HAULOVER BEACH, FLA. (WSVN) - A group of friends who come to South Florida every year to go fishing have hauled in a catch bigger than they could have ever imagined: a 400-pound swordfish.
It took some muscle for Atlanta resident Adam Bressler and the rest of his buddies to lift the humongous catch, Saturday. “Once a year we come together for a fishing adventure, and this year it all worked out,” said Bressler.
The group told 7News they caught the swordfish about 18 miles off Haulover Marina, in 1,800 feet of water. “A lot of adrenaline, a lot of anticipation trying to get [the fish] up on the boat, until we got it all the way in,” said Steven Cohen. “We were crossing our fingers that something wouldn’t go wrong.”
The sizable haul took place on the final day of fishing for the friends. “The minute we got it on the boat, we all just jumped up and down, screaming some things I wouldn’t say on TV,” said Michael Merlin, “but it was an amazing experience.”
The men caught the swordfish while on board the Lady Mitchell. Mike Orr, who works with the boat’s captain, said snagging a 400-pounder is very unusual in South Florida. “The swordfish in Miami is really the apex predator. It’s the biggest fish we can catch here,” he said. “You don’t get a lot of chances to do it. You need the right amount of time and you need the right people on the boat. You need the right conditions, the weather.”
The friends from Atlanta said they plan to eat part of the fish and will divide the rest with others at the marina. “It is a memorable day for us, something we won’t forget for a long time,” said Merlin.
Copyright 2024 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.