Downs went out to sea to track down and catch an often elusive, and always dangerous, prey. He found it just after 2 p.m.
Using tuna as bait, he soon drew the attention of a shortfin mako shark.
As an avid sport fisherman, Downs wanted to claim his catch under the rules of the /*International Game Fishing Association*/. That meant he could only use the rod and reel to catch it.
Using a 100-pound line, Downs battled the shark for more than an hour. It finally came close enough to be brought on board the boat.
The shark proved to be a formidable and hefty adversary. When the shark was finally hauled in to the Marina Del Rey harbor, it weighed in at 736 pounds. That's far from a record, but Downs managed a very impressive catch as he prepares for an upcoming mako shark fishing tournament in Oxnard.
Attacks on humans by shortfin mako sharks are rare, but by all accounts a mako shark is a pretty serious fish. It can swim at speeds of up to 46 miles per hour and leap 30 feet in the air.
