No Tall Tales Here, Pair Caught Monster Fish Off Santa Cruz

Fishermen tell tale tales, as the time-honored tradition goes (so says a car insurance commercial), but for a pair of friends from Milpitas, this is no tall tale.

David Woodward and his friend Gil Higbee hauled a nearly 13-foot thresher shark off the waters of Santa Cruz last month. The pair was out fishing for tuna and was just setting up when the shark took their mackerel bait.

At the time, Woodward was piloting the boat, an 18.5-foot Seaswirl Striper named “Limit Out,” and Higbee was struggling with the catch.

The line was about 250 feet out when the shark bit it, Woodward said.

“The shark bit and dragged the line 700 to 800 feet,” he said.

The two were fishing about three miles off Davenport on Nov. 8.

During the struggle, Woodward said the shark jumped 8 to 10 feet out of the water, “the length of the shark,” he said.

When they finally landed the beast, it measured 12.1 feet long and weighed an estimated 250 pounds, “maybe a little bigger,” Woodward said.

Before this, the biggest Woodward his biggest catch was a big salmon.

The shark has since been butchered, frozen and given to friends and co-workers.

“They all said it was the best fish they’ve ever head,” Woodward said.

And the best way to prepare thresher shark?

“Grilled,” he said. “A little on the rare side, but not as rare as tuna.”

--Photos courtesy of David Woodward