A 255-Pound Thresher Shark Earns Captain $11,000

With a haunting "Jaws"-like score blasting over the speakers visitors to the Marine Basin watched one ferocious shark after another weigh-in  as part of the this weekend.

A 255-pound Thresher shark beat out a blue shark for heaviest catch by just three pounds.

Almost 125 boats took part in the two day event, which began Friday morning and ended Saturday evening.

A total of $50,000 in cash prizes was available to winners in various categories, with thousands more in calcutta bets paid out.

The big winner was Captain Mike Estivo aboard the "Instigator," who caught the thresher shark on the first day.

"It was the first Thresher shark we ever caught," Estivo said. "Very exciting, It was a nice fight…it's all luck."

Estivo's crew entered the tournament just a few minutes before registration ended, abandoning original plans to go off-shore upon hearing of unpromising weather.

What was originally destined to be a recreational family outing turned into a payday of almost $11,000.

Professional fishermen competed alongside amateur anglers for first prize in the mako, blue, and thresher categories, which each paid out almost $6,400. Second place in each category received almost $3,000, and third place $1,700. Winners are listed below.

Veteran angler Karen Weaver won top honors in the female category, reeling in a 154-pound Mako aboard the boat "We Go." She was a lock to win that category, according to staff, as she's won the event several times before.

"We've been doing this over 30-some-odd years," said Weaver. "Luck of the draw is really all it is."

Like others nationally, the tournament had previously drawn criticism for inhumane treatment and unnecessary killing of sharks. Since its inception, however, the tournament has invited and complied with various humane and research organizations, Marine Basin owner Carl Darenberg said. Only one shark can be caught each day, and all others must be tagged and released, he said.

This year, tournament officials distributed G-shaped hooks as an alternative to J-shaped hooks, which are believed to be more harmful. The National Marine Fishery Service was on hand to take samples of the sharks for research purposes.

Despite the music setting the eerie scene the children in attendance did not cower at the sight of a shark up close. On the contrary, they ran up to touch a shark fin or watch a filet while the adults remained safely perched behind the yellow rope.

Overall Largest Shark/1st Place Thresher:

255-pound Thresher, Mike Estivo aboard "The Instigator"

1st Place Mako:

249-pound Mako, Nishan Vartanian aboard "Canyon Lady"

1st Place Blue Shark:

252-pound Blue, Pete Ferentios aboard "Fishin Chicks"

1st Place Female:

154-pound Mako, Karen Weaver aboard "We Go"

For more information click here.