John 21:2 Simon Peter, Thomas called Didymus, Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were together. 3Simon Peter told them, “I am going fishing.”
“We will go with you,” they said. So they went out and got into the boat, but caught nothing that night.
These were professional fishermen and they caught nothing all night. They were about to pack it in when they saw a stranger on the shore.
4 Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not recognize that it was Jesus. 5So He called out to them, “Children, do you have any fish?”
“No,” they answered.
6He told them, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they cast it there, and they were unable to haul it in because of the great number of fish.
It was an unusual haul of fish in terms of number and net integrity.
11 So Simon Peter climbed back into the boat and dragged the net ashore. It was full of large fish, 153, but even with so many the net was not torn.
Some would say this was a miraculous catch.
Why would they automatically follow the advice of a stranger while they knew better what they had been doing? They had a better view of the water and they knew the sea. Why would they follow the instruction of a stranger against their own fishing instincts?