A fishing crew recently set a new state record after reeling in a huge bull shark at the Alabama Deep Sea Fishing Rodeo.

The Bon Secour Butchers team on “The Orca” vessel caught the 494.5-pound beast at the tournament on Dauphin Island.

“A catch like that coming through our weigh station really galvanizes everyone and every entity involved. We all feel apart of the catch,” an Alabama Deep Sea Fishing Rodeo representative told Fox News Digital.

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The team was assembled with Captain Adam Lyons, first mate Tommy “The Tuna Bowyer,” Captain David Stiller “The Shark Killer” and crew member Michael Maguire.

“When you are tackling an animal this large, it is critical to leverage heavy tackle and perform excellent boat work,” Captain Adam Lyons told Fox News Digital in an emailed statement.

“With a line in the water with that much tension there are risks involved, you want to avoid anything that could damage the line, such as the boat itself. Essentially, we want to tire the shark out to the point we can safely get a tail rope in place. Once we can tail the shark, it is game over for the shark.”

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“A catch like that coming through our weigh station really galvanizes everyone and every entity involved. We all feel apart of the catch,” an Alabama Deep Sea Fishing Rodeo representative said.  (Adam Lyons)

“Boating the shark was relatively easy because we had a winch on board, which is normally used in commercial fishing. The combination of angler experience, captain work and patience was the winning recipe,” Lyons added.

The group of men were awarded $6,000 for clinching first place for the Gulf Coast Hauling & Construction Bull Shark Jackpot.

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“It’s really neat to see an angler get a once-in-a-lifetime catch and be able to break a rodeo and state record,” Matt Glass, president, 91st Alabama Deep Sea Fishing Rodeo, told Fox News Digital.

The group of men were awarded $6,000 for clinching first place for the Gulf Coast Hauling & Construction Bull Shark Jackpot. (Adam Lyons)

Founded in 1929, the rodeo is the largest fishing tournament in the world, attracting over 4,000 anglers and 75,000 spectators, according to the event’s website.

“The tireless work performed by our research team has facilitated this type and the long-lasting memories that come along with it,” Glass said.

The 2024 Alabama Deep Sea Fishing Rodeo had 3,734 angler participants and weighed a whopping 3,243 fish during the tournament. (Adam Lyons)

This year’s rodeo had 3,734 angler participants and weighed a whopping 3,243 fish during the tournament.

The previous Alabama state record for the largest bull shark catch was set in 2015 at 448 pounds.

North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper, a Democrat, is reportedly a contender to serve as Vice President Kamala Harris’ running mate in the 2024 presidential election.

Cooper, 67, is a staunch Harris supporter who has served as the 75th governor of North Carolina since 2017.

Prior to being elected to the state’s highest elected office, Cooper, a native of Nashville, North Carolina, served a 16-year stint as the Tar Heel State’s attorney general from 2001 to 2017.

Prior to entering politics, Cooper attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he was elected to serve as the president of the university’s Young Democrats. He later earned a doctoral degree from the University of North Carolina School of Law in 1982.

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During Cooper’s time in law school, then North Carolina Gov. Jim Hunt appointed him to the State Goals and Policy Board. At the time, he was the youngest member to serve on the board. Additionally, Hunt, the state’s 69th and 71st governor, appointed Cooper to the Interim Balance Growth Board and the North Carolina 2000 Commission.

In 1985, Cooper filed paperwork to run for the North Carolina House of Representatives, representing the state’s 72nd District. He won that election in 1986, defeating Allen Barbee, his 12-term incumbent Democratic primary challenger.

Cooper continued his legal studies during his time in the state House. In 1991, following the death of state Sen. Jim Ezzell in a car crash, Cooper was appointed to serve the remainder of Ezzell’s Senate term. Six years later, he was elected majority leader of the state Senate following then-leader Richard Conder’s resignation.

Cooper went on to be elected to the North Carolina Bar Association’s Board of Governors, a role he held until 2002.

Cooper filed paperwork to run as the state’s attorney general in January 2000. He defeated Republican Dan Boyce in the Nov. 2000 general election. Cooper took office in January 2001 and won re-election to the position in 2004, 2008, and 2012.

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Vice President Kamala Harris looks on as North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper speaks in Durham, North Carolina, on March 1, 2024. (Peter Zay/Anadolu via Getty Images)

In 2016, Cooper sought election to serve as the governor of North Carolina. He defeated incumbent Republican Pat McCrory in the state’s general election. He went on to win re-election as governor in 2020 against Dan Forest, the state’s lieutenant governor and Republican nominee.

Cooper, an advocate for many liberal policies and proposals, has worked to portray himself as a moderate among his Democrat cohorts. He has had difficulty in doing so, however, in a state former President Donald Trump carried in both the 2016 and 2020 presidential elections.

During his tenure as governor, Cooper has repeatedly battled the Republican-led state legislature. In October 2023, he sued state GOP lawmakers over a measure that eliminated his authority to pick elections board members.

Cooper has also vetoed numerous measures that passed through the North Carolina General Assembly, many of which have been overridden by Republicans.

In recent weeks, Cooper has been seen by many political strategists and insiders as a reliable choice for Harris as a running mate in the 2024 White House race.

Just days after President Biden announced his decision to step aside in the presidential race and endorsed Harris for the role, Cooper stumped for Harris at a Democrat field office in Raleigh.

North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper speaks at a press conference in Charlotte, N.C., on April 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Nell Redmond)

“North Carolinians will make a difference this year, folks,” Cooper said at the time.

“There are a lot of people that she can choose, she’s going to make the right choice,” he added. “I just want her to choose the person who is going to give her the best chance to win.”

One of six House Democrats who broke with the party this week to condemn Vice President Kamala Harris’ handling of the southern border endorsed her presidential campaign bid Friday. 

Rep. Don Davis of North Carolina also said North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper, a Democrat, would be an “excellent” choice as a running mate. 

“The stakes of this presidential election are incredibly high, with far-reaching implications,” Davis said in a statement.

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While endorsing Harris, Davis said the administration must address the migrant crisis at the border, which has become a top issue for voters. 

“These issues cannot be overlooked,” said Davis. “I will continue to advocate for comprehensive immigration reform, including securing the border and other issues impacting eastern NC families.”

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This split shows Vice President Kamala Harris and Border Patrol agents. ((Photo by Chris duMond/Getty Images and Qian Weizhong/VCG via Getty Images))

Republicans have criticized Harris’ record on the border, at a time when record numbers of illegal immigrants have entered the United States. Harris was informally named by President Biden as the “border czar” in 2021.

She was tasked with handling the root causes of mass illegal immigration from Central and South America. 

In July 2021, Harris introduced a five-point general strategy to combat the “root causes” of illegal immigration. 

The plan did not include specific policies but instead called for “diplomacy, foreign assistance, public diplomacy, and sanctions” to “establish a fair, orderly, and humane immigration system.”

Fox News Digital’s Anders Hagstrom and Chris Pandolfo contributed to this report.