04:05 p
.I wonder if that super low tide that immediately preceded your sesh had any influence on things?  ???
JOE

I normally don't like big tidal changes and shifts, but this is one of those nights when it seemed to make a difference since they apparently appeared to be breeding or something. They were all swollen with babies (or food) and the female 7's had raw and pink (active) cloaca's. I did catch a jacked up male who had the energy of a strung out crack head full of testosterone who could have been breeding them?.  Right place, Right Time even though the previous 2 times we were there we didn't even get a nibble from a lobster!

Mysteries of the Sea.

Absolutely murdered it 8)

Wow! What an amazing session guys! Nice read too. I saw your post Tom, about the small surf and ran out to fish myself.

Those ares some beasts! Congrats!

 >:( Wow! Congrats!

Freakin awesome, gonna be hell now for me to catch up to that.

Oh man, what a great report.  I'm glad I took the time to read the long-version.  You guys are the best.

Glad Steve found a way to avoid the salad molesters.   :)

How do you tell male from female, and is there a preference in catching one or the other - i.e., are females bigger, males put up a better fight?

Hey Mike, the males have claspers. External genitalia so to speak. The smaller fish we catch tend to be the males, and they make a good showing of themselves. Especially on the sand. I feel like they are smaller, come in quicker, so are less tired when we beach them. I also feel like the smaller size lets them be more nimble and turn on us more quickly. This is not in any way to say the females don't need to be dealt with carefully.

Pretty epic, very epic, epically epic! You guys are my heroes!  8) Way to go!

: sasquatch  December 19, 2016, 10:07:51 p
Hey Mike, the males have claspers. External genitalia so to speak. The smaller fish we catch tend to be the males, and they make a good showing of themselves. Especially on the sand. I feel like they are smaller, come in quicker, so are less tired when we beach them. I also feel like the smaller size lets them be more nimble and turn on us more quickly. This is not in any way to say the females don't need to be dealt with carefully.

Ahh, I had no idea about any of that.  Are the claspers shown in any of the pics above?  Is it the horseshoe-shaped middle fin set? 

M or F, they sound dangerous to me.  I'd hate to be on the losing end of those teeth.