The Monster Shark Tournament

newportfisher · 10-20-2004, 04:33 PM

OK I am sitting ere watching the tube and i change to the monster shark tournament. It disgusts me. They go and catch big beautiful sharks, then they kill them in a inhumane way.
Then they go back to the docks thinking they made the "big" catch. Then they claim they are good fisherman. I DONT like this show AT ALL!
What do you guys think?

garyk · 10-20-2004, 04:46 PM

My opinion is - don't go killing the apex predator (big sharks) and then whine that there's too many seals and sealions.

Fish mojo · 10-20-2004, 05:18 PM

I felt the same way when I saw it. I'm all for proper fishing and hunting but that was just a waste...

8bait · 10-20-2004, 05:31 PM

I agree don't go killing those Sharks we need'em, want to kill something go kill a sealion or seal

fishyjames · 10-20-2004, 05:34 PM

You can kill a shark for the right reasons and all the wrong reasons. Looking for a trophy in competition is the latter.

steel_beaver · 10-20-2004, 05:41 PM

I agree but you know what else disgusts me....... the "PRO" tournament Bass fishing.... a bunch of guys with 20lb test line catching 5lb bass....they feel a fish, and they set the hook so hard that they probably brake its spine in at least 5 pieces.... and then they crank the reel as fast as they can and drag the fish onto the boat

what's the fun in that :whazzup:
if those "PRO's" came here, they wouldn't be able to catch a steelhead or a salmon to save their skin....

sorry had to vent a little

Stz ll · 10-20-2004, 05:41 PM

I guess for me it would depend on what happened to the sharks afterward. They were catching mostly Thresher Sharks. If you have ever eaten them they are one of the finest eating fish there is. If the fish are sold and used as food I don't see much difference than any commercial fishing. If the sharks are wasted then I would agree that this is disgusting.

lilnorthfork · 10-20-2004, 06:56 PM

Knew a guy that captained a supply boat out to oil rigs near Guam. Said he saw thousands, that's right THOUSANDS, of dead sharks... minus a fin. I lived in Asia for a couple years and, yes, shark fin soup is a prized dish. Now that is WRONG!

Threemuch · 10-20-2004, 07:00 PM

I think if you kill an animal, use it. If they are using these sharks for meat post tourney, fine. But to kill these animals to hang em high and proclaim yourself the best fisherman is just wrong.

The way they did this show is ridiculous. Making these guys look like they are fighting these fish and risking their lives. There is no danger is angling for sharks, except a small amount at endgame, and that is much mitigated through the use of harpoons and flying gaffs. Spear em. Then you have some brave fishermen. Hook and line? Big deal When that big thresher hit that dude in the eye with his tail, I laughed pretty hard.

KB

willametteriveroutlaw · 10-20-2004, 07:06 PM

Boo Hoo there are much worse things happening in the world right now.
Is this going to be the new get my panties in a knot thread of the day. :whazzup: Go whine somewhere else so as not to give the rest of us headaches from reading this dribble. Or better yet go fishing in your shiny white new north rivers.

Every day its a constant barrage of threads like, i saw someone mishandling a dark hatchery fish or someone was snagging here or there... WHO CARES if you fish very much you will see these things on a regualr basis its a sad fact, posting on ifish and hoping for the choir to chime in to tell you are a good person for saying something, or hoping for a RRRRRRARH RAAAARRGH here, here in the back ground. God its worse than a damn soroity house around here sometimes. If you want to read a good story, do a search they are not hard to find.

wootersen · 10-20-2004, 07:12 PM

Quote:

Boo Hoo there are much worse things happening in the world right now.
Is this going to be the new get my panties in a knot thread of the day. :whazzup: Go whine somewhere else so as not to give the rest of us headaches from reading this dribble. Or better yet go fishing in your shiny white new north rivers.

