Record Breaking Shark Caught Off California Coast [Video]

A record breaking shark has been caught off the coast of California. The 12-foot-long, 1,300 pound shortfin mako shark is believed to be the largest ever caught in the United States. The shark will be taken to a weigh yard before the record can be made official.

According to the Huffington Post, the enormous shark was caught by angler Jason Johnston just outside of the Los Angeles harbor. Johnston, from Mesquite, Texas, needed about a quarter mile of fishing line and two hours to reel in his catch.

Johnston said: “It’s unreal. This thing is definitely a killing machine. Any wrong step, I could have gone out of the boat and down to the bottom of the ocean… He took out a quarter-mile of line… and five times he came out of the water over 20 feet. It was amazing.”

CBS Los Angeles reports that Johnston was on a charter fishing trip run by Mako Matt’s and Breakaway Charters when he caught the shark. The footage will reportedly be used for the show The Professionals on the Outdoor Channel.

According to the World Fishing Network, the largest shortfin maco shark ever caught weighed 1221 lbs. Johnston’s shark has an unofficial weight of 1,323.5-pounds.

The shark, which will be donated for research, hasn’t received an official weight yet but it definitely looks like a record setting shark.