Massive Tiger Shark Caught By Hand From Australian Beach
A determined fisherman in Australia managed to land a massive tiger shark with little more than a handline and the assistance of another beachgoer, who helped him secure the four-meter-long predator after a brutal fight.
Brendon Hilder set out at Shelley Beach with the intention of fishing for salmon, though his mind changed after the presence of several sharks drove the smaller fish out of the area. Using his intended catch as bait, Hilder, who hails from Albany according to the West Australian, set four ganged hooks. Within seconds, according to him, the massive tiger shark latched on, setting in motion a two-hour-long battle in which the angler had nothing but his persistence and a 200-pound-handline to fight the powerful fish.
[Warning: Adult Language]
A fellow beachgoer aided Hilder in securing the shark, an act he credits with shortening the fight, as he was already exhausted from the extended struggle with the massive predator.
“It would have taken me a h*** of a lot longer,” he observed. “A 4m shark has a fair bit of pull on it… I was absolutely knackered.”
[Warning: Adult Language]
Do you have the skills to hunt like a Tiger Shark? Take this quiz to find out. #Shark Week http://t.co/svrfUVXzTZ pic.twitter.com/dUGBg5ZBh1
— Shark Week (@SharkWeek) March 18, 2015
Hilder points out that while he had at least 200 meters of line out when fighting the tiger shark, the massive fish tired him out, leaving him unable to properly hold the handle of his fishing rod when the battle was over.
The astonishing catch comes just as it has been reported that shark nets at Bondi and Maroubra beaches were deliberately sabotaged over the summer. The controversial shark deterrents appear to have been cut at Marouba, while an anchor was severed at Bondi, according to the Daily Telegraph. The Department of Primary Industries has launched an investigation into the issue.
“Some instances of damage to shark nets is deliberate and suspected interference… is investigated,” the department noted.
“An #Albany angler has caught a 4m tiger shark with a hand line. http://t.co/AdHzCdP2CL pic.twitter.com/9vDSPcoFYG“@usmanjaleel @adorableainu
— Mustafa Jalil (@mustafajaleel) March 23, 2015
Last week, a tiger shark was responsible for a widely reported attack that occurred in Hawaii. As the Inquisitr previously noted, 58-year-old physician Ken Grasing was snorkeling off Hawaii’s big island when the tiger shark emerged from the depths, quickly biting into his left arm. The shark was so fast, Grasing recalled, that by the time he knew it would bite him, his left arm was already lacerated.
“This black cloud appeared and I wasn’t sure what it was… and the shape moved toward me quickly and it materialized into a 10- to 12-foot tiger shark,” he said, days after the attack.
After taking time to pose with and photograph his massive catch, Hilder enlisted the aid of several onlookers to release the tiger shark back into the ocean.
[Image: Brendon Hilder via the West Australian]