Every day its a constant barrage of threads like, i saw someone mishandling a dark hatchery fish or someone was snagging here or there... WHO CARES if you fish very much you will see these things on a regualr basis its a sad fact, posting on ifish and hoping for the choir to chime in to tell you are a good person for saying something, or hoping for a RRRRRRARH RAAAARRGH here, here in the back ground. God its worse than a damn soroity house around here sometimes. If you want to read a good story, do a search they are not hard to find.

Geez man...do you need a hug ???

:grin: :grin:

bobofish · 10-20-2004, 07:17 PM

Dude,
If you don't like it, don't read it...it's that simple. I understand what you're saying, it's a little cheesy to just want people to chime in with you. However, I think this guy was just discussing the idea, and maybe trying to figure out if he was off-base or not. Chill out man. Are you the same type of dude who tells people what to think or not think? Just ignore these posts, noone is holding a 7/0 hook to your head.

On another note, I think it is truly cheesy the way these "pro" bassfishermen fish. They don't even care if they tail hook, gut hook, eyeball hook a fish, just as long as they get it in. With all the kids watching, and trying to fish like these guys, I think it's dumb. I think they would however be very good steelhead and salmon fishermen out here though, they would just snag snag snag till they got their poundage.
Cheers,
L

StinkyH · 10-20-2004, 07:17 PM

Quote:

Boo Hoo there are much worse things happening in the world right now.
Is this going to be the new get my panties in a knot thread of the day. :whazzup: Go whine somewhere else so as not to give the rest of us headaches from reading this dribble. Or better yet go fishing in your shiny white new north rivers.

Every day its a constant barrage of threads like, i saw someone mishandling a dark hatchery fish or someone was snagging here or there... WHO CARES if you fish very much you will see these things on a regualr basis its a sad fact, posting on ifish and hoping for the choir to chime in to tell you are a good person for saying something, or hoping for a RRRRRRARH RAAAARRGH here, here in the back ground. God its worse than a damn soroity house around here sometimes. If you want to read a good story, do a search they are not hard to find.

Awww... someone need a hug?

Aww - cute kitten... that's nice.

StinkyH

Fishin Magician · 10-20-2004, 07:22 PM

:lurk:

pearl · 10-20-2004, 07:34 PM

I did see a dock hand with a fillet knife after wieghing one of the threshers. Keep in mind it was an 8 inch fillet knife but a fillet knife just the same. That chowd is probably still cutting on that fish.

Wish I was having thresher for dinner tonight Yum Yum Yum

STGRule · 10-20-2004, 07:38 PM

Here's a hug from me.

Hope you feel better in the morning...

ANDYCOHO · 10-20-2004, 07:41 PM

Quote:

I agree but you know what else disgusts me....... the "PRO" tournament Bass fishing.... a bunch of guys with 20lb test line catching 5lb bass....they feel a fish, and they set the hook so hard that they probably brake its spine in at least 5 pieces.... and then they crank the reel as fast as they can and drag the fish onto the boat

what's the fun in that :whazzup:
if those "PRO's" came here, they wouldn't be able to catch a steelhead or a salmon to save their skin....

sorry had to vent a little

To each their own.

My Dad fishes the "Pro" & "Am-Pro" tournaments circuits in Washington, California and Oregon, and he is way more intense on the water attempting to put fish to the boat than I am while pursuing TUNA!, Halibut, Chinook, Coho, Steelhead, Sturgeon, Ect.....

Quote:

if those "PRO's" came here, they wouldn't be able to catch a steelhead or a salmon to save their skin....

He is also known to outfish me some days on the water while pursuing some of the above!

You may think your "All That" because you have caught a steelhead or a salmon, but a true sportsman wouldn't cast judgement an something they obviously know nothing about, without first gaining some knowledge of the fishery.

How many Steelhead and Salmon do you release? 100% of your fish?

Every Pro Bass fisherman takes the absolute most care to insure those "5lb bass" make it to "The Weigh In" and back to the water unharmed and alive. If those "5lb bass" are brought to the weigh in dead or obviosly injured they get hammered on Their Points (what pays the bills in a Pro Bass fisherman's life).

