Pensacola anglers catch 721 lb. bluefin tuna, rivaling the length of Florida's largest
Editor's Note: This story was updated to correctly identify the fishing boat and accurately reflect the most current information regarding the fish's official weight.
Pensacola angler David Shepard experienced the catch of a lifetime on Tuesday evening, reeling in a 107-inch bluefin tuna weighing in at 721 pounds. The fish is only a few inches short of Florida's largest bluefin tuna ever caught at 110 inches, or over nine feet long, last year.
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Shepard was aboard Pensacola's Robin Lynn boat with owner Dan Hieronymus, boat captain Jeff Lacour, and first mate Gunnar Williamson.
While Shepard has been a longtime fan of the television show 'Wicked Tuna' and goes out on expeditions about once or twice a year, he still considers himself a novice. Little did he know that Tuesday night, about 112 miles offshore of Pensacola, he would face a mighty challenge even for the most seasoned anglers – a face-off against a powerful bluefin tuna.
Fisherman David Shepard with his massive bluefin tuna caught in the Gulf of Mexico on Tuesday, April 15, 2025.
When they first caught the fish, they weren't sure what they had until the bluefin surfaced after the first 45 minutes of the fight. Then, they realized they were in trouble.
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'After that, we knew we were in for a battle,' Lacour said.
Lacour said that while he has been a captain for 20 years and an angler for 30 or more, he has hooked several bluefins but never caught one due to their heavy resistance to the line. Catching one was high on his bucket list.
Check out these great catches: PHOTOS: Anglers catch big fish to fry during Pensacola Bud Light Fishing Rodeo
'It's the most prized fish in the water,' Lacour said.
After a grueling three and a half hours of fighting starting at about 6 p.m., Shepard decided his best option was to hand the reel over to Heironymus, who finished the last leg.
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'It was more than I expected. I guess I thought I was a big, bad man, and I wasn't,' Shepard said. 'I just couldn't believe I fought that thing for three-and-a-half hours … we almost had it several times, it kept kicking my rear-end.'
When they eventually managed to pull the fish up at about 11 p.m., all hands were on deck to wrangle the Gulf behemoth. Lacour said they felt 'utter amazement' after seeing the prized catch on their boat, and the sensation was 'absolutely crazy.'
On Wednesday, they will find out just how prized their catch is when they take it in to be hung at Patti Marine Enterprises. It will then be transferred to Joe Patti's Seafood to be weighed. The fish will remain at Joe Patti's for a few days, and they will get a print made of the fish on canvas.
Even with the art piece memorializing their prize, it's sure to be a night no one will ever forget.
Do you need a permit to catch tuna in Florida?
Yes, a federal Highly Migratory Species Angling Permit is required to fish for tuna in both state and federal waters, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. The permit is issued to the fishing vessel, which covers everyone onboard.
How big do bluefin tuna get?
Bluefin tuna are huge fish that can live up to 20 years or longer, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The largest can reach up to 13 feet and weight up to 2,000 pounds. On average, they get to be around 6.5 feet in length and 550 pounds.
This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Giant bluefin tuna caught in Florida rivals state's largest
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