Tarpon reportedly caught and released on the Cape

A 20-year-old reportedly caught and released a tarpon off Cape Cod this weekend.

Hans Brings Jr., who studies marine biology at the University of Rhode Island, told Boston 25 News that he was shark fishing at a beach in Mashpee on Sunday around 3 a.m. when he caught something on his line.

“It took about 20 to 30 minutes to reel in, and once I was in the water, I saw some silver scales,” Brings Jr. explained to the news station, noting the moment he realized his catch was not a shark.

“I could not believe my eyes when I saw it, it was truly incredible,” he told Boston 25.

The New England Aquarium confirmed to Boston.com that the fish in photos and videos shared by Boston 25 News and on social media is a tarpon.

The nonprofit’s scientists “were surprised to see this fish was caught off Cape Cod,” a spokesperson noted in an email. “It is rare to see tarpon this far north though not unheard of, given that many marine species are able to extend their range as the ocean warms.”

Brings Jr. had told Boston 25 that the fish was around 6 feet long, calling it “trophy size.”

The aquarium’s scientists couldn’t say for sure without seeing the fish, but said it was likely closer to 5 feet and not necessarily what they would consider “trophy size.”

“One of our scientists, Dr. Nick Whitney, sees a lot of tarpon while conducting nurse shark research in the Florida Keys and said he would consider 4-5 feet to be average,” the spokesperson noted.

See below for some of the photos and video shared on social media:

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