Possible World Record-Breaking Mako Shark Caught Off LA Coast
HUNTINGTON BEACH (CBSLA.com) — A possible record-breaking Mako shark has been caught off the coast between Huntington Beach and Catalina.
The 1,323.5-pound, 11-foot-long shark was caught Monday morning by angler Jason Johnston of Mesquite, Texas while filming a show called "The Professionals" for the Outdoor Channel.
Johnston and the crew were on a charter fishing trip run by Mako Matt's and Breakaway Charters out of Huntington Beach when they caught the fish.
"He took out a quarter-mile of line . . . and five times he came out of the water over 20 feet," Johnston said. "It was amazing."
It took Johnston more than two hours to reel in the big fish.
"It's unreal. This thing is definitely a killing machine. Any wrong step, I could have gone out of the boat and down to the bottom of the ocean," he said.
The crew used cut bait and chum to lure the shark.
"It was pretty wild. This one came up wanting to kill every single thing in its sight. It was bite, bite, bite, every direction," fellow angler Corey Knowlton said.
The body of the fish will be donated to research.
The Mako's weight and measurements have not been officially authorized as a world record.
Johnston has planned another charter trip for Tuesday.
