A group of exuberated North Carolina fishermen thrillingly caught and released a hefty great white shark in the Outer Banks.
The ‘breathtaking’ creature was nearly 13 feet long and weighed a staggering 1,400 to 1,800 pounds, fisherman Luke Beard estimated. The species can grow up to 20 feet long and weigh over 4,000 pounds.
‘There have been a few great whites caught in North Carolina. None of them have been as big as that one,’ Beard claimed to WRAL.
Beard, his best friend Jason Rosenfeld and several other men took to the stunning shores of Frisco on Hatteras Island on Saturday.
‘We were going out to catch something big, that’s what we do, that’s our passion,’ Rosenfeld told Fox 19.
The day quickly turned extraordinary when they unexpectedly reeled in the rare species.
‘I set hook on the fish and it just felt different,’ Beard recalled the life-changing moment to Fox19.
Jason Rosenfeld (left) and Luke Beard (right) have been friends for four years and have a combined 40 years of fishing experience
A group of eager fisherman caught and safely released a Great White shark in the Outer Banks on Saturday
The shocking moment the ambitious group leaped into action to urgently – and safely – return the shark to sea was captured on film.
In the 35-second clip, the men were seen scrambling to untie the shark that was laying in the shallow water.
Once the rope was removed, the men employed all their might to haul the great white fully back into the ocean as quickly as possible.
The crashing waves and flailing shark made for a hectic scene – but the fishermen stayed calm and collected.
When the shark was pushed deep enough into the water to swim away on its own, the men cheered, celebrating the challenging but successful release.
‘I was about in tears when we released that fish because you never know if you’re going to be able to do that in your lifetime,’ Beard said to Fox 19.
‘It gives me chills even thinking about it. It was unbelievable,’ Rosenfeld reflected.
From start to finish, handling the shark took about 35 minutes, according to Beard.
The men used all their strength to quickly pull the creature back into the water to make sure it survived the ordeal
Beard shared the group’s exciting news on social media, detailing the dramatic series of events and describing great whites as ‘mysterious, and beautiful animals.’
He wrote: ‘I’ve been dreaming of this day for most of my life!
‘Jason Rosenfeld and I have been working on getting this done for a long time. We picked the day and made the first drop with the new rod we just built for this exact purpose.’
In another post, Beard thanked Rosenfeld for encouraging him to ‘fight this fish’ and succeed in hitting this major milestone.
‘We have been learning from each other for last four years, and now we have shaped the future land based fishing! Our two brains together is a dangerous thing,’ Beard jokingly said.
Beard has also shared the downsides of his beloved pastime. On Tuesday, Beard posted a picture of a rash he sustained while wrestling the shark because he leg ran against its rough skin.
He wrote: ‘3 and 1/2 days later White shark rash. It sucks, but it’s totally worth it!’
Beard and Rosenfeld met while fishing and have a combined 40 years of experience. Although the thrill-seeking fishermen are always looking for their next big catch, they value fish health and wellbeing over anything.
Beard posted a photo three days after they caught the great white of a rash he sustained from rubbing against the shark
‘The biggest priority is keeping the fish safe and getting a good release on all fish that we catch,’ Rosenfeld told Fox 19.
Beard elaborated to WRAL: ‘There’s no delay. It’s such a small window of time and you have to be super accurate with what you are doing.’
World Wildlife (WWF) wrote: ‘Great white sharks are decreasing in numbers and are rare due to years of being hunted by man for fins and teeth, and often as a trophy for sport fishing.’
In North Carolina, fisherman are legally obligated to return any captured shark into the ocean without taking them out of the water to make sure the it survives.
Commercial fishermen are permitted to keep select kinds of sharks during the proper season.
DailyMail.com has reached out to Beard for comment.