Maybe Pro Bass Fisherman Disgust you, but my Dad is and always will be my Hero in my life.....

Striper Club · 10-20-2004, 08:15 PM

Not sure how they handle the carcs after the shark thing, so not going to comment either way, since I don't know enough about it.

Far as bass tournaments, I had a bunch written out, but decided that the anti-bass fisher post was written out of misinformation.

<3 bass
<3 salmonids

bobofish · 10-21-2004, 02:12 AM

I for one will rephrase my comments...
Not all Bass Fishermen are dopes...in fact probablly the majority of serious fishermen are not at all dopes. What I meant was those guys you see (and of course as with all things, it's the bad ones that you notice...) doing whatever they can to get a fish. Some of those pros are class acts, but some of them couldn't care less about the fish, solong as they get the poundage. I guess my comments were meant more as a little sarcasm than anything.
'pologize if I annoyed anybody. Ahh...nobody takes me seriously anyway, so I'm sure no harm done.
Cheers,
L

Striper Club · 10-21-2004, 03:47 AM

0

hogliner · 10-21-2004, 05:11 AM

I think willametteriveroutlaw has a legitimate point.

stlhd_dreaming · 10-21-2004, 06:23 AM

Let me chime in here. I have been to those Big Shark Tourneys out in Massachusetts ( where they hold it ) and they are awesome never had the chance to get into a shark but I saw wome of those guys fighting those fish for well over 6 hours. Yes Thresher Shark is one of the best tasting meat there is. All products from the shark do go to the local seafood market out there after they are cut up if the anglers do not want it. They tourney will also pay the people that caught the fish a certain amount of money for the shark so they turn around and put it in the Seafood Market. People out here have to much concern for what is humane go to the east coast and tell those people it is inhumane and they will probably beat the crap out of you. They live and die by salt fishing out there and shark is the biggest game they can get and they love to fish and eat them. I know I love to eat them thresher yummy I cant wait to get home and eat some the only drawback is that it is so expensive around 10 to 12 bucks a pound but well worth it.

FastAction · 10-21-2004, 07:00 AM

Bleeding heart left wingers......

I watched it, I enjoyed it! I was Jealous that I must sit here in the Oregon sunshine while rich boys fish for big mean sharks!

slamin salmon · 10-21-2004, 08:06 AM

I want to know what station it's on. The deed is already done.

KChookem · 10-21-2004, 08:38 AM

I suspect there are more than a few people who would criticize Pac. NW fisherman for some of our practices and techniques. Catch & Release merely for the fun of it (drive a hook into them, drag them up on the beach or scar them up with a net, rip the hook out, put them back gently or not); bloody up a finned-Coho, then release them with a trail of blood; kill various 'trash' fish just because we can; Catch more fish than we eat. These are the things I do, I won't even go into the things that others do that are even more disgusting.

Not to worry though; as soon as some folks get animals, and the environment a little better protected from people, they will be able to devote more time to us (the fisherpeople).

Re the comments about Pro Bass Anglers not being able to catch Salmon & Steelhead. I've seen plenty of photo's of one top ranked Pro, who lived & schooled in Oregon, with nice catches of Salmon for him and his family. I believe Bass Pro's would be in the "10%" classification if they chose to fish here, just as many of our top guides would be very competitive if they chose to fish Bass or Walleye there.

weekender · 10-21-2004, 08:42 AM

Quote:

I think willametteriveroutlaw has a legitimate point.

Ahmen.

T-Jet · 10-21-2004, 08:51 AM

Think about it...........Fish all day.........and get paid for it! I think they have found the secret! Im all in to be on TV! Try this on for size. A NW based tournament tour for Salmon and Steelhead! Full blown national coverage on the TV. Sponsors, the works!

willametteriveroutlaw · 10-21-2004, 08:52 AM

The problem is this, You never know by the title of the thread if its going to be a whine fest or not, and by the time you look to find out, your day just got a little worse :depressed:. Focus on something positive for once, we are having a stellar fishing year and all people can do is focus on something as pointless as a shark fishing tournament, where I am pretty sure the sharks are going to be eaten. If you want to worry about sharks, there are other more pressing problems like asian finning operations. You folks need to fish more a worry less about things that you can't do much about. I mean how are you guys going to end snagging, drive around to trailer parks and break all of their eagle claws.

