Game shark fishing thriving off Long Island
More than 160 kilometers east of Manhattan, out past the Hamptons, sits a tiny village where thousands converge at the docks on summer evenings to ogle at and revere the massive creatures brought back from the sea.
Montauk remains an epicenter for shark fishing tournaments, a half-century after legendary shark hunter Frank Mundus practically invented the sport and became the inspiration for the Captain Quint character in the movie Jaws.
Despite protests from animal advocacy groups that decry the events as inhumane, the tournaments are thriving. For the first time, this weekend's Star Island Yacht Club tournament boasts US$1 million in prizes. And Mundus, who retired to Hawaii nearly two decades ago, promises to attend the event, signing his books and selling souvenirs.