August 2, 2007
Bainbridge-- A south Georgia teenager will have his name down in the record books. While fishing with his family off the coast of Cape San Blas in Florida, 15-year-old Nic Jeter reeled in the largest nurse shark ever caught anywhere.
Fishing is a family activity and a life-long pursuit for every member of the Jeter family. On a recent family vacation to Florida, oldest son Nic never thought that one fishing trip would result in a world record. "We just went out Spanish Mackerel fishing one day, and we just got out there; we were catching a few spanish and then I wanted to shark fish," says Jeter. His father Greg adds,"He'd missed a couple, and I told somebody to pull up the anchor, and that's when he said, 'Dad I think I got one.' He did."
Two hours later Jeter reeled in the 8', 263 lb. Nurse shark. Jeter couldn't believe the size. "Wow," he says, "It was big. Bigger than I thought it was." "When they pulled it up, all you could see was fish in the bottom of the boat," describes Kim Jeter, Nic's mom.
It was certainly the biggest Jeter had ever caught, but he still didn't realize what he'd accomplished. "I really didn't know then, until we got in and somebody told me that it may be," he says. After having it measured and weighed it was confirmed: the largest nurse shark ever caught ... and by a 15 year old.
Perhaps one reason Jeter has become such an avid fisherman at such a young age is it's not only his favorite sport, but it's one of the few he can participate in. "I've got a health problem, I've got hemophelia, and really I can't play no contact sports," says Jeter. "No contact sports, and Nic, as you can tell, is very athletic and that's what he wanted to do," says Kim Jeter.
So he picked up his rod and reel and focused in on the sport his whole family loves so much. "It's a livelihood, we do it all the time. It's just good fun, we've got a lot of good memories." Like this one that won't only be held in their memories, but in the record books too.
Officials at the International Game and Fish Association in Dania Beach, Florida verified the new world record. Jeter says he plans to have his catch mounted.
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