Changing rules won't help that much because despite all of the good intent, you'll end up messing up things for a lot of legitimate fishermen.
If you are really that worried about all of the sharks, call peta I am sure they have a fish suit they'll loan ya for your protest.

T-Jet · 10-21-2004, 08:54 AM

Ouch! :shocked:.but true!

jokester · 10-21-2004, 09:02 AM

Hmmmmmm....

:lurk:

-jokester

oregonoutdoors · 10-21-2004, 12:07 PM

Threshers are some of the most powerful and tasty fish in the sea. There is NO way that the meat was wasted. people should just stop whinning because if they were presented with the oppertunity to go thresher fishing I bet they would go.

West Linn Wader · 10-21-2004, 12:08 PM

I don't like to see people get bashed just for posting their thoughts, regardless of whether they are for or against an issue and I don't think anyone's day (other than WRO's) got any worse just because Newportfisher brought this one up.

Last I checked this was a free country where you can say, think and worry about whatever you damn well please and it's very much the same on this board (within reason). IMO the point is irrelevant when made in an angry and insulting manner

p.s. - Our North River is Silver.

yankemnbankem · 10-21-2004, 12:35 PM

what would Jesus do?

Fish_N_Russ · 10-21-2004, 03:59 PM

There was a part of the show that said marine biologists study the dead sharks, and they were taking off fins etc for research. And someone else mentioned that the meat goes to local markets, so whats the problem? Its all getting used for a good use, plus the attraction probably puts a LOT of $ in the local economy which is great for the businesses. Sounds like the same kinda thing we do here

newportfisher · 10-21-2004, 04:29 PM

I saw that the fish get studied but i never saw anything about eating them. Is that what heppens to the fish?

Uncle Roman · 10-21-2004, 05:07 PM

That shark tourney is total crap! Haven't those yahoos learned anything from shark week?

Ed Fast · 10-21-2004, 07:11 PM

It's funny,,

Somebody other than the original poster did the most whining and complaining! :grin: :grin:

What's wrong with posting your opinion?

Here's one. ....

Who needs bass tournaments for hi speed boats with 200 horse motors and sponsor stickers all over them and bud light stickers and huge trucks and tons of fish caught when our local cold water fisheries have the same thing?

Just look around you on the coast or bouy 10 or wherever.

Ed

steel_beaver · 10-24-2004, 03:12 AM

Sorry it took me so long to come back and reply, but i couldn't do it any sooner.... i don't want to drag out the topic, i just want to clarify some things that i have said and might have been misunderstood....

I want to apologize to Andy and everyone else that might have been offended by my "PRO" comment.... i would have PM'ed him personally, but he decided to block me out so i didn't have a choice but to post it here.... Andy, i didn't mean to say that your dad disgusts me. i'm also sure that he catches a lot of salmon.... it was a bad generalization on my side.
that said, i still havent changed my opinion on pro bass fishing. here is what i meant to say in my previous post:
"i think the bass fishing we see on ESPN is ridiculus! sometimes when i flip through the channels and i see mr Bill Dance... or any of the other guys, i pause for a minute and watch... and then i'm sorry i did, and i say to myself,'If he is a FISHERMAN, i don't want to call myself one'.
for me fishing is fun, because i get to go out there, stand "face to face" with the fish and try to outsmart it... it doesn't matter if i'm fishing for salmon, steelhead or bass. the fish has her natural instinct, and i have my skill, and we both have a chance to suceed in what we are doing... and when i see the PRO's, "fishing" on TV,i don't feel the same way

