Dad’s mind-blown! He snags an epic 12.5ft Tiger Shark on a weekend fishing escapade with his son, smashing his own record for the biggest catch ever.
Christian Haltermann, 36, was out for a chill day at Padre Island National Seashore in South Texas when the unexpected happened. Picture this: setting up by the coast, casting the line, and then BAM – a colossal surprise!
This dude, who practically grew up fishing here, dropped the bombshell. It’s like a regular weekend ritual for him, hitting the park twice a month with his 8-year-old partner in crime.
So, what’s the buzz? He went all-in, loading up on a hefty 10-pound stingray as bait. Kayaking around 900 meters into the water, he unleashed his trap and headed back to shore. Time to play the waiting game.
And then, plot twist! Come Saturday evening, around 7 pm, he felt the pull. Like, a colossal tug. Big enough to make him say, “It’s a monster, guys!”
Two and a half hours of wrestling with the behemoth, and Christian thought, “Okay, this is beyond me.” Enter son: the messenger to fetch backup.
Two nearby camping buddies rushed to the rescue, forming a tag team to tackle the colossal catch.
Now, here’s the deal: Christian, the shark superhero, is a volunteer shark-measurer (yes, that’s a thing). Before you panic, he’s on a noble mission. After a fierce battle, the tiger shark was declared a female. Measurements done, tagged, and back into the wild she went.
“I never want to pull them out of the water because, you know, priorities. The mission is to set them free,” says Christian. Hooks out, speedy pics snapped, and off she swam – a victorious superhero exit!
Christian reflects, “I’ve got quite a few tiger sharks over 10 feet, but nothing over 12. This was our new benchmark, and we nailed it. How cool is that?”
