A Florida fisherman and his cousins reeled in a big fish last week. And when we say 'big fish,' we're talking about an 805-pound shark. WGHP caught up with the angler who reeled in the big catch.
REPORTER: "Joey Polk, who's been fishing since he was a little kid, could not let such a prize go."
POLK: "It's probably the best feeling you've ever felt in your whole life, a thousand times over. It's unexplainable."
Polk was hoping no one would really notice he'd caught the gigantic Mako shark.
But someone definitely did. Polk had the 11-foot-long creature resting in the bed of his truck when he stopped to get some gas, and that's when someone snapped a photo and put it on the Internet, according to a writer for Outdoor Life.
Maybe riding around with a gigantic shark out in the open isn't the best way to keep it a secret.
But the big reveal did lead to recognition for setting a new record, according to New York Daily News. The 805-pound shark is the largest Mako shark caught, you know, in the world.
It's important to note that Polk's new record means his cousin Earnest Polk lost the top spot. He was the previous record holder with a 725-pound Mako shark. We're sure there's nothing like one-upping family. (Via International Land-Based Shark Fishing Association)
Just don't ask Polk where he and his cousins captured the shark, because he won't tell you.
"We just want to save our sport. The more people that know about it, the more people that crowd our beach. The more people who fish with hundreds of people swimming, it's not what we want." (Via WKRG)
Polk does note that 95 percent of the time he and his family just catch and release the sharks. However, this unlucky one became dinner for some family and friends.
