'Rare' catch in Florida: UK fisherman wanted to catch a shark, but caught something unexpected

COCOA BEACH, Fla. - A fisherman from the United Kingdom booked a shark excursion in Florida, but instead of hooking a shark, he caught something else – a 13-foot sawfish.

And part of the catch was recorded on video (watch the video below).

Captain Jon Cangianella, of Cocoa Beach-based Fin & Fly Charters, said in an email that he and the fisherman chartered to an area where they usually fish for sharks in 35 feet of water. He shared video and photos with FOX 35.

"All of a sudden the rod took off screaming and an hour later we caught this giant 13ft (sic) sawfish," he wrote, adding that they used a bunch of "oily" bluefish as bait.

Because sawfish are endangered – and have been since 2003 – Cangianella called this a "super rare catch."

He said they used a "special dehooking device" to remove the hook without pulling the sawfish out of the water, and that it "swam away healthy."

According to the Florida Wildlife Commission, sawfish are more similarly connected to rays than sharks, even though they swim in a similar pattern to sharks.

They are considered endangered due to declining populations, partly due to commercial fishing, according to FWC's website.