These guys needed a bigger boat!
Great white shark sightings are rare these days. These elusive ocean predators are often lurking just a few hundred yards offshore from some of the most populated areas of the United States. However, since these giant fish have an official status of "vulnerable" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, it is illegal to fish for them all over the world.
This has decreased the number of encounters with fishermen significantly but every so often, one appears from the dark depths to the amazement of the parties of fishing boats. That is what happened here. Steven White was fishing with Fish Finder charters off Ocean City, Maryland on June 8. The charter specializes in shark fishing, but the giant fish they found was not the usual blacktip, mako or thresher.
It was a giant great white that appears to be almost as large as the boat. Video captured shows just how large this fish was.
"I'm zoomed all the way out and I can't fit him in the frame" is basically the 2020 equivalent of "We're gonna need a bigger boat." Note that these guys were quickly reeling in their lines here. Based on that bait hanging over the side, they were after sharks, just not this species.
Not only was this shark too big for their equipment, but these animals are under special protections almost everywhere. It is illegal to target them. In that case, getting the hooks out of the water is a good idea. Of course, it is always a little nerve wracking when a fish that is bigger than your boat shows up!
That shark came awfully close to taking a chunk out of the boat when it decided to attack their bait. They probably should have pulled that from the water a little sooner. Although at the same time, we can understand why they wanted a better look at the great white. This is one of the ocean's most feared predators after all. This is the type of experience that does not come along every day.
For more outdoor content from Travis Smola, be sure to follow him on Twitter and check out his Geocaching and Outdoors with Travis YouTube channels.
NEXT: HOW BIG GREAT WHITE SHARKS CAN GET, AND 5 OTHER FASCINATING SHARK FACTS
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