Fisherman Loses His Record for 805-pound Shark on a Technicality
The technicality is that he ate it.
Florida fisherman Joey Polk caught an 805-pound mako shark earlier this month, apparently setting a new Land-Based Shark Fishing Association record for the largest mako. Except that he didn't, because he celebrated his victory by grilling and eating the 11-foot monster with his buddies.
It's not illegal, but eating a shark is a no-no under ILSFA rules.
"As of January 1st of 2012, the ILSFA will no longer promote or accept record applications for sharks not released," the association's website says.
Polk says he would have released the shark, but "he was too worn out to swim."
The current record holder, Earnie Polk, happens to be Joey's cousin. He caught (and ate) his 725-pound mako back in 2009, before the rule went into effect.
"No meat went to waste. Rednecks all over the county is grilling right now," Earnie told the ILFSA after he set his record.
As for Joey, says he doesn't care about the record. He just wants to catch big-ass sharks.
"That's why we decided to keep him. We don't do it for the money, for the publicity, just to catch the fish," he told the New York Daily News.
