NEWBURYPORT, MASS. (WHDH) - Two teenagers reeled in a 350-pound tuna off the coast of Newburyport last week, creating a memory they said they will reminisce on for the rest of their lives.
Rex Monaco caught the fish with his cousin while he was visiting family last week. He said the huge tuna was extremely difficult to reel in, and it took nearly and hour to get on board.
“It was just really tough to pull it up because its such a powerful fish, it was just crazy,” Monaco said. “I had never seen something that big, it was just crazy to me. It was insane. I couldn’t believe it, because it looked like gold in the water, and it was literally seven-feet big.”
The group was ready to head back to shore when Monaco said the fish first bit. One of his relatives who was on the boat said tuna are difficult to reel in because of their size.
“It was pretty amazing, I was up on the tower and looked down to look at what’s called deep color – the first color you see of the fish coming up. It looks absolutely huge just below the water,” said Michael Kusler, who was driving the boat.
Monaco and his cousin then bit the heart of the big fish – a tradition when fishermen catch their first tuna – and said they will keep the memory of their catch forever.
“It’s like a once in a lifetime experience, that was really insane,” Monaco said.
A bluefin tuna that size can be sold for up to $20,000.
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