Perez had become concerned as three members of his flock had stayed out to sea, about a mile from the island.
"There's no reason to be out there," thought Perez as he tried in vain to contact the threesome by VHF radio on channel 71.
"They're not answering," said Perez. "Something is up."
Perez launched the Black Pearl's 10-foot zodiac and headed in the direction of the wayward kayakers. "What's up?," Perez cried from a distance. "There's nothing to catch out here."
Perez then noticed Anthony Pinner's rod bent over with something very big on the other end of the line ... towing him out to sea. "He was on Mr. Toad"s Wild Ride and there was no getting off," said Perez.
By the force of the creature at the other end of Pinner's line, Perez told the angler he was hooked to one of three things. "You either have a thresher shark, a mako shark or a giant black seabass."
Pinner then told Perez that he had been towed out to sea for the past 45 minutes, and that the beast was showing no signs of slowing up. Perez side-tied to Pinner's kayak and tightened the drag on his reel. Pinner was afraid that Perez was putting too much strain on the fish. "It's going to break," Pinner warned Perez.
Ten minutes later, a giant shadow emerged from the deep blue sea. Pinner yelled that it was the biggest white seabass he had ever seen. "It's a black seabass; 225-250 pounds," said Perez. Since black seabass are a protected species, Perez worked feverishly to extract the hooked monster.
"Once I got the hook out, it bolted back down towards the bottom and looked no worse for the battle," said Perez.
"I'm just glad the guys were safe," said Perez. "And now, they have a heck of a fish story to tell for the rest of their lives."
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