Video: Fisherman Wrestles Shark Ashore
OutdoorHub Reporters 07.17.13
Elliot Sudal, 24, knew there was a shark in the area when a fishing trip off the Nantucket, Massachusetts shore produced half-eaten bluefish. Originally from Florida, Sudal moved to Massachusetts to fill a position with a local mooring company. Like many anglers from the Sunshine State, Sudal had a special place in his heart for shark. When he discovered that a wayward sand shark had been gobbling up the bluefish he had been chasing, Sudal immediately became excited over the prospect of adding to his already impressive fishing streak.
“First of all, I’m obsessed with fishing,” Sudal told ABC News. “I’ve caught over 100 sharks in the last eight months. It’s my favorite thing to do.”
Due to the shark’s messy eating habits, bait was plentiful and Sudal used dead bluefish to lure the big one in. When hooked, it fought the angler for 45 minutes until Sudal was able to hand off his rod to his cousin. He then gave bystanders a rarely-videotaped display as he charged into the waves and grappled with the shark with only his hands.
“I’ve been fishing for everything since I was a kid,” said Sudal. “I got into this shark thing about two years ago. It’s just like this epic battle between you and this sea beast. You can’t go back to a little fish after that. Everything else is bait.”
It was a risky maneuver that put Sudal in range of the shark’s vicious teeth. Sand sharks, or sand tigers, are known to attack humans if approached. Normally non-aggressive, these sharks can inflict deep bites with their needle-like teeth. Anglers fishing from a boat often bring hooked sharks alongside the vessel to count a catch, but Sudal decided to take a more physical approach. Grasping the animal by the tail, he held it on the beach for a minute before releasing it back into the water.
“I always let the sharks go,” he said. “It’s important to release these things. I’m very conservation-minded when it comes to taking care of them.”
A crowd of 20 spectators had gathered on the beach to record the catch and some even posed with the shark for pictures.
Video of the catch can be seen below:
http://youtu.be/TynaDw7TtOU
