Jaws V

Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water a great white shark has been spotted off Indian Rocks Beach. No this is no mythical monster bent on revenge but a real live Carcharodon carcharias that will swallow you whole.

Great white sharks regularly turn up off our coast in the winter months. They are often caught by longline fishing boats, but the catches sometimes go unreported for a pair of jaws from this protected species will fetch a high price on the black market.

These apex predators sometime come close to shore as Tom Kane found out Tuesday while he was pulling stone crab traps in 25 feet of water. The Indian Rocks beach captain and and his mate, Mike Whipple, were about six miles offshore when they spotted something following their boat.

"We had about 500 pounds of mullet on board to use as bait," Kane said. "At first we thought it was a dolphin then it swam under the boat and we could see it was a shark....a big shark."

Kane, a veteran skipper is not awed easily, said the shark measured 10 to 12 feet and weighed between 800 and 1,000 pounds. Kane got a good look at the beast when he turned his boat around and followed the fish.

"It circled back and came right up to the boat," he said. "We could see th under belly. It was white."

Kane charters the T-Kat for grouper, kingfish and whatever else is biting. Check out his website at T-Kat or call (727) 460-7029.

Comments

[Marc]

Awesome...but I'm going to put my kayak away for a few weeks....

[dunedin steve]

We're gonna need a bigger boat!...

[Bland]

In 1953 the largest white shark, over 1,200 lbs, was caught off the north side of Anna Maria Island in Tampa Bay.

The record was broken in the 60's off Lizard Island in Australia.

Folks we have some large sharks out there.

[tbpirate]

Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water.....

[tbpirate]

Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water.....

[BIGNUTSACK]

Come on, Thats a bunch of "Bull-shark"

[mike]

Marc, don't sweat it they prefer surfers!

[Fisher]

Now you know what is REALLY happening to the grouper. It's not our fault. Let us fish.

[Bob]

What a wonderful sight it must have been. Let's hope some egomaniac doesn't decide to go out and catch it or kill it just because it's a great white. I'm glad the article advised they are protected.

[TampaDan]

Great, great point Bob!

[jeff]

probably was a mako shark

[The Fishin' Pole]

You go inside the cage?
Cage goes in the water, you go in the water. Shark's in the water. Our shark. Farewell and adieu to you, fair Spanish ladies

[Damien]

I hear Great White fin tastes like chicken. Mmmm, shark fin...

[your mom]

Nice plug T-Kat. I'm going with Hudson fishing from now on!

[Valerie]

Wow I love to see Great White Come here in the winter. The comment that states that the largest white was caught in 1953. Well hate to burst your bubble. The biggest White that was caught was in Cuba in 1945. It weighed 3,312 Kilos and it's girth reached 4.5 meters and it was female. Females are the biggest of the whites. On another Anna Maria Island is not in Tampa Bay.

[tanner]

whoever said anna maria island isnt in Tampa Bay waters doesnt no what he is talking about.

[Ed]

i assume 25 feet of water...gives me about 5-6 miles out...surfing here is about 30-40 yards out tops...I'll take my chances...I'm still going surfin...

[corey]

no way i live on 20th ave IRB and that is totaly scary as hell i go surfing every time i get the chance and idont like knowing tht there is a great white shark spotted over there im scared as heck

[ELAW]

oh, what's all the fuss about? Sharks, they are like dogs. They only bite when you touch their private parts!

[cliff money]

oh elaw. you goon.
there is a front coming in today and there is supposed to be surf.
oh geez, now i have to compete with surfers and sharks.

[Allen]

Im goin surfin saturday. ill try to stay with the crowds

[ELAW]

If you can even call what we have surf! I'm going to be out there Saturday as long as the "surf" cooperates. I love the 5 second rides the gulf affords us, definately worth braving the great whites for.

[pluto11]

Hate to burst your bubbles but none of you are going surfing. At least no here.

[senior]

Day at the beach for a couple skimmers:

Tard 1: Hey guys lets swim out to the buoys.

Tard 2: Lawl theres sharks

Tard 1: PASSY!

Tard 2: ok lets go

Tard 1: I just got ate by a shark?

[Valerie]

WOW !! We got some stupit people !!! Anna Maria Island is NOT IN TAMPA BAY AREA !!! NOT EVEN CLOSE TO IT!! Anna Maria Island is in Holmes Beach Fl. That Would make it Manatee County !!!!!!!!!!!! Whom every keeps saying Tampa is STUPIT!!!!!!! Get your facts straigh.

[Benito]

Hey Valerie,
Go stand on the Anna Maria City Pier and tell us what you see.

[John Doe]

Um, Valerie, if you are going to call someone stupid, you should probably spell it right, just for credibility.

Also, maybe you should take a look at this map:

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=bradenton,+fl&ie=UTF8&ll=27.534075,-82.724218&spn=0.032423,0.05785&t=h&z=14&om=0

[surferolivia]

me my mom and me are still going surfing im just alittle scared i l;ove surfing

[Benito]

Yeah,Valerie,
Actually Holmes Beach is one of three townships located on Anna Maria Island which is located on the south side of Tampa Bay. I know that and I live 600 miles away.

[surferolivia]

i am so exited about going surfing tomorrow even thogh im kinda scared about that huge shark go to gulfster.com for some great surf reports someone please make another comment and tell me if you surf gooooooooooooooooo surfing

[austin]

wow im scared, but still gunna surf saturday.

[surf girl]

The issue on Anna Maria Island !!!! The statement was that the white was sighted (OFF) Indian Rocks Beach .... That would make it the GULF WATERS NOT TAMPA BAY !!!!!! John Doe needs to look at your map again. On Another note I would never say that Anna Mariea Island is Tampa Bay waters for one thats nasty. Anna Mareia is an Island and it sticks out in to the "GULF" not in to Tampa Bay. Tampa Bay Beaches or water at that is nasty.

[brithesurferguy]

Wow, surfer olivia, I'm really EXITED to go surfing Saturday too. Tell me whats wrong with my statement. Thanks.

[tom zepp]

well guess what there is always a big shark in the gulf all of the time not just today so go surf if i could i would instead iam working .sharks do not bother me as much as not beening in the water and surfing !!!!

[Benito]

surf girl,
The issue about