Well, that's quite the haul, isn't it? Alabama anglers had to put in extra effort to hook and reel in this massive 500-pound bull shark during a fishing tournament. The fishermen were competing in the Alabama Deep Sea Fishing Rodeo. That's when the Bon Secour Butchers team on "The Orca" vessel reeled in the massive fish.
It weighed 494.5 pounds. They were competing on Dauphin Island. "A catch like that coming through our weigh station really galvanizes everyone and every entity involved. We all feel apart of the catch," an Alabama Deep Sea Fishing Rodeo representative said.
The team of anglers was composed of Captain Adam Lyons, first mate Tommy "The Tuna Bowyer," Captain David Stiller "The Shark Killer" and crew member Michael Maguire.
Anglers Hook Bull Shark
"When you are tackling an animal this large, it is critical to leverage heavy tackle and perform excellent boat work," Captain Adam Lyons told Fox News Digital in an emailed statement. "With a line in the water with that much tension there are risks involved, you want to avoid anything that could damage the line, such as the boat itself. Essentially, we want to tire the shark out to the point we can safely get a tail rope in place. Once we can tail the shark, it is game over for the shark."
Fortunately, they had a winch on their boat. "Boating the shark was relatively easy because we had a winch on board, which is normally used in commercial fishing. The combination of angler experience, captain work and patience was the winning recipe," Lyons added.
They easily clinched first place for the Gulf Coast Hauling & Construction Bull Shark Jackpot. That landed them $6,000. "It's really neat to see an angler get a once-in-a-lifetime catch and be able to break a rodeo and state record," Matt Glass, president, 91st Alabama Deep Sea Fishing Rodeo, told Fox News Digital.
In total, 3,734 anglers competed in the tournament. For a bull shark, the previous state record was 448 pounds. So quite the accomplishment!
"The tireless work performed by our research team has facilitated this type and the long-lasting memories that come along with it," Glass said.
