Chatter
CATCHING CHOMPY. PHOTO: COURTESY ISAAC BRUMAGHIM
EDITOR’S ANGLE
MAN vs. NATURE S
ince I started kayak fishing 10 years ago, I’ve had giant hammerheads swim inches from my kayak, a bull shark splash me with its tail and a
shark eat my tuna. I’ve been cursed out by a very angry harbor seal, charged by a brazen water moccasin and bitten, spined and sliced by a long list of fish. The worst—a big, hairy spider once jumped off a tree branch and land- ed on my face. Yuck! So, when Issac “Rocket” Brumaghim’s viral video of Chompy the Shark
stealing a tuna from Rocket’s fishing line popped up on YouTube, I was amped but not awed. Evidently, I’m in the minority. Rocket’s video has been viewed almost 10 million times—most likely by desk jockeys and house- wives. “I was shocked and marveled by the encounter,” Brumaghim told me
over the phone, “but not scared.” In fact, sharks are just part of the territory for kayakers fishing off Hawaii. “We see a lot of sharks and other guys have had similar experiences,” he says. “We are not the only predators catching fish out there.” Few people spend more time swimming with the fishes than wildlife art-
ist and conservation activist Guy Harvey. “I’ve had many big animal en- counters but rarely felt in danger,” Harvey told me. Turns out, danger is a matter of perspective. “Many of us regularly dive
with white sharks and large gamefish,” he says, “it’s all about knowing the traits of a particular animal and not pushing the limits.” Harvey points out that humans are a far greater threat to wild animals
8 …KAYAK ANGLER SUMMER/FALL 2013
CLOSE ENCOUNTERS WITH DANGEROUS WILDLIFE ARE INEVITABLE
than vice-versa. “I’m usually focused on getting pictures or observing the animal,” he says, “fear rarely creeps in, but if it does I get back into the boat.” Of course, kayak anglers don’t usually have the option of getting back
into the boat; the only way to control fear is by being prepared. Brumaghin explains that true kayak anglers do their homework first and understand safety. “We take pride in practicing the sport in a respectful manner,” he says. “We share information and experiences to teach each other how to be safer.” Still, for the uninitiated, kayak fishing can look insane. “Even sky div-
ers think we’re crazy!” Brumaghim laughs. While some kayak anglers wear the “crazy” badge with pride, Brumaghim and other extreme anglers cringe when they hear that crazy talk. New England bluefin hunter, Dave Lamoureux, hates the crazy stigma.
“I carry dive fins so I can swim to shore if I have trouble,” he says. “The first time I have to call the coast guard will be the last time that I’ll be able to fish off Cape Cod.” Brumaghim hopes that the Chompy video has brought respect for the
kayak fishing community. In addition to the jumping shark and gnashing teeth, the video shows that kayak anglers are serious watermen who put time, effort and a lot of thought into fishing. “People come away saying, ‘those aren’t just a bunch of goofy guys in plastic boats,’” he says. —Ric Burnley is editor of Kayak Angler magazine. He has accepted his position near the bottom of the food chain.
DIGITAL EXTRA: If you haven’t seen it, click here to check out Brumaghim’s video, Chompy the Shark.
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