Mass. high school girls hockey player catches 700-lb tuna

A Massachusetts high school girls hockey player who recently graduated from Hamilton-Wenham (Mass.) High School won the fishing fight of her life when she landed a monster 700-pound tuna off the Massachusetts coast.

As reported by the Salem News and Boston Globe, among other outlets, 18-year-old Devin Zelck left on a 5 a.m. fishing expedition with her father, Steve Zelck. Fishing aboard the Dogbar, the pair left with boat captain Jim Alvarez and eventually anchored roughly five miles off shore.

Almost immediately, Steve Zelck’s line was took a hit, and from there the trio was off tag-teaming a 10-hour tuna hauling expedition with Devin, who played hockey for the Marblehead High School girls hockey co-op, often leading the group’s reeling efforts. When all was said and done their boat had been dragged nine miles away from Gloucester, where they embarked, by a bluefin tuna that was nearly nine feet long.

It was the younger Zelck’s first-ever tuna, and also the largest of Alvarez’s career.

“After an hour we realized this fish was not going to give up,” Devin Zelck told the News. “It was tiring. I’m only 18. I’m definitely not the strongest. It was definitely challenging for me.”

The fight was worth it, both for the pride and memories and the eventual payout; the group hoped to net roughly $7,000 for the catch at a $10 per pound rate at a local fishbroker.

“That’s a good way to start off her career,” Alvarez told the News of Devin’s role in leading the reeling efforts. “She’s a tough cookie. … She’s the star.”