In an event that can be described only as one of the most Florida things to ever happen, three self-proclaimed rednecks attempted to catch a 277.7-pound bull shark with their bare hands. Floridians might be odd, but we are nothing if not tough. So, naturally, these guys succeeded.
Of course, at first they thought the shark was dead, an assumption they didn't realize was wrong until they began dragging it by its tail.
According to the Northwest Florida Daily News, Cody Harlan, Jonathan Cook, and Robert Trutt went out to Okaloosa Island near Fort Walton Beach this past Saturday morning to do some pompano fishing, but before they cast their lines, they noticed something floating in the water.
At first the trio thought it might be driftwood or a dead dolphin. After realizing it was a shark, they tried to get it to take some bait so they could reel it in, but the shark didn't respond. So Harlan decided to jump into the water, grab the shark by the tail, and haul it onto the beach.
However, once the shark was on land, it began thrashing. Turns out the creature wasn't yet dead but was choking on some fish it tried to swallow. A few strikes with a baseball bat put an end to the shark's suffering.
As crazy as the story is, what really makes the tale memorable are the quotes the trio gave to the paper. Here are the six greatest:
- "It was stupid, but a good memory. Leave it to three rednecks."
- "I wanted it for its teeth."
- "I got my Nike bat out of the truck and knocked her out."
- [As to what they'll do with the shark now] "Cut the head off, steak it up, soak in buttermilk, and throw it on the grill."
- "I feel like an idiot now. He wasn't dead."
- "We could have been its dinner."
Oh, Florida's Panhandle, never change.
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