Man in Kayak Catches Massive Fish Weighing Over 550 Pounds (Video)

A Florida man had the catch of a lifetime, somehow reeling in a huge goliath grouper while sitting in his kayak.
Epoch Video
5/28/2015
Updated:
5/28/2015

No one would have believed this fisherman’s tale if he hadn’t caught it on video.

Look at this catch, an estimated 552-pound goliath grouper off the coast of Florida. Jon Black wrestled the 7-foot fish out of the water while still somehow managing to stay in his kayak.

The fish broke Black’s rod, but GrindTV says he was still able to have it measured before releasing it.

Despite this grouper’s massive size, it didn’t break a world record. That record actually belongs to a 680-pounder caught, also in Florida, in 1961.

Black owns Crazy Lure Bait & Tackle Shop in Cape Coral, Florida. His company says that could be the first time a kayaker in Florida has caught a goliath grouper. So Black could still hold the unofficial record for largest grouper caught in a kayak.

According to National Geographic, goliath groupers can grow to be 800 pounds and over 9 feet long. Although the fish used to be abundant, overfishing has made it a protected species.

Black actually told the fishing show “Chew On This” he thought the fish he caught was going to kill him. Maybe we should leave the fishing to the professionals. We'll just film from the dock.