Charter boat hauls in 1,260-pound blue marlin believed to be East Coast’s largest catch

Portland, Maine (AP) — Damon Sacco, a charter fishing boat captain from Massachusetts, and his client Walter Chapman reeled in what could be the East Coast's largest blue marlin ever caught on Wednesday. The massive fish, over 11 feet long and weighing 1,260 pounds, was spotted breaking the water's surface, resembling a "glimmering blue spaceship."

Initially, Sacco thought he was dealing with a shark, but upon closer inspection, he realized it was a blue marlin. The catch, less than 142 pounds shy of the world record set in Brazil in 1992, took place in Atlantis Canyon, an underwater canyon near Cape Cod. The fish's age will be determined at the University of Maine's lab, and experts believe it could be between 25 to 30 years old.

They note that such a large catch off New England is quite rare due to the cold water in the region.