Please visit our FISH FAQs page !!

I was there when this 874 lb. Mako was brought into Westlake Fishing Lodge. I believe it was September of 1989. The "Rum & Coke" was heading back from a successful porgie trip from Minimsha and Capt. Joe Martinek saw the big fin on the surface. He immediately woke up his son Joe Jr. and told him to rig one of the porgies that they had caught for a shark bait. This he did and the line was let out. The big fish circled the bait a couple of times then he snatched it and it was off to the races.

Now, at this point I should explain a couple of things about the "Rum & Coke". One of those things is that the boat , a wooden boat, was a 36' Post. Now Capt. Joe (God Bless him), when he wasn't out on charters, he was in the bilge stuffing some holes, changing one of the tranmissions, always had the overalls on. So alot of things can go very wrong with an old wood boat (Had 2 of my own) , She had every hold full of porgies, she had put up with heavy winds on one of the nights, and now this big Mako wanted to play.

I wasn't there for the fight. They really didn't talk about it that much. Maybe they had one of those good "What'the hell is wrong with you- fights" that fathers and sons could have when the poop hits the fan, while all this was going on. Be that as it may, they dragged home a fish that, as dockmaster, I got to cut up and sell to the local restaurants for him. Is this a great country or what!!

BOATS | FAQ | LINKS | E-MAIL | CORPORATE TRIPS | TEXT VERSION

Vote for this site "Top of the 'Net"

You are the enlightened Fisherman to troll thru these waters!!

written and maintained by