Joe Waldis a 70-year-old Swiss tourist went fishing this week off the British Isles and caught himself a 1,056-lb. shark(!). We imagine he was probably pretty psyched.
When he got back to land, killed it, weighed it, and realized it was the largest fish ever caught by rod, he was definitely psyched. Predictably though, some people are complaining about the catch and it's not namby-pamby treehuggers. Some of Waldis's fellow fishermen say he should have thrown the beast back.
"It is regrettable that such a magnificent fish had to be taken to shore to be weighed to verify a record," said Richard Peirce, chairman of the Shark Trust.
Would you have thrown back the biggest fish EVER?
Editors' note: in an earlier version of this story we incorrectly stated Joe Waldis was from Scotland.
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Friday 26 June
By mikepalmgren
One important fact missing... Why did he bring it ashore? Simply to weigh it, or was he going to weigh it and then eat it? Why keep the thing alive until you got to shore if there was no need to keep it fresh (as you would if you planned on eating it).
Obviously I wasn't there, so I don't know if the dude went fishing with his pocket fisherman and nothing else or if he was ready and had a 30/30 for just such an occasion.
Pocket Fisherman: https://www.ronco.com/PocketFisherman/Default.aspx?source=google-fisherman
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Friday 26 June
By chris
theres only a couple sharks that u can eat a mako and thresher this guys a fool and i have heard of bigger giant tuna caught off montauk 1200lbs+ on rod and reel..and the legendary frank mondus caught a 3500 lb great white on rod and reel from montauk and they made a movie about it maybe u heard of it "jaws"
Friday 26 June
By kyle
When sharks or other record setting fish are caught they usually have to be brought back to shore alive, one such case, a record setting mako shark was denied because it was shot and killed out at sea since it posed a threat to the crew.
Friday 26 June
By cori
all of you people are idiots! you're argueing on the internet over a man who caught a fish!
seriously people, you should be posting "man that's a big fish" or "whoa how'd he catch that?!" but no...you guys are stooping to each others level.
Friday 26 June
By DH
EXCELLENT job!
Friday 26 June
By charles
Walter Maxwell from Charlotte N.C caught the tiger shark off Cherry Grove Pier on a Rod and Reel. It was listed as a World Record for tiger.
Saturday 27 June
By bob
this is actually a reply to chris. all sharks are edible, some taste better than others. the six gill shark is one of the best. I've ate blues, great white 6 gill and alot of others. I agree that this is a great fish/catch. Would I have released it? I don't know. I fish for fun,relaxing and then for food. I've released alot of fish.
Sunday 28 June
By Jessica
This reply is to chris....they actually based the movie jaws on a series of bull shark attacks in NJs "Shark River" in the early 1900's...
Sunday 28 June
By Dave Lee
read the article.... Fish was caught off the coast of IRELAND. Joe Waldis is SWISS.
idiots
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Friday 26 June
By margaret
Um, SCOTTISH....not Swiss.....
Before you call others "idiot", be sure you are not among their ranks.
Friday 26 June
By jamie
it's true... read the linked article, the dude was a swiss tourist....
Friday 26 June
By Jim
Where does it say Swiss? It says Scottish. Hence British Isles.
Friday 26 June
By brett
hey the biggest shark caught by a rod was a 16ft 1535# tiger shark caught at Cherry Grove South Carolina (north of Myrtle Beach) they have a pic of it on pier
Friday 26 June
By lunamorgan
No, really. He's Swiss. If you read the linked article that asylum got the info from, it says he's Swiss and was fishing off the coast of Ireland. It never once talks about Scotland or him being Scottish.
Friday 26 June
By jeremyhollie5
read the friggin article man! the first sentence says he's an old scottish guy. where the **** did you get swiss from. "it's better to stand in front of a room full of people and feel like an idiot than to open your mouth and remove all doubt" Mark Twain. REtard
Friday 26 June
By smarta
Mr Waldis, a Swiss tourist, caught the bluntnose six-gill shark on an 80lb breaking-strain line on Tuesday afternoon.
Friday 26 June
By dmf4357
Glad to know that people can't read. HE'S SWISS AND CAUGHT IT OFF IRELAND. CHECK THE LINK. Next these morons will be voting for OBAMA again!
Friday 26 June
By Lueruil
This is a direct quote from the article for those who too lazy to scroll up and read...
"Joe Waldis a 70-year-old SWISS TOURIST went fishing this week off the British Isles and caught himself a 1,056-lb. shark(!)."
How the bloody hell did can read SWISS as Scottish is beyong my ken. Jim, you are a bonehead.
Sunday 28 June
By lilsarge1984
The man is a Swiss tourest. Which means he is Swiss. He was fishingt off the British Iles. I guess you didn't read the headlines before you wrote your comments. Next time read the whold thing before you go off half cocked.
Friday 26 June
By Heavytoka
I guess it would depend on if you are gonna eat it?
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