iStockphoto / Ryan Cake
Sharks are everywhere in the ocean with 530 known species. It should come as no surprise that they can be found in warm water, cold water, the shallows, and deep. But occasionally an encounter like the one below with an enormous hammerhead shark reminds us all how stealthy they can be.
The Florida Keys is the fishing capital of the world and where there are lots of fish there are, of course, lots of sharks. But the Florida Keys also lays claim to stunning sapphire blue water that is crystal clear in most parts so to see a hammerhead shark like this seemingly appear out of thin air is wild.
Massive Hammerhead Shark Stuns Fishermen Off Big Pine Key In Florida
We are just now getting into the unofficial ‘Tarpon Season‘ of fishing here in Southwest Florida but down in the Florida Keys there are tarpon year round. Where there are tarpon there are hammerhead sharks.
You see, to a hammerhead the ‘Silver King’ fish (tarpon’s nickname) is the human equivalent of a bone-in ribeye steak topped with foie gras and a lobster tail on the side. Tarpon are irresistible to hammerheads and when tarpon fishing season heats up in Florida so do the shark sightings.
This one came at Big Pine Key just underneath the world famous Seven Mile Bridge. It is a fisherman’s paradise with untold amounts of water moving through the area bringing with it an abundance of bait fish and predators. The water is clear but it is deep enough that a massive hammerhead shark like this one, who is locally nicknamed ‘Big Moe,’ was able to sneak up on the fishermen in this 24-foot Yellowfin boat.
Going back to that boat size for a second… The Yellowfin fishing boat is 24-feet long. That shark made that boat feel REAL SMALL in a hurry. Also, that dog was staring back at his owner like ‘DID YOU JUST SEE THAT?!’ and all I could think about is how my livestock guardian dog would have likely jumped straight in the water trying to get at the shark and I would have had to explain to the family why we needed to get a puppy… So good on that dog for staying put!
Locals Chime In On Run-Ins With Hammerheads
This is a popular fishing destination for locals and from people all over the world visiting the Florida Keys. I’ve only been to Big Pine Key once but it was the first stop on our fishing adventure (I mostly stick to fishing in/off Islamorada).
One person commented “Born and raised Big pine and I’m 61 and I’ll tell you there’s always been a monster lurking under that bridge.” Another local added “the amount of people who dive there during mini season gives me anxiety. Surprised we haven’t had any attacks.”
Someone who is clued in on the ‘Big Moe’ nickname for the shark had this to say: “Big Moe snuck up on me one time while I was Spearfishing. A truly incredible creature! Had no intention of harming me, but still scared the crap out of me for a second.” And anther person added “Big Moe. Bahia honda bridge. Big pine key is the best key. Lived there my whole youth.”
Let’s see that one more time just because I’m still in awe of the size of Big Moe:
So there you have it, folks. If you want to sound like a local just refer to this prehistoric hammerhead shark as ‘Big Moe’ and people will think you know ball. Funnily enough, there were a ton of comments on Instagram asking ‘how does everyone know this hammerhead shark’s name?!’ That’s just how we roll in Florida.