Sport Fishing for Hammerhead Sharks By John Cortale
In April of 2011 my wife and I took a big-game fishing trip to Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Catching a trophy hammerhead shark measuring 9.5 feet and weighing 350 pounds, my best catch in roughly 10 years of fishing, was the highlight of the excursion.
Sharks are one of the most sought-after game animals in sport fishing. Considered one of the greatest predator animals in the world, sharks have no natural enemies, and put up vicious fights when caught. Game sharks frequent areas with a steady flow of warm water, which makes Fort Lauderdale and Miami common destinations for game shark fishing. Several species of big game shark migrate along the South Florida coastline each year between March and June, and are infamous for lingering around Fort Lauderdale’s natural reef lines and other bait fish habitats along the coast.
Hammerhead sharks usually migrate through Fort Lauderdale from February through May. Males generally reach about 6 feet in length, and females can exceed 10 feet. Typically, most hammerhead sharks fall between five and seven feet, and have a reputation as one of the strongest and hardest-fighting fish available for sport fishing.
About the author: John Cortale enjoys fishing with his family. In addition to big-game shark fishing, Cortale takes frequent trips to Montuak, Long Island, to visit its blue fish habitats.
