Man fishing on Sanibel beach reeled in a fish he described as 'prehistoric' looking

Mark H. Bickel, Fort Myers News-Press
Updated ·3 min read
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Kevin Butcher was surprised when he caught a smalltooth sawfish on Sanibel Island on Sept. 9, 2023. He admitted he was unaware of what kind of fish it was or that it is classified as endangered at the federal and state levels. According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, regarding the smalltooth sawfish: do not pull it out of the water and do not try to handle it. Refrain from using ropes or restraining the animal in any way.

Kevin Butcher is 51 years old. He said he's been fishing most of his life. When he went fishing on Sanibel Island recently, he reeled in a fish he had never seen in person before.

"It reminded me of a character from Pirates of the Caribbean," Butcher said.

Prehistoric also came to mind when Butcher, who is from Minnesota, laid his eyes on the smalltooth sawfish he hooked on Sept. 9 with his Penn fishing rod and Penn 5500 VI reel. He said he was fishing on the beach near West Gulf Drive just down from where the Shalimar Cottages and Hotel stood before Hurricane Ian.

Butcher said catching the unusual looking fish was a process, taking him more than a half hour to finally see what was on the other end of his line. He used cut whiting for bait. The initial hit came at 12:45 p.m. and the giant fish was finally on the beach at Butcher's feet at 1:26 p.m.

Kevin Butcher handles the smalltooth sawfish he caught on Sanibel Island on Saturday, Sept. 9, 2023. Here he is working on returning the fish to the Gulf of Mexico. Butcher admitted he was not aware of the type of fish he had hooked or that at the federal and state levels the smalltooth sawfish is listed as endangered. According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, when it comes to the smalltooth sawfish: do not pull it out of the water and do not try to handle it. Refrain from using ropes or restraining the animal in any way.

He estimated the smalltooth sawfish was 9-feet long and weighed 150 pounds.

After having a few photos taken, Butcher returned the smalltooth sawfish to the Gulf.

"Back to Davey Jones' locker," he said.

He admitted he wasn't aware that the smalltooth sawfish is classified as endangered and protected at the state and federal level. He said he was also told at a local bait shop that it is more common for smalltooth sawfish to be caught in canals.

Was he apprehensive when he handled the fish?

"Big time," Butcher said. "It was thrashing around pretty good."

It's important to note, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission states on its website regarding the smalltooth sawfish: do not pull it out of the water and do not try to handle it. Refrain from using ropes or restraining the animal in any way.

Butcher recently purchased a vacation home on Sanibel. He has been coming here for 10 years. If he didn't already feel like a native before hooking the smalltooth sawfish, he should now.

"Both my grandpa and my dad took me fishing at a very young age, but we don’t have fish like that Minnesota," he said.

What is a smalltooth sawfish: 5 things to know

Kevin Butcher caught this sawtooth fish while fishing on Sanibel Island on Sept. 9, 2023. He returned it to the Gulf of Mexico.
Kevin Butcher caught this sawtooth fish while fishing on Sanibel Island on Sept. 9, 2023. He returned it to the Gulf of Mexico.

According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC):

  • The smalltooth sawfish is a cartilaginous fish that belongs to the Subclass Elasmobranchii, which also includes all sharks and rays.

  • This dorsally tannish-brown fish can reach a total length of up to 18 feet, including the saw.

  • The smalltooth sawfish is considered a type of ray, in part because the gill slits are located on the bottom of the body and the pectoral fins are attached to the head.

  • Little is known about what the smalltooth sawfish feeds on.  Their diet is thought to consist of crabs, shrimp, small fish, and other bottom-dwelling organisms.

  • Historical threats have included unintentional overfishing associated with commercial fisheries, trophy fishing associated with recreational fisheries, and habitat destruction.  The smalltooth sawfish population has been reduced to a small section of Florida’s southern coast

This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Catching a smalltooth sawfish on sanibel island florida was unexpected