Fisherman catches giant Bull shark off Miami beach 

A fisherman caught a giant Bull shark close to North Beach on Sunday, allegedly breaking a state record, local news reported 

Michael Hengel, 22, kayaked about 300 yards offshore and placed a 20-pound bait of bonita, which is usually used to catch sharks, mahi, snapper, and mackerel. Hengel then kayaked back to shore. 

However, the young fisherman never expected that he would be catching one of the largest Bull sharks caught off Florida. 

“It was right after sunset. Rods started going off, and I set the hook and fought her for about an hour,” Hengel said. “As soon as I got her in on the beach, I realized this was a monster.”

The female shark measured 9 ½ feet long and had a 55-inch girth. The large animal was estimated to have weighed 550 pounds, breaking the record for the largest Bull shark caught, which stood at 517 pounds. 

“I knew this shark had to be well over the record,” he said. “I can dead-lift 500 pounds, but I could not move it.”

However, Hengel did not officially measure the shark. To see if he had broken the state record, he would have had to kill the shark. Yet the fisherman claims to be a conservationist who only catches and releases the animals.