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Ashland man reels in rare catch along the Cape Cod Canal

BOURNE, Mass. (MyFoxBoston.com) -- An Ashland man was surprised to find what he describes as a rare 6-foot-long fish on the end of his fishing line Tuesday.

The Cape Cod Times reports 29-year-old Justin Sprague did not intend to fish Tuesday night, but changed his mind after seeing a handful of fishermen near the Cape Cod Canal.

Sprague was fishing for about 15 minutes when he hooked what he originally thought was a shark. The 29-year-old soon figured out it was a marlin. After struggling to reel the fish in, Sprague and two other fishermen were able to pull it up.

All three fishermen tried to save the fish, but it did not survive. A fisherman who regularly travels the waters of the canal tells the newspaper he has never seen anything like the marlin during his 28 years in business.

Sprague decided to give the two fishermen who helped him out the marlin amid concerns over the legality of his catch.

To read more: capecodonline.com