Fishermen hope tournament scares sharks away

OCEAN ISLE BEACH, NC (WWAY) — Fishermen across the southeast are preparing for the Jolly Mon King Mackerel Tournament in Ocean Isle Beach this weekend.

Some fishermen are hoping the event will scare off sharks near Brunswick County beaches after three bites in less than one week.

The Jolly Mon King Mackerel Tournament started Wednesday and goes through Sunday. Ocean Isle Fishing Center owner Rube McMullan said it brings more than 300 fishing teams from across the southeast, and he said that could have an impact on sharks in the area. McMullan said they use a casting net that is like a hand grenade for fish.

“It’s a 12-foot cast net that has about a 24-foot spread that weighs about 22 pounds,” McMullan said.

It is not a real grenade, but McMullan said all 300 fishing teams will use these nets this weekend to catch bait for the King Mackerels.

“If you can visualize what happens, you take 300 boats all going to these menhaden schools,” McMullan said. “They’re throwing their cast nets on top of these schools of menhaden.”

He said menhaden are primary food for all ocean predators.

“That obviously disrupts the whole world that’s going on underneath the water,” McMullan said.

McMullan said this scenario might scare off some of the sharks near Brunswick County beaches.

“The predator fish, who have obviously no understanding of hand grenades getting thrown at them, will be scared, and they will leave that area,” McMullan said. “A fish will always seek deeper water for safety and security.”

For now it’s just a theory that McMullan hopes will catch on.

“I’m not playing scientist here, but I am a fisherman, and certainly I know how fish react,” McMullan said.

The biggest part of the tournament is Saturday and Sunday. The 300 fishing teams will be on boats from Ocean Isle to Southport.