. those bass have no chance... the PRO's get in their $50,000 boats and they look on their state of the art dept finders, and look for ledges (because Bass like structure).... when they find the ledge, fish show up on the fish finder, and PRO sweats like a madman for half a second and decides that this is the place

... well since he is fishing for bass, and bass will hit almost anything that moves, he decides that he will put a big, ugly, rubber worm(that smells like engine oil that should have been changed 3000 miles ago

) on the hook and decides to put it 2 ft from the mouth of that fish he's been watching on the fish finder...... well what a surprize, the fish hit it

so its time to punish it. the PRO has his 500-600 dollar setup(rod and reel, which is absolutely useless to him because he doesn't even use the drag on the reel and the rod might as well be a piece of rebar) and he has 20 lb test line, so he reels as fast as he can , and the fish is in the boat!!! he fooled it!!! he did it!!! he won the "battle"... well i'm sure my 3 year old cousin can catch a bass with 20 lb line, if someone put him right on top of the fish.... so why do we call the PRO a professional??? because he can read the fishfinder and he has a sponsor jacket????......."

I have seen people who catch 30-40 lb fish with 2lb test line.... these people use bobbers (floats) that are rated for 1/30 oz, because if they use anything bigger, it will spook the fish... these people can cast the 1/30oz bobbers 50+ yards

if they have to, in order to find the fish:........ i wouldn't hesitate to call them pro's..... they have prooven to me that they have the necessery skill, and the determination to OUTSMART the fish.... and the Bass Pro's can catch hundreds of bass every day on their scarry looking, funky smelling rubber worms

, they still will be nowhere near professionals in my books...

i know the above doesn't apply to everyone that fishes for bass, and thank god... i know Andy's dad is probably a great man to be around, and i don't think less of him because he fishes for bass... i do(fish for bass) too... i am just sharing my opinion, and what i think is wrong with professional bass fishing.... i know this post will change nothing, and i'm not trying to...

tight lines everyone and good luck fooling those slime rockets

STEEL BEAVER

fishermon · 10-24-2004, 10:29 AM

The show is on ESPN2 - Sunday at 11:00am's

Fish Slayer · 10-24-2004, 03:50 PM

I think WRO brings up a great point. I totally agree with him. You cant do anything about the sharks in the tournament so get over it! I like the show too. The 50 sharks in that tournament isnt going to make a difference in the world. There's billions! So go fishing and get over it! :grin:

Striper Club · 10-24-2004, 04:47 PM

No, what you are descibing regarding bass tournies and fishing in general is completely inaccurate. The absolute majority of bass fishmen, pro and amateur alike treat the fish with as much respect as one can offer.

Also, the $$$ gear and boat do not make fishing any easier than targetting another species. Yeah, bass do like dropoffs and structure, but getting on top of them in no way guarantees anyone non-stop action much less the larger fish which are required for tournies. If it were that easy, I doubt you would see the huge popularity that the sport receives today.

hawgsnhogs · 10-24-2004, 05:53 PM

steel_beaver

Your clarification doesn't wash with me. I think it is slightly biased and hypocritical. I've seen salmon/steelhead "fishermen" use many of those same tactics. I've never bass fished, so I have no first hand knowledge (although I accidentally caught a smallmouth while steelhead fishing). It doesn't look like something I would care to do personally because I enjoy fishing the cold water species and of course sturgeon.
I'm sure you did not intend to insult Andy or his Dad. I have known both for over 20 years and know Andy's dad to be a true sportsman in both skill and ethics. If more "sportsmen" followed his example, we would all have a better time out there.

Just my piece.....hnh

5 Salt · 10-24-2004, 09:04 PM

Do your home work before you point your finger at others....

