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S14:E5 - “Matt Hughes vs. The Sharks” (2019)
Captain Tom Rowland and Captain Rich Tudor are joined by nine-time UFC champion Matt Hughes.
I’ve been a long time UFC fan and have tracked the development of varying martial arts within the sport. As a former wrestler, I’ve kept an eye on UFC fighters who have a history in wrestling. So when I found Matt Hughes who was the 170-pound champion and the most dominant welter weight champion in the UFC - I had to ask him to come fish.
As we set up in the Florida Bay in the Florida Keys, Rich, Matt and I used some barracuda caught the day before as bait. The wind was perfect for highly active sharks and it was not long before the sharks came rolling in. Normally we can see sharks 200 feet way, but with an outgoing tide that was flowing right into the sun, we had to just throw it out there and wait. But it was not more than 15 minutes after throwing it out that we hooked a shark. Shark fishing is especially fun for some people who have not fished in the Keys before. For someone like Matt, a shark is especially fun because it is so large and active, and not something that they are used to.
At one point Matt had a Lemon Shark on the line and was letting it sit there, so I told him that is the equivalent of taking someone down and letting them rest. I told him that he need to be pulling on the shark, that analogy made sense to him and he began pulling on the shark. Sometimes if you know anything about what someone does you can bring fishing into their terms to help them know what to do. He did a good job of fighting it. It was an honor to have him on the boat and a great day to spend with someone who I have a lot of respect for.
Check out the podcast I did with Matt Hughes by CLICKING HERE
As always, we had Jason Stemple with us to document this trip in ultra high quality still photos. Here are some of my favorites. Enjoy!
See you on the water,
Capt. Rich Tudor & Capt. Tom Rowland
Join Saltwater Experience with Captains Tom Rowland and Rich Tudor as they team up with expert spearfishing guide Tony Young in the Florida Keys. From nonstop Yellowtail Snapper action to adrenaline-pumping Wahoo spearfishing and Lionfish hunting, this episode showcases the ultimate Florida Keys saltwater adventure—both above and below the surface.