OUTER BANKS, N.C. — A dream came true for a number of fishermen on Saturday, catching a great white shark from the shore in Hatteras.
“I'm still on cloud nine, I probably will be for the rest of my life," said Luke Beard.
“It gives me kind of chills, even thinking about it, it was unbelievable," said Jason Rosenfeld.
Among the group were Luke Beard and Jason Rosenfeld, who have a combined four decades of fishing experience between them. Many of those years have been on Hatteras, but this was the first time they have caught a great white shark there. They expect the size of it to be between 12 and 13 feet long and potentially weigh between 1,400 and 1,800 pounds.
"I set hook on the fish, and it just felt different. It was super heavy, very, very heavy. So I knew it was something different, and I figured it may be what we caught. So we were kind of pumped," said Beard.
"You can kind of judge that fish was probably between 12 and 13 feet long. And if you do the math on that, it's, I want to say, between 1,400 and 1,800 pounds. I don't know how realistic that is, but from, length, girth, measurements and history and all that, it's somewhere in there," said Rosenfeld.
And while dusky sharks and scalloped hammerheads were on their minds, catching the great white turned into the catch of a lifetime.
"We were going out to catch something big. That's the thing, that's what we do, that's our passion. We were just going through the motions that we normally go through. And, well, we got a surprise," " said Rosenfeld.
For the two, it’s not just about catching the big fish, but the safety of the creatures and making sure they get back out into the ocean safely.
"The biggest priority is keeping the fish safe and get a good release on all fish that we catch," said Beard.
“We are extremely passionate about these animals. We love sharks. We're involved in all ocean conservation" said Rosenfeld.
All in all, an unforgettable experience that they will be telling for the rest of their lives.
"I was about in tears after we released that fish. You never know if you're ever going to be able to do that in your lifetime," said Beard.
"Every kid loves dinosaurs and great white sharks. And the idea of having the opportunity to interact with this unbelievable creature, it gives me kind of chills, even thinking about it, it was unbelievable to say the least," said Rosenfeld.
Watch related: Sand tiger shark hooked by fishers in Duck
If you unintentionally catch a shark while fishing, the North Carolina Aquariums say to do the following:
"To reduce death or long-term injury, please try to keep sharks in the water to safely remove the hook or cut the line close to the hook."
According to the North Carolina Sea Grant, great whites can appear year-round in the waters along the North Carolina coast, but they are most common during winter and early spring.
Great whites are the largest predatory fish in the ocean, with some reaching more than 20 feet and weighing over two tons, the NCSG says.
