1063# Mako caught off Destin, FL!

[Boboe]

My buddy was on the flier for this sea monster caught right in on the beach in Destin!

For those who don't know, makos come in on the beach every spring to feed on the cobia which migrate along the coast in the panhandle. This one in particular had FLIPPER in his mouth when they came across him.

Another (quite smaller) charter boat had spotted the beast, hooked it, and was getting dragged around. My aforementioned buddy captains a 45' sportfisher and saw what was going on. They came over and helped out the anglers, ultimately ending with missing skin on fingers, and a mako in tow! Oh yeah, and they broke the first scale they tried to weigh it on

Link to photo: Destin Log Photo Gallery

My buddy/the gaff man/the captain of the Mother Lode is the bald fella in the bottom right corner.

[Boboe]

Here's an AP article on the shark.

OutdoorsBest Forums: Grander Mako off Destin

[Tuna Devil]

Nice kill.

[Boboe]

I just got off the phone with the gaff man. Here's the story, straight from his mouth...

The Sea Ya had snatched the mako with a cobia jig and a spinning rod with 25# test on it. The mako didn't give a damn that they were there and that it was hooked. It was swimming offshore with flipper in its mouth. Captain Jason hopped from the pulpit of the Mother Lode onto the 26' Sea Ya with his two fliers.

"We can drive right up to him. He's swimming on the surface and doesn't give a shit that he's hooked."
"Ok...well I don't know what's going to happen when I stick this thing, but it's probably gonna be bad."

So, Jason tied off his flier to the tower leg and got ready. They pulled up to the mako and he made a nice gill shot. Water went everywhere and the little mako whipped the boat around. A couple of times it was swimming down so hard that they thought the monkey boat was in danger of capsizing. Luckily for the crew, as she fought, she spun herself up in the flier rope and was basically choking herself down with every lurch. 30 minutes later she was subdued, and Jason put another flier in the other gill with his hand.

They brought the mako over to the Mother Lode, and at that point, with the assistance of a block and tackle it took an hour and a half to get it onboard.

The scales at Harborwalk Marina broke when they tried to weigh it. Then the block and tackle at Harborwalk broke. They decided to go a quarter mile down the harbor to the Fisherman's Wharf Marina and got the beast on the scale.

[Boboe]

Originally Posted by Tuna Devil

Another perfect example of killing for notoriety. Fish was a female and minding it's own business.
Let's kill it because we can.

In one thread it is "commercial guys are decimating fish stocks". In another thread ( this one). It is ok to target and kill a big Female Mako if you are recreational fishing.

What a f#*king joke!

It would be a differant story if I came along in a stick boat and pinned it to the bottom with a dart. Then it would be a sin.

I agree that it was killing for notoriety. I don't care for that. I wouldn't have done this for two reasons. First, I wouldn't have the balls to gaff a 1000# green mako, and second, I don't kill just to kill.

However, you do say that the shark was "minding it's(sic) own business." How is any fish--other than a shark that's attacking you--not minding its own business? The "minding its own business" bit is a non-argument.

Shrimpers and long liners are indeed decimating fish stocks. The difference in the stick boat example and the recreational fishing is the quantity of fish killed. In this case, you could argue that the entire mako is bycatch, since it was not likely used. I'll agree with that. I think harpooning is way better than long lining, however, because you don't have the bycatch and they *wildassguess* probably don't take as many tones per unit of effort out of the ocean.

[Tuna Devil]

Sorry Boboe.

After reading my post, I think it sounded like a personal attack. It was not.

It was a general statement.

[Verado06]

ya its a shame to kill that sucker,but if she was caught while swording we would all be giving high fives...

I'd like to see a picture of it..I cant imagine swimming the beach and see her roaming with a popoise as her snack.

[RiskTaker]

Since we know that Makos are edible, do we know whether or not this Mako was harvested for food? You would certainly need a large fish hold with plenty of ice to chill this gal. I for one, would not prefer to consume a fish this large. I would venture to guess that it is highly methylated, with mercury that is.

