Kayaker caught 552 lbs Grouper in Florida

  I'd be screaming a lot more than he did..

 http://www.grindtv.com/fishing/screaming-kayak-angler-catches-giant-goliath-grouper/#bUTR6Iu6hYPfsKX8.97

The skeptic in me thinks there's no way he could have done that unassisted. Those fish, like all groupers, immediately try to run into their hole, around pylons, into rockpiles, etc... after the hookset, and i'd be shocked if he could generate enough leverage from the yak to stop the fish from doing so.

"Gahhh, he broke the rod!"... 

Who in their right mind high sticks a very large and powerful fish like a grouper?

I'm also calling BS on the estimated 552 lb part.  I'm guessing that fish weighs about half that.

An Old Town Predator MX is 12 ft long.  That fish is maybe half the length of the kayak, or about 6ft long.   

The photo of it being released makes me think it might be closer to 5ft long.

Using a length to weight relationship for Goliath grouper from a NOAA report..
http://www.reef.org/reef_files/SEDAR23_RD_19_GoliathFINAL.pdf

6 ft is 1828.8 mm.
1828 mm puts the fish at about 180 kg or about 265 lbs

"Gahhh, he broke the rod!"... 

Who in their right mind high sticks a very large and powerful fish like a grouper?

I'm also calling BS on the estimated 552 lb part.  I'm guessing that fish weighs about half that.

You clearly haven't seen enough of the dumb crap I've done  while fishing over the years.

The 552 number also seems really fishy to me too. Oddly specific for a fish they can't remove from the water. Call me a hater though, that would be pretty damn fun!

On the original YouTube video they state the fish is 83 inches long x 73 inches girth or just under 7 ft long.  If that's the case that puts it in the 400 lb class according to the published relationship for this species.  Still not 550.

The following online calculator also suggests 420 lbs for that length and girth.
http://www.csgnetwork.com/fishsaltwtcalc.html

They obviously used the old standby ... length (in) * girth(in) * girth(in) / 800 = weight (lbs)

83 * 73 * 73 / 800 = 552.88

Fishermen never lie

You clearly haven't seen enough of the dumb crap I've done  while fishing over the years.

Now that you mention it, I did just watch a video of you trying to take a selfie with an unsecured 50 lb halibut.  Well I suppose it was secured if you consider just a flying gaff to the stomach secured.

Fishermen never lie

The guide who posted the video also comments that he has a federal permit to capture those fish for a Florida State University research study.   He should be better informed about what the measurements he's taking actually mean and not be using the L*G*G/800 crap largemouth bass weight estimator.

You clearly haven't seen enough of the dumb crap I've done  while fishing over the years.

Now that you mention it, I just watch a video of you trying to take a selfie with an unsecured 50 lb halibut.  Well I suppose it was secured if you consider just a flying gaff to the stomach secured.

Exactly.

Grouper Size Matters!

Maybe the picture were taken with "Tiny Hands" or "Tiny Kayak".

Ok, after watching the whole video, this is ridiculous, and pretty unfortunate that he is now a face of "kayak fishing".  Not only does he sound like a toy poodle caught in a bear trap, the guy's kayak is tied off to the cement structure to his right side so he doesn't get pulled around.  Then, a powerboat hauls his fish to a beach for him so he can pose with it.  Yeah, biggest bottom fish caught by a kayak... right...    

Ok, after watching the whole video, this is ridiculous, and pretty unfortunate that he is now a face of "kayak fishing".  Not only does he sound like a toy poodle caught in a bear trap, the guy's kayak is tied off to the cement structure to his right side so he doesn't get pulled around.  Then, a powerboat hauls his fish to a beach for him so he can pose with it.  Yeah, biggest bottom fish caught by a kayak... right...    

exactly+1

Fishermen never lie

I reiterate