Ian Atherton, a daring adventurer from Lancashire, embarked on a thrilling journey from the coastal town of Fleetwood to the vibrant shores of Florida’s Space Coast. Filled with anticipation, he set out on a fishing expedition, eagerly seeking the thrill of reeling in a formidable shark. Little did he know that fate had a different plan in store for him—a remarkable encounter with a creature far more elusive and extraordinary.
As the sun bathed the Atlantic waters on a serene Saturday morning, Ian cast his line into the depths, hoping for an adrenaline-pumping encounter. To his astonishment, the sea responded with a surprise beyond his wildest dreams. Instead of a mighty shark, he found himself entangled in a captivating battle with a creature of remarkable rarity—a majestic sawfish, a sight seldom witnessed by anglers.
In an unexpected twist of fate, Ian’s fishing expedition turned into a remarkable encounter with one of nature’s hidden treasures. The seas held their secrets, offering him an extraordinary spectacle that would forever be etched in his memory.
His half-day adventure with Capt Jon Cangianellla of Fin & Fly charters saw them leave Port Canaveral and sail a few miles into the Atlantic.
When they arrived at the spot planned for their fishing, Ian put some bluefish on the hook in a bid to attract one of the fearsome predators – and he almost immediately got a bite.
But it was the start of an hour-long battle between the two, with Ian trying to reel in what he assumed was a shark.
But Jon soon realised that Ian had caught something much rarer than a shark – a 13ft-long sawfish.
The bizarre looking animals have a rostrum – or a saw – along their very long noses, which can be up to 5ft long.
Although they are also called carpenter sharks, they are really rays rather than sharks and are generally thought to be harmless to humans unless they are defending themselves.
Ian and Jon first recognised the sawfish when the rostrum – looking like a hedge trimmer – came out of the water.
The captain managed to free the fish – that are officially endangered – from the hook without getting the animal out of the water, and it swam off.
Smalltooth sawfish – which can be as long as 16ft – are known to inhabit Florida waters but they are rare, with fishing over the past century resulting in their numbers dwindling.
They are one of five species of sawfish around the world but the only one found off Florida’s Space Coast.
Sawfish have mythological significance in various societies around the world. In some parts of Africa, dancing dressed as sawfish forms part of coming-of-age ceremonies, while in Gambia the saws indicate courage.
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