A Texas Kayak Fisherman Nearly Capsized When He Reeled In A Monstrous Seven-Foot Prehistoric Beast

It’s a scorching day near San Benito, Texas, as Chris Hernandez bobs along a river in his kayak. The fisherman waits patiently for a bite, a nibble, anything. Then... BANG! The end of Hernandez’s rod jerks towards the water, sending his boat lurching back and forth. Clearly, this isn’t any old fish. A prehistoric beast is actually on the end of his line, and it’s wrestling with all its might.

Can he take it down?

As Hernandez tries to maintain balance on his kayak, he battles to reel in his huge catch. The beast’s great head breaks the surface of the water, sending waves surging across the river. And as Hernandez spots the monster snarling and thrashing just before him, he feels a pang of fear. Will he actually be able to take down this colossal creature?

“I thought I was going to lose my pole”

Well, as a triathlete in prime physical condition, Hernandez is in a better position than most. But the strength of the creature is incredible, and it’s not giving up without a fight. “He was dragging me all over the river,” Hernandez later recalled to the San Antonio Express-News. “For a minute I thought I was going to lose my pole because it was like halfway in the water.”

Nearly flipped the boat

The beast even used its tail to try and flip Hernandez’s boat. “If my [kayak] would’ve tilted a couple more inches, it would’ve took in water,” he admitted. But what kind of creature was Hernandez tangling with? Well, in the freshwater rivers of Texas, there are a few denizens of the deep that are shockingly ancient in origin.

What was he wrestling?

Could it have been a paddlefish on the end of Hernandez’s line? You’d hope not! The species is safeguarded by the State of Texas, making it illegal to land or hurt it in any way. And while the fisherman’s foe had shark-like qualities similar to those of a paddlefish, Hernandez thankfully didn’t become a felon that day for tussling with a protected animal. So, what on Earth was he wrestling with?