Latest catch completes Sangle’s bucket list

Steve Sangle, the longtime chairman of the West Milford Environmental Commission, is a hands-on guy.

He’s an avid sportsman who hunts and fishes.

His latest achievement is catching a 100-pound Istiophorus platypterus, better known as the Indo-Pacific sailfish, off the coast of Costa Rica.

That catch completes his bucket list, Sangle said.

Some scientists say sailfish in the Pacific and Atlantic are two different species - sometimes called Ocean Gars and Bayonet fish. They are one of the most recognizable creatures in the ocean, with a distinctive sail-like dorsal fin and long sword-like bill used when hunting.

Sailfish are dark blue on top and brown/blue laterally and have a silvery white underbelly.

They can grow to more than 10 feet long and up to 220 pounds.

They are sought after, with many tournaments offering payouts to teams that catch and release the most sailfish.

Because of their speed, sailfish are said to be among the hardest-to-catch game fish. They fight hard when hooked and can take hours to land.

They usually are caught for sport, not food because of concerns about the heavy metals in what they eat: a variety of crustaceans, small fish and squid.

However in limited amount, they are said to be edible and nutritious, with their meat containing protein, fatty acids, and a healthy ratio of omega 3 and omega 6. In some areas of Mexico, sailfish is used for fish tacos and smoked fish dip.

On an earlier fishing trip 35 miles out to sea from Costa Rica, Sangle caught a 450-pound marlin, then caught another marlin weighing 350 pounds on the same day. His total catch on that trip amounted to 10 marlins.