Normally, we don't have much in the way of company, which is part of the attraction for us, but every now and then, we get some. I'll be the first to say, it's always nice to have witnesses to a decent catch, and even better when they're fellow shark fisherman. On this night, we were joined by some anglers that specialize in targeting sharks from the local pier. These guys are real good at what they do so, as always, we wanted to be at our best. When the group walked into our camp, Brooks was working his fish and the rest of the team and I were setting up for the pit stop. As should be expected, the excitement level was running high.

Now, we all know how fast things can move once a hot fish is leadered, but we have a specific protocol and system we've worked hard to perfect over the years that is specifically designed to ensure our safety and the vitality of any fish we intend to release. In this instance, somewhere between leadering Brooks' fish and going into our hook removal and tagging phase, we lost our ability to communicate as a team amongst all the talk, shouting, movement, and excitement of the crowd. Subsequently our safety, that of the onlookers and the treatment of the fish was becoming jeopardized; not to mention, the important element of documenting our catch and release. At one point, as my attention was taken away from the task at hand by the unexpected commotion, I turned back toward the fish with bolt cutters for this particular removal, and was very unpleasantly surprised to find someone other than me was working the hook, with, of all things, a piece of rope. Other than my concern and immediate feelings about the unknown person moving into my position to remove the hook from our fish, the technique displayed (a familiar one also used when you hook a finger or other body part) is not one we employ ... ever. Among many reasons is the delicate nature of the gill plates on these fish, which can be easily damaged when tugged or pulled. Contrary to popular belief, sharks are not indestructible animals. If sufficiently injured, they can appear to be very healthy when released, only to die later as a result of damage incurred during capture.

In the best interest of quickly regaining control, I took a deep breath, excused the individual, and got back to work. The more I thought about this scene later, though, the more it became important to address it here in hopes that others could learn from it. In the future, for everyone's sake, I'll make certain there's no question about what to do and not do as a spectator in our camp, including staying well out of the way...and quiet -- especially, when we're working with a fish. As the team leader, I take full responsibility for everything that happens out there, and like I said, it was a lesson learned. As quickly as everyone showed up, they were gone, and when it's all said and done, we appreciate the interest and support for what we're doing. I'm confident that a few of those present just got a little too excited in the heat of the moment and momentarily lost their sense of judgement. No harm, no fowl.

That said, we're definitely excited about the year so far. The team is good and warmed up on our last 8 sharks and we can't wait to see what comes to the surface next. Reports are coming in of 8' - 10' hammers and an unusual amount of large lemons and bulls. What is that? Can you hear it? Oh, that's the music to our ears! Stay tuned and always fish whenever and wherever you can.