2 days ago
'Massive' 1,000 Pound Shark Caught at Popular U.S. Beach
Anglers dropped bait into the Gulf of Mexico on Thursday morning, and they were met with the catch of a lifetime just a few short hours later. Trey Linder and Steve Callaway caught a huge tiger shark.
The shark measured an astonishing 11 feet and 8 inches, and it weighed in at an estimated 1,000 pounds.
Linder and Callaway posed for a photo with the shark before tagging it and releasing it back into the water near Pensacola, Florida. The anglers
The anglers, who work with Shark and Shore, noted that it takes around three minutes to tag, take photos and release the sharks back into the water.
The sharks are tagged for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and NOAA says that the summer is usually the best time to catch sharks. Shark biologist John Carlson says that coastal sharks come closer inland in search of warmer water so they can give birth, leading to more sightings in the summer months.
The anglers were taken out on a boat from Coast Guard Yakers LBSF Charters, and they were able to bring the anglers near one of the biggest catches of their careers on. the water.
The Florida Museum says that tiger sharks are the most commonly caught coastal shark in the United States. They can grow up to 2,000 pounds, and to over 18 feet.
Tiger sharks aren't as dangerous as great whites, but they still pose a threat to those who are in the water. Tiger sharks account for the second-most bites on humans around the world, and they can sometimes mistake humans for their natural prey like sea turtles.
NOAA lists several shark species on its website, as it continues to focus conservation efforts on dwindling or nearly extinct populations.
"We are committed to sustainable shark management," the organizations says about its policies regarding shark conservation.
"We manage commercial and recreational shark fisheries in the Atlantic Ocean and work with three regional fishery management councils to conserve and sustainably manage sharks in the Pacific Ocean."
NOAA notes that it conducts research, assesses stocks, works with U.S. fishermen and implements restrictions on shark harvests.
"We have made significant progress toward ending overfishing and rebuilding overfished stocks for long-term sustainability," they said.
After catching and monitoring one of the largest sharks in the Gulf, the team has certainly done more than enough in and around Pensacola.
'Massive' 1,000 Pound Shark Caught at Popular U.S. Beach first appeared on Men's Journal on Jul 13, 2025
