US Man Catches Nearly 500-Pound Swordfish After 5-Hour Fight, Feeds Entire Town

A massive 480-pound swordfish was caught by Captain Jose Rodriguez Jr of Cudjoe Key, Florida, Fox News reported. The fish, one of the largest caught in the Keys in recent years, was hauled in after a five-hour battle along with a Pennsylvania family on board.

Rodriguez spotted the giant swordfish and knew it was a big one. With his friend's help, they managed to seal the deal and pull the fish onto the deck. The catch was so massive that it required ice bags and towels to keep it stable, and the crew had to file it on the boat.

Also read | Who Will Survive The AI Revolution? Palantir CEO Alex Karp Shares His View

"It was definitely a fight and a struggle," Rodriguez told the media outlet in an interview.

"We fought the fish for five hours, and it took us at least another half hour to control the fish on the side of the boat before we could pull it over the side."

The Pennsylvania family, who chartered the boat to celebrate their son's high school graduation, decided to donate most of the fish to the local community.

Captain Jose Rodriguez Jr. of Cudjoe Key, FL, takes clients out 4 to 5 times a week on chartered trophy fishing trips to the Florida Keys. On Feb 18, Rodriguez along with a Pennsylvania family caught a massive 480-pound swordfish, the biggest that had been caught in the Keys in… pic.twitter.com/Uzxfe8hdoW

— Robbie Mouton (@mcgmouton57) March 28, 2026

Also read | Real Estate To Jobs: How Noida International Airport Will Transform NCR

As a result, around 50-70 people in the town got to enjoy the fresh swordfish, with the family taking home only 20-30 pounds.

Rodriguez, who runs Above & Below Fishing Adventures, considers it a once-in-a-lifetime experience. "Everyone's in search of a nickel, which is 500 pounds, but it rarely happens in the Keys," said Rodriguez.

The fish is comparable to other legendary catches, such as Captain Nick Stanczyk's 757.8-pound broadbill in 2019.