NORTHERN


BIGGEST, MEANEST FRESHWATER FISH STORY AND PHOTOS BY SCOTT MACGREGOR


ON THE HUNT FOR THE I


STUMBLED UPON A PHOTO of Vic Van Wie and his kayak fishing world-record 256-pound thresher shark


while making some final online arrangements for my fall kayak fishing trip. Here’s a guy in a T-shirt, surf trunks and sandals kneeling beside a 12-foot kayak and an 11-foot fish. Below the photo he recounts the catch: “Te thresher shark hit about 20 minutes aſter I started soaking a live mackerel. He ripped off all 80 yards of mono top-shot and was into the Spectra backing within a few seconds. Even with my bait bucket in the water [used as a sea anchor] I was still getting pulled at a pretty good clip. Aſter about an hour and a half it turned into a standoff with him about 20–30 feet below the kayak. For another half an hour we played tug of war.” When he finally landed the shark his kayak fishing buddy


Rhino grabbed the leader and then “beat it upside the head” until it stopped thrashing.


‘skies www.kayakanglermag.com… 29


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52