Whatcha' gonna do when they decide to feed on you

yes, i dont think he would of backed off.
i yelled at him to throw it when i saw the shark charging after him. he didn't even see the shark coming after him.

i didnt have any ph on me. i will tell you one thing though if i did, the shark would of given enough time to slip it on. his behavior became gradually more and more aggresive.

thanks. i will definetly be in the market for some.

maybe some of those with the pouch that you carry on your belt.

i am very glad you guys are ok, thats why is good having you buddy close , hope to get together soon with u guys and pantoja when he comes back from cuba to go fishing, later be safe

beautiful vis that day this was around 60 ft. a nice mackeral and decent mutton.

i got some humidity in the camera last pic came out like shit. the shot on the mutton stoned him right behind the eye

We had a similar incident up here about a year ago diving with Oto. The water was very clear and there were alot of other boats in the general area line fishing. Gags were abundant, but so were the Bulls. I shot one and remember getting the fish under control and swimming it towards the boat constantly fending off sharks. There was not another diver near me, so after a while I tried swimming the fish back to the boat attempting to have it above the surface. During the swim, I knew sharks were rushing me as my fins kept striking something solid, which was the body of sharks.

About 15 minutes after my ordeal, it happend to Oto. He was so determined to keep his fish and not give it up, that he actually punched some of the sharks that rushed him and towards the fish. Perhaps Oto will chime in to relive that day, but it was one of the more productive and adrenaline rushing spearfishing trips we've had up here. Every situation is different.

thanks for sharing that story rolo.

here is a guy who posted something similar on SB a while ago.

i think he was hungrier than the shark

http://www.vimeo.com/3276926

i think it was palm beach
this is the thread

http://www.spearboard.com/showthread.php?t=78494&highlight=bull+shark

i like the response that said why didnt you give up that shit fish!!!

i didnt see him losing the knife good catch

I guess I've been very lucky with sharks. I've seen many bulls and some large HH in relatively shallow water. From my experience poking a shark that is eating your fish from your stringer or a fish that holed up has no effect what so ever. I think once they are in that feeding mode it takes a lot to get their attention. I learned this after shooting a big mangrove snaper. It went under a ledge and a big nurse came in and decided it was hers to keep. We poke it several times as hard as possible but nothing. In that particular case I would not PH the shark since it is not posing a threat to me I would just change spot. I always try to have a PH just in case, I do not hesitate to let them have it if they get too close like in that video where the guy is touching with the tip of the spear. That's why I hate stringers so much. I try to get the fish out of the water ASAP. There is always someone that is willing to drive the boat in exchange for a good time at sea with friends and fish. Those that have dived with me before know I have great respect for sharks specially in bad viz. I don't know how Rolo does it, diving in those wrecks up north filled with fish AND sharks. I guess when you do it often enough you learn to ignore it.

I guess every situation is different like you all said. I have encounter sharks numerous times. But everyone has been unique. I remember in one trip with ASESINO to Vieques we found a deep drop down to 90+feet deep. We caught a barracuda and started chumming. after a while a big mutton showed up and he goes down and hit it. I always keep an eye for my partner when diving deep. So when he get to the surface he started pointing down at a big Mack that was doing cirlces on the Cudas body. So down i went. and at the very bottom 90+ feet i shot him:rolleyes1:. When i got to the surface i was a little tired due to those deep dives. and i felt a big shadow passing behind me, and i didnt pay any attention to it. He gave me his shaft with the mutton on it. and He helped me get the big mack up, when i look behind me a decent size Caribbean reef shark showed up, and got us by surprise with fish in the hand and no loaded gun. I start laughing because i knew we were in a little trouble. But i manage to get the mutton out of the shaft and let him reload fast. after that he took control of the situation and we manage to string both fish with the shark circling both of us. He even charged him twice trying to get close enough for a shot. Now the boat was far as hell. because we split in 2 groups in the water. when we got picked up. I felt releive that the situation didnt got out of control. Now i know some of my Puerto Rico friends will remember that day. Because that is the day Naranjo's boat sank in the coast of that island. Friends i lost my biggest mack that day and 80% of my gear, not to the shark but to a deffective boat:( . After all i was happy we were all ok. but i will remember that day all of my life, and the damn Mack. The shark didnt stay close for long. i guess he read ASESINO's intentions and he knew he was about to die

I caught the knife thing. The shark chased it to the bottom. That guy was scared shitless and almost entangled himself completely in his rope/line. I would have dropped the fish in a jiffy. He said it would have taken him too long to thread the spear etc... I would of ripped that sucker right off and reloaded while he was swallowing.

Quote from pargo

Try to aim for the eye or the gills. I believe nurse sharks are more likely to display this kind of behavior. Other sharks are reluctant to even let you get close whereas nurses don't seem to care, never mind withstanding repeated pokes.

It definitely seems like nurse sharks are less sensitive on the head than any other shark I've encounter. I wonder because of all the prowling under ledges and in cracks looking for and extracting prey, if they've developed a tougher, less sensitive head. Every other species I've forcefully poked, got the message after a good poke on the nose or forehead. I try not hurt them to much, and won't go for a debilitating jab until I feel my life is threatened.

Who knows for sure.