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BOCA RATON, Fla. – Viktor Hluben is a student at Florida Atlantic University. He’s also a member of a group of saltwater anglers called Landshark Fishing. As their name suggests, the group is focused on land-based catching and releasing of sharks. Hluben recently scored a group record when he landed a 14-foot hammerhead that weighed upwards of 700 pounds.
Joined by some of his Landshark Fishing friends, Hluben was night fishing on a beach in Broward County, Florida. They were expecting to catch some small sharks, but when the hammerhead hit, he knew he it was no ordinary strike.
"We knew we had a giant fish on, we battled it for about an hour and thirty minutes, and when we saw the massive dorsal fin, we knew we hooked a giant shark," Hluben told WPTV News.
Once the shark was in shallow water, Hluben’s friends wrangled it up onto the sand for a quick photo session.
"The only thing I was thinking in my head was pictures, video, quick and get it back in the water," said Hluben.
We knew we had a giant fish on, we battled it for about an hour and thirty minutes, and when we saw the massive dorsal fin, we knew we hooked a giant shark.
–Viktor Hluben
The shark measured 14 feet and is estimated to have tipped the scales at 700 pounds. This may sound like an absolute giant to those who are unfamiliar with the species, but Mark Perry of the Florida Oceanographic Society told WPTV that hammerheads that size are common in Florida. While Hluben’s catch was certainly impressive, there are hammerheads that reach nearly 20 feet.
Perry said that hammerheads are not as aggressive as other Florida species, such as bull and tiger sharks.
The Landshark Fishing group has landed multiple shark species during their late-night outings. They insist that they only practice catch and release, and do everything they can to ensure a safe release for every shark.
For example, on the YouTube video featuring Hluben’s hammerhead, the description says that members of the group “only use circle hooks as to ensure maximum health of the fish.”
Despite the group’s catch and release efforts, many critics have taken to the video’s comments section to voice their displeasure. One of the common complaints is that the anglers only clipped the line prior to releasing the shark. The hook remained lodged in its jaws.
Hluben responded personally to some of these negative posts, pointing out that he’d used a non-stainless steel hook that will rust out.
The video has definitely brought notoriety to Hluben and his Landshark Fishing friends. It was uploaded to YouTube on March 20 and already has more than 500,000 views.
And Hluben isn’t resting on his laurels. He told WPTV that he now wants to catch a 1,000 pounder. Grant Olsen joined the KSL.com team in 2012. He covers outdoor adventures, travel, product reviews and other interesting things. You can contact him at grantorrin@gmail.com.