Look as the size of the filets from these Monster Sharks - Pic gallery link from 2004 tourney

Monster Shark Cark Fest

bobofish · 10-25-2004, 03:08 AM

Folks,
This is an internet discussion board, not a scientific conference. Steelbeaver's comments are meant (I assume) as a general impression of some prominant pros. I for one agree with him about a lot of these guys on the tv shows...they don't show a lot of real intelligence or decency. Take that guy Charlie Moore...every time I tune into his show, he's getting smoked by some local yokel whether or not he's ever fished for that species before. Then he takes his very sweet time throwing the fish in, and jiggles it all around first.
Come on guys, St. Beaver's not calling all of you bass-fishermen jerks, he's referring to these prominant guys that everybody sees and tries to copy. His comments about how they reel them in are pretty accurate if you watch the shows, they just crank 'em in, they might as well be using a winch and steel cable.
By the way, have you ever stopped by one of the lakes where these guys have their big bucks tournaments, a couple of days after they're all gone and the bucks are given out? Most of the fish are let out right next to the weigh-in station, next to the main boat ramp. You can count the numbers of floaters in the dozens.
Again, don't get your undies all bunched up, nobody's trying to insult the rest of the world, I for one am just pointing out my observations and impressions. Last time I checked, that was allowed, and even encouraged.
Cheers,
L
p.s. I checked out those pictures of the shark carks, and boy, would I like to get me one of those fillets.....or even half of one....has anyone ever had shark fish and chips? good eats.......

Ryan Pultz · 10-25-2004, 03:50 AM

I watched the show and they said the sharks were used in research. I say go for it if they are being used to further understand the shark then so be it. rp

YaHoeeFishOn · 10-25-2004, 07:59 AM

I watched show . While I always question how much presure a certain fishery can withstand , I support quata's and substainable fishery's. I enjoyed show . They where free standing fighting 3-400 lb sharks. That shot of the Thresors tail wipping above transom and smaking the guy in side head was kewl . I watched the 2 episodes back to back Sunday. The winner won a 31ft boat . The got 1.5 pts per pound. They said during show that they are good eating. From the photo's from last year it looks like guys in orange shirts are filleting up those fish . As long as they don't overfish the population , let them have fun. There just not cutting there fins of and dumping them . I do have a issue with that .

YaHoeeFishOn · 10-25-2004, 08:28 AM

This is off the espn2 webb site . It mentions regulation and food use .

ESPN to air 18th Monster Shark Tournament

ESPN Outdoors Communications

ESPN will initiate a multi-year deal when it televises the 18th Annual Oak Bluffs Monster Shark Tournament presented by Miller High Life on Oct. 5, Oct. 12 and Oct. 19.
"We're excited to give viewers the chance to see some of the most fierce catches ever made on the open water," said Michael Antinoro, executive producer of ESPN Original Entertainment.
Presented by EOE, the event was taped July 15-17 on the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Massachusetts. The winner receives a boat and trailer worth $130,000.
The Monster Shark Tournament is the premier shark-fishing tournament in New England, with state and IGFA world records to its credit. Last year's 506-pound thresher shark caught by Bill Brown and the crew of the Billfish was a state record.
Chris Peter's 1,221-pound make - an all-tackle world record - was caught at Oak Bluffs in 2001.
Other sharks landed in the tournament include a 784-pound mako and a 709-pound tiger shark.
Known as the nation's most environmentally regulated shark competition, most sharks landed during the tournament are released. The sharks that are brought to the docks for weigh-in, are fully utilized, with shark steaks being donated to senior centers and food pantries and the non-consumable portions of the fish refined into organic fertilizer.
The landed sharks also provide scientific data for the Apex Predators Program, the Massachusetts Department of Marine Fisheries, and the National Marine Fisheries Service.
EOE is developing a wide-variety of branded programming to add to the network's comprehensive event and sports news coverage. Using a collection of genres - original movies, reality-based shows, dramatic series, documentaries, game shows and more - ESPN's goal is to broaden its audience by more strongly appealing to newer and more casual sports fans.
ESPN air times for Monster Shark Tournament are 8 p.m. ET Oct. 5 and 7 p.m. ET Oct. 12 and 19.