Monster Thresher Shark Caught Off Montauk

An ordinary charter turned into an epic battle on June 27 for six fishermen from Niantic, Connecticut, when they hooked into a monster thresher shark.

The party was fishing aboard Capt. John Haney’s Rockaway 30 miles off Montauk, New York, when a 13-foot thresher hit just after daybreak. The crew took half-hour turns fighting the fish and boated it after nearly four hours.

Once back at the dock the shark weighed in at 497 pounds - 30 pounds heavier than the current state record 467-pound thresher caught in 2006 by also off Montauk.

While it’s an impressive catch, the fact that more than one angler fought it disqualifies it for official record status.

“I talked yesterday to the people at the state and found out that since more one person than fought it’s not eligible for a state record,” said Haney. “That’s too bad but, it’s still the fish of lifetime for us, so we’re just as proud.”