Walter Maxwell was a land-based shark fisherman ahead of his times, He applied himself to his sport like few do and he excelled because of it. He still holds the world record Tiger shark of 1780 lbs caught on Cherry Grove pier (South Carolina) in 1964.In this picture taken one week before he broke his world record he caught this Tiger shark on Yaupon pier (North Carolina) in June 1964.

June 14th, 1964: Cherry Grove Pier

Walter Maxwell, though skilled in his workingman profession, was an Average American Joe who was to accomplish something quite remarkable. His awesome and unique 'fish tale' still stands at the top of the Tiger Shark heap, forty-seven-years after the event.*

There are more than a few reasons that make this salt water big game world record an out-standing achievement. Maxwell was no big game pro angler, nor was he on a fancy fishing boat. No, Walter Maxwell was on a pier. And considering what he was fishing for - with hundreds of people in and out the surf - a bit spooky to say the least.

Up until the mid 1960s it wasn't unusual for folks to shark fish from piers in South Carolina. According to Walter Maxwell, "Shark fishing was big. We could see stripes on tiger sharks that cruised off the piers. I thought I knew why more fish weren't caught. Fishermen didn't have the right kind of gear." Mr. Maxwell was certainly to have the "right" kind of gear along with incredible stamina and perseverance that incredible summer's day back in 1964.

As the sun rose on that warm Sunday morning, the fishing pals rigged some small rays (shark favorites) onto some super-sized hooks. One fisherman rowed a fair distance out from the end of the pier and dropped the enticing baits here and there. At first only smaller sharks seemed interested in hitting the rays which they would carry short distances before dropping the bait.

Eventually several larger sharks moved in, and one quickly swallowed a ray and made a powerful run that snapped the heavy gauge fishing line. Later, as Maxwell watched another fishing friend battle a pretty big one, his own line took a hard hit about ninety feet from the end of the pier.

The shark suddenly broke the seawater surface - with the bulky beasts leap and splash surprising the anglers and vacationing onlookers gathered around watching the action. As this was going on the school of larger sharks began inhaling the rays and cutting through lines like no tomorrow.

Amid all this mayhem, Walter Maxwell's line began a hissing noise that indicated his strike had solidly taken. He immediately affixed his rod into the plate of his harness, but as the drag straightened out he was slammed against the pier's railing and almost had his legs pulled out from under him.

Fighting to stay erect, Maxwell did all he could to stay in command as a leviathan of a beast breached the surface again about five hundred feet from the end of pier - way out in the ocean. A chorus of stunned gasps erupted from the mesmerized crowd of onlookers.

The Tiger shark with the momentum of an automobile roared through the water till nearly all the line had been spooled off Maxwell's heavy duty rig. His companions were continually pouring water on the red-hot reel to lesson the intense friction being created by the action.

Around the three quarter mile mark the monster was finally halted; but only momentarily, as it then reversed direction in another powerful acceleration. With the spool almost played out, and to the relief of the fishermen, the shark turned parallel to the shore instead of heading out into the sea for deeper water.

It took near five muscle busting hours for Maxwell to bring this record breaking monster of a fish alongside the pier. It was dark by then and the next morning, despite an estimated 10% loss in body weight, the Tiger shark tipped-in on the official scales at a mind-boggling 1780 pounds.
by Alastar Packer