Some guys out cobia fishing find a monster Mako munching on Flipper

They decide to try and catch the thing.  They actually hook the beast on a pair of Van Staal spinning reel setups with 30lb line.  Then the fun ensues.  Mako's, known as voracious fighters, begins pulling the little 23' boat they're on for a ride.  The cry goes out...

"I think we need a bigger boat!"   ;D

They wave down a 45 charter, that thing was nearly a foot from water coming in over the side as they attempted to pull the fish in.

Quite a story here

http://www.nwfdailynews.com/article/2793

While this fish could be a WR on 30lb, this stories got as many holes in it as the Weakley bass.  There are issues with the use of 2 rods to hook it (snagged sounds more like it) and the flying gaffs being considered a spear (a no-no when it comes to sharks).  Apparently the published accounts like the link I got listed and what really happen appear to be a little different.

I read about this in the Sunday paper.  It does sound like a wild catch for a 23 foot boat.

Stories are changing. Apparently one of the anglers on the boat let it slip after the initial catch.

"I don't think the shark even knew she was snagged"

That was changed to "hooked" for the paper.  

Doesn't make sense though, it had half a porpoise in it's mouth and then tried to take a cobia jig?

The Capt of the bigger boat said the fish didn't let go of flipper till the first flyer went into his gill plate.

Big fish but the story doesn't hold water as far as a 30lb WR.  

Has there ever been a major fish catch that wasn't surrounded by controversy?

It may be true.  It may not be true.

But it doesn't seem to matter.  Someone will always raise doubts.

All I can think of in this case (from the post not the article) is that some poor guy, probably just a regular guy like you and me says the shark didn't know he was "snagged" instead of "hooked" and this imperfect word leads to a giant conspiracy theory.

My God, when we tell each  other "you caught a real pig"  do we mean that the  guy actually  caught a real pig?