The photo of an enormous mako shark spilling from the bed of a pickup truck went viral after the News Journal posted the image on its Facebook page, with no other details, Grind TV reported.

A passerby, West Calhoun, had clicked the picture and sent it to the Pensacola News-Journal. The peculiar image was so widely shared and discussed that the News Journal tracked down one of the anglers and, a day later, reported that the catch could set a world record for shore-based fishing.

After catching the giant predator last week, the Florida anglers were hoping to avoid publicity. However, Calhoun managed to capture a photo of the shark when the anglers stopped for gas on the way home.

On a Gulf Coast beach near Navarre, cousins Earnie and Joey Polk hooked the shortfin mako in the dark morning hours.

After an hour-long struggle, the apex predator was caught and reeled in. According to Grind TV, the shark weighed 805 pounds and measured 11 feet.

"That's probably the best fish we ever caught," Earnie Polk said. "You'll spend many, many hours to catch a fish of that caliber, or a fish of that size."

In 2009, a 674-pound mako caught by Earnie Polk was recognized as the current record by the International Land-Based Shark Fishing Association, which encourages catch and release and accepts tape measurements with estimated weights. The catch was made by both Ernie and Joey.

The image, shared nearly 3,000 times, was criticized by some for not being supportive of the shark-conservation movement. However, others were supportive of the anglers.

It is also not illegal to fish for mako sharks off Florida, Grind TV reported.

Since the shark had become tired and weary during the fight, the Polks did not think it would be able to swim back to the sea, they explained.

So they trucked the predator home and planned a family feast.

"It's about $10 per pound at the fish market," Earnie Polk said. "It sells right along with tuna and swordfish. Between all of us, there won't be a bit of it wasted."