Captain hauls in nearly 500-pound sea giant after grueling battle, feeds most of town

A Florida fisherman changed his luck precocious successful a large way.

Captain Jose Rodriguez Jr. of Cudjoe Key, Florida, takes clients retired 4 to 5 times a week connected a Florida Keys sportfishing charter to reel successful trophy fish. But he'd ne'er travel adjacent to catching a monster 500-pound swordfish.

On Feb. 18, Rodriguez, on with a Pennsylvania family, landed a elephantine 480-pound swordfish, 1 of the largest of its benignant caught successful the Keys successful caller years.

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"It was decidedly a combat and a struggle," Rodriguez, who helps tally the household business, Above & Below Fishing Adventures, told Fox News Digital successful an interview.

"We fought the food for 5 hours, and it took america astatine slightest different fractional hr to power the food connected the broadside of the vessel earlier we could propulsion it implicit the side," helium said.

Captain Jose Rodriguez Jr., shown supra near and wearing cap, lucked retired erstwhile helium landed a elephantine 480-pound swordfish, 1 of the largest of its benignant caught successful the Keys successful caller years. (@captjoserodriguez)

The Florida Keys are known for drafting successful ample taxon similar swordfish, but landing 1 of this size requires specialized deep-sea techniques and is considered rather rare.

"Everyone's successful hunt of a nickel, which is 500 pounds, but it seldom happens successful the Keys," said Rodriguez, 25.

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When helium started the sportfishing trip, it seemed similar a "normal" day, helium said. A Pennsylvania mates had chartered the vessel to observe their son's precocious schoolhouse graduation.

As Rodriguez archetypal spotted the swordfish, helium knew it was large, but helium wasn't definite however monolithic it would be.

"Not everyone's prepared to drawback a 500-pound fish."

"Then my mate and I got a truly bully oculus connected it, and we fundamentally sealed the deal," helium said.

At first, the Pennsylvania household didn't recognize the value of what was happening, helium said. But the 2 children aboard were large supporters.

Once the swordfish was caught, determination was plentifulness of enactment to beryllium done. For starters, determination was nary elemental mode to store a food that huge.

Once the swordfish was caught, the radical had plentifulness of enactment to do. For starters, determination was nary elemental mode to store a food this huge. (@captjoserodriguez)

"A food that large really lies connected the backmost platform with crystal bags connected apical of it with towels," Rodriguez said. "There's truly nary different spot" for it.

Then helium and his mate sprayed it with saltwater to bring the halfway somesthesia down.

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When they were acceptable to filet the fish, they completed the process connected the boat. 

They didn't person a crane to assistance the fish.

The swordfish caught successful the Keys clocked successful astatine 480 pounds and 86 inches. (@captjoserodriguez)

"Not everyone's prepared to drawback a 500-pound fish," the skipper said.

Only a fewer specified accomplishments person been documented successful the past decade, according to disposable material.

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In 2019, Captain Nick Stanczyk landed a legendary 757.8-pound broadbill disconnected Islamorada, marking 1 of the largest recreational swordfish ever caught successful the U.S., arsenic noted by Pelagic Gear.

In 2018, Patrick Vincent, on with Captain Stanczyk, caught a monolithic 600-pound swordfish disconnected Islamorada, arsenic Wild Open Spaces reported.

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In presumption of Rodriguez's catch, determination were astir 50–70 radical successful his assemblage who came to respect the fish. 

"We had good implicit 200 pounds of nutrient to use," helium said.

Pictured present with a antithetic fish, Rodriguez takes clients retired 4 to 5 times a week connected a Florida Keys sportfishing charter to reel successful trophy fish. (@captjoserodriguez)

The Pennsylvania household lone took 20-30 pounds of it. 

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They decided to donate the remainder of the food to radical successful the town.

With the astir 500-pound swordfish helium caught, Rodriguez and the household connected the vessel were capable to provender "the full community," helium said.  (@captjoserodriguez)

"The full assemblage was eating swordfish that day," Rodriguez said, chuckling.

When asked if helium felt similar a section celebrity, helium said, "Almost, yeah. Everybody knows astir it. … It's conscionable astir being successful the close spot astatine the close time, and it ended up happening to me."