700-pound shark caught off Connecticut coast may break state record

STONINGTON, Conn. (WTNH) — Two fishermen had the catch of a lifetime when they found a 700-pound thresher shark off the coast of Stonington, Connecticut.

Heading out during the last week of July, Ed Lovely and his friend decided to take a quick fishing trip around Lovely's go-to spot. 

In just a few moments, the two found out they may have hooked a bigger catch than they bargained for. After debating whether or not to cut their line, Lovely said he realized he had caught a massive shark. 

"A few hours later, I finally saw the shark way out, and it was ginormous. It was huge," Lovely said, "I was like 'this is crazy.' Even Moe was like, this is the biggest fish I've ever seen."

After pulling the 16-foot-long shark aboard Lovely's 16.5-foot boat, they estimated it weighed around 700 pounds, which would break records for the largest shark caught off Connecticut waters. According to a spokesperson with the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP), the marine trophy fish award application for the shark is under review.

Fisherman Matt Hardisty, a friend of Lovely, said it's a feat not anyone can pull off. He caught his own massive shark in 2012. 

"It's a marathon, it's a test of endurance, it's you versus nature," Hardisty said. "For anyone who gets to experience that, it's the catch of a lifetime. It's really, really neat."