This happened to me today. Freakin NUTZ....

I was bassing outside boston harbor (fishing alone like I do alot) in a few of my favorite spots and started catching blues and getting cutt-off, so I switched to a wire leader (6") from my mono leader. Got a few more blues then I saw my starboard rod keel over hard. Didn't seem like much, I threw her into neutral and grabbed the rod. Then I noticed the line was heading down , I thought a blue wrapped a pot or something, but there were none around. I cleared the other lines and started to fight this fish. I couldn't figure out what I had. I would come to the top then sound. Once I got a pretty good look and even though it was far from the boat I saw the tail and I was pretty sure what I hooked. I fought it for about 20 minutes then called my friends on the radio who were close by, they came over and my buddy came aboard my boat I handed him the rod as I was pretty beat. Then another friend came over and he came aboard too. THe three of us fought and fought this thing for another 1/2 hour - 45 minutes. We now had 5 boats putting around watching this fight. I had my big gaff and we got another from my buddies boat. FINALLY we got it close enough to get one gaff then the second into it. Man it still had some power and was thrashing pretty hard alongside. We did not dare bring it over the side so we bleed it in the water and waited. Half hour later it was nearly dead so the three of us hauled it over the rail and onto the deck. No issues it was done. I could not belive my eyes. Mind you this is only a few miles outside the harbor. My buddies wife took loads of pics from the other boat then some on my boat.

Took a look at my gear after it was all over and it was in such good shape, I could have put it back in and fished it. The main line was 30 lb big game, the leader was 80 lb quattro, with that short little steel leader to the trailer hook, I think it was 60 lb. So iam pretty proud of my knots and crimps.

Of course this day I did not bother bringing the gopro or my other digital, but they got video and stills. I will post them once I get them, but I just could not wait to post my story of this insane catch.

Guess whats for dinner !!!!!!:drool:

Nice. Can't wait for the pics
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nice Van, Glad you didn't get broken off.

that's pissa van - you are having a great season, congrats

Way to go Van, you never know what will bite anywhere - anytime - on any gear. Can't wait for the vid's and pic's.

thats awesome man!!! Congrats, please post the pics asap

gREAT /AWESOME

Another lifetime memory for your mind :musc:

Thats why its called fishing and i am an addict, you just never know!

nice catch awaiting the pics and vids.

Congrats!

Pictures please.....

How did that song go.....anticipation.........

Hey Van, anyone get tail slapped?

Nice Job Van can't wait to see the pics and video

No one got slapped or bite.

Here are some of the pics.

Myself, Joe and Teddy all fought this fish.
My custom rod was put to the test too.

more

Great pics! Luckily the cavalry came to rescue!

Congratulations, how'd it taste?
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Awesome. That's a fish tail and a half. Nice job and good eats
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Congratulations, how'd it taste?
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I thought it was kinda bland. Nowhere as good as bluefin or sword. But still not bad. I coated it with olive oil and rubbed in some seafood magic.

Tomorrow is fish giveaway at work.:drool:

PR:
Yes good to have friends and I was lucky they were out there and not too far from me. No way I could managed that fish on my own.

Awesome!

Nice job Van + Co.

Effin' sickk, Van! Nice job, dude!

Congrats! Cool story and pics!

That's excellent, congratulations

Very cool
Congrats

sweet !!!

Congrats. Cool story.

Great pics, great story. Congrats !

awesome van, good work! What a cool lookin fish

I'm trying to find a reference to give its weight vs length. No luck so far. But I found this:

Common threshers are dark green (More in Pacific side)
Bigeye threshers are brown and
Pelagic threshers are generally blue. (This one looks blue)

and

The pelagic thresher is the smallest of the thresher sharks, averaging 3 m (10 ft) in length and 69.5 kg (153.3 lb) in weight.

So if a 10 footer is 153 lbs, thats 15.3 pounds per foot X 8.5 I got would be 130 pounds.

Does that seem right ????

My eye says closer to a buck. My memory may be off, but on average i think a fork length of 6ft = 200lbs. Mako about 150.

incredible! That is a great story and pics!

awesome story! Congrats VAN!

That is so cool! Congrats!

Way to go Buddy, good for you love the pictures and it could not have happened to a better guy. Now we should have been out there in my boat but I will not comment at this time LOL

Great job!!!

That's a great accomplishment, you never know what can be at the end of the line. Congrats!!!

If you cube a few of the steaks, soak in Italian dressing for 4 or 5 hours then grill they are very good.

Now we should have been out there in my boat but I will not comment at this time LOL

:hidin:

I know, I know,,, I was thinking about that when it was over.

Threshers fight like beasts. Congrats that is a hell of a fish to catch on your Bass gear. I had one take me deep last year off the block and I never moved it. Wound up by straightening a 275 pound snap.

Great work.

You should be very proud of that accomplishment definitely some luck in landing that beast on the gear you were using although the gear looks to be pretty beefy for bass. Very cool indeed and tasty to boot.

are you kidding me!!! Thats awesome....nicely done.

Van:
You'll remember this for a while.
when I was 14 we hooked a Mako while bluefishing 3 miles from Newport and landed it on bass/bluefish gear. Stands up there in the memory bank with alot of other fishing highlights... The jaws still hang in my office.

Van:
You'll remember this for a while.
when I was 14 we hooked a Mako while bluefishing 3 miles from Newport and landed it on bass/bluefish gear. Stands up there in the memory bank with alot of other fishing highlights... The jaws still hang in my office.

How did you do the jaw?
I was told NOT to boil it, as the teeth will fall out.

I would like to preserve it, but don't know how.

Anyone have methods?????

Awesome, congrats Van!

How did you do the jaw?
I was told NOT to boil it, as the teeth will fall out.

I would like to preserve it, but don't know how.

Anyone have methods?????

Not sure how to properly do it, but I made the mistake of boiling a set of jaws from a mako I caught about 10 years ago and all of the teeth did fall out.
So now I have a jar full of teeth.... pretty tough to hang on the wall.

We cut most of the meat off and then hung it in the sun and let the bugs/birds at it. after it was good and dry I did short soaks in a weak peroxide-water solution with frequent rinses in plain water...

cool story! goes to show you never know! congrats

That is an awesome story! I love it! Good for you.
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That is a big shark, makes me wonder how many there are close to shore.

Cut all the meat off it with a sharp razor knife, scrape with spoon etc to get it as clean as possible. Prop it in position with wood skewers and let it dry out for a few months
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Incredible story and most-incredible pictures. One of the best I've seen on this site, a Thresher off Boston. What a beautiful day.

Here ya go Van

mounting shark jaws (http://www.taxidermy.net/forums/FishTaxiArticles/09b/992F734F8D.html)