09-09-2003, 02:24 PM
My wierdest catch was not by me but one I witnessed first hand. With some free time between refuelings at sea during Vietnam, the ship I was stationed on decided to have "fish call", in 3,000 ft of South China Sea water. A Gunners Mate had 500 yards of 1000 # test shotline and a humongous trebble hook attached. he got a piece of spoiled meat from the cooks, slapped it on and tossed the line behind the ship (we were going very slow at the time, somewhere between a back stroke and a breast stroke). Laying in the hot Asian sun, a soft breeze blowing across the fantail and he was soon catching some ZZZZZZs. When he woke up several hours later, just about the time we were ready to crank on some speed, he found his line pacing the ship, not trailing behind. FISH ON! The Captain, who was an avid fisherman, slowed the ship and most of the crew crowded the fantail cheering him on while he hauled in the line, hand-over-hand. When it got close, we could see a 12 ft hammerhead shark at the end. Shark fin soup? Rigging up a hoist, the Gunners Mate began lifting it toward the handrail but then that shark gave a big burp, out popped the hook, he/she/it hit the water and swam slowly away.
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