But I would also be a little on edge if surfing on Destin beach, with fore-knowledge that 1000 lb. Makos are close to the beach at this time of the year. (Thinking that Makos are an offshore species for the most part. )

If the wholesale price for Swordfish in a general category is hovering a little over $US 2.xx, I wonder what Mako is going for these days in the wholesale market?

I will cast no stone unless is was discarded and not used for food: because you are damned on this forum whether you caught the Mako or you released the Mako. It is certaintly a trophy sized fish of a lifetime for someone. Captain's call, but if it was simply wasted, then not a good call and the peer pressure would be duly warranted.

[Verado06]

wow! any idea how old that fish is? I'd say she has eaten more swordfish than all of us... I dont agree with this killing, but its not like this happens daily.

[billspilingup]

I wonder if it will even be approved as a record. The IGFA prohibits the intentional foul hooking of a fish if it is to be considered for a record. The article states that the fish was "snatched." I suspect they just cast over top of the shark, let the jig sink, and then retrieved it into the shark's body. I certainly don't believe that a half-ton mako shark ate a cobia jig while it had a porpoise in its mouth.

Still, hell of a catch.

[Boboe]

Billspilingup: Read the account of the catch that I wrote. That's the story straight from the bald-headed gaff-man's mouth.

The shark will not qualify for IGFA records, but it will be a shoo-in for the state record in Florida. It's in the top 5 largest ever landed or something.

Regarding the fate of the beast, I have now learned that it was loaded into a truck and hauled to Pensacola after weighing. Knowing that the Mother Lode and the Sea Ya both hold commercial permits, I'll take the wild-ass-guess that it was sold wholesale.

Risktaker: Almost nobody surfs in Destin. The Gulf is far too flat almost all of the time.

[billspilingup]

I had read your previous post. That's where I learned they "snatched" the shark. I have no idea why I said "article" instead of "Boboe's post."

The fact that they gaffed it without the shark putting up a fight on the rod is, in my understanding of IGFA rules, perfectly legal.

[FinalPoint]

Originally Posted by billspilingup

The fact that they gaffed it without the shark putting up a fight on the rod is, in my understanding of IGFA rules, perfectly legal.

Yeah, and frightening.

[billspilingup]

Originally Posted by FinalPoint

Yeah, and frightening.

Only if you're the one that has to plant the gaff

[quack quack]

Is the black around the mouth bottom paint?If not that might be a longfin.I cant see the pecks as far as length but if that is fish color and not bottom paint then?

[NightCrawler]

Originally Posted by quack quack

Is the black around the mouth bottom paint?If not that might be a longfin.I cant see the pecks as far as length but if that is fish color and not bottom paint then?

Short fin, no doubt about it. The black crap looks like tar or oil.

[B767]

Originally Posted by RiskTaker

Since we know that Makos are edible, do we know whether or not this Mako was harvested for food? You would certainly need a large fish hold with plenty of ice to chill this gal. I for one, would not prefer to consume a fish this large. I would venture to guess that it is highly methylated, with mercury that is.

I will cast no stone unless is was discarded and not used for food: because you are damned on this forum whether you caught the Mako or you released the Mako. It is certaintly a trophy sized fish of a lifetime for someone. Captain's call, but if it was simply wasted, then not a good call and the peer pressure would be duly warranted.

Agree w ya.... You kill it, you eat it, no problem mon, you kill it just for kicks, hmmm, sad mon. It s a tough call.

[cappy]

Caught a 750 Mako swordin in front of hillsboro 3 years ago(Justin posted it as a Canyon Runner fish, but it was caught on 54 Bertram the Big Boy). We cut it up prepared for the best barbeque Lighthouse Point ever saw. The fish was the worst Mako I ever tasted. I will never kill a big breeder like that again. They need to be released to keep making baby Makos.

[Shark Tagger]

i rember that mako.. what a beast!

[Boboe]

That's the black bottom paint from the Mother Lode's hull. That's definitely a shortfin.