Anglers out of San Diego boated a large swordfish recently, but not before an equally large mako shark claimed part of the catch.
“The taxman took his share, but Pacifica Sportfishing managed most of a swordfish on the first day of their trip,” Seaforth Landing explained via Instagram.
The image shows five anglers posing with a swordfish whose lower body had been shredded by the shark as the swordfish was being reeled to the boat.
A swipe-through features video footage showing the mako shark swimming near the boat as one passenger remarks, “He’s wondering where his meal went.”
Swordfish catches by recreational anglers are rare off Southern California, but it’s not rare for sharks to go after any large fish that’s struggling at the end of a fishing line.
Sharks that claim part or all of a hooked game fish are commonly referred to as tax collectors or, singularly, the taxman.
