South Carolina teacher reels in 173-pound shark on fishing trip
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South Carolina teacher Nikki Colwell, who is also an avid shark angler, is celebrating for multiple reasons as the school year comes to a close.This week, the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources confirmed her latest shark catch is now the largest of its kind recorded in state history. South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster confirmed the record with his signature. Colwell pulled in 173 pound spinner shark off Edisto Island while on a fishing trip with her dad on April 18. A business and computer science teacher at Berea High School, Colwell said the record and trip with her dad was a great way to end the year. “It got really surreal at that moment,” said Colwell. “I almost started crying at the dock because it’s something I’ve wanted for a really, really long time.”On the day of the catch, Colwell and her dad were resting in the boat while off the Charleston coast near Edisto Island.She was eating a peanut butter and jelly sandwich when she felt a tug on her line. “The rod starting going off,” she said. “I had like three bites left and I said alright just let it go for a second, let me finish my sandwich first, at least.”Colwell said she then reeled in the somewhat calm shark for 30 minutes before bringing it close to the boat.”Sometimes they’re calm when they get to the boat, but because she didn’t fight at all, she was not calm,” Colwell said. “She kind of went crazy.”Then the rod snapped.”I was hand lining in my left hand and reeling it in with my right hand while it was still in the rod holder,” Colwell said. “Then it broke off three more eyes, so there was only one eye on the fishing rod left!”Once they secured the shark to the boat, Colwell said her dad knew something was different about this catch.”You could just see in his facial expressions,” Colwell said. “The wheels were turning that I think this might be a pretty big one.”He was right. His daughter’s spinner shark beat the state record by over 2 pounds.Colwell said they named the record-setting shark “Elda.”
South Carolina teacher Nikki Colwell, who is also an avid shark angler, is celebrating for multiple reasons as the school year comes to a close.
This week, the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources confirmed her latest shark catch is now the largest of its kind recorded in state history.
South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster confirmed the record with his signature.
Colwell pulled in 173 pound spinner shark off Edisto Island while on a fishing trip with her dad on April 18.
A business and computer science teacher at Berea High School, Colwell said the record and trip with her dad was a great way to end the year.
“It got really surreal at that moment,” said Colwell. “I almost started crying at the dock because it’s something I’ve wanted for a really, really long time.”
On the day of the catch, Colwell and her dad were resting in the boat while off the Charleston coast near Edisto Island.
She was eating a peanut butter and jelly sandwich when she felt a tug on her line.
“The rod starting going off,” she said. “I had like three bites left and I said alright just let it go for a second, let me finish my sandwich first, at least.”
Colwell said she then reeled in the somewhat calm shark for 30 minutes before bringing it close to the boat.
“Sometimes they’re calm when they get to the boat, but because she didn’t fight at all, she was not calm,” Colwell said. “She kind of went crazy.”
Then the rod snapped.
“I was hand lining in my left hand and reeling it in with my right hand while it was still in the rod holder,” Colwell said. “Then it broke off three more eyes, so there was only one eye on the fishing rod left!”
Once they secured the shark to the boat, Colwell said her dad knew something was different about this catch.
“You could just see in his facial expressions,” Colwell said. “The wheels were turning that I think this might be a pretty big one.”
He was right. His daughter’s spinner shark beat the state record by over 2 pounds.
Colwell said they named the record-setting shark “Elda.”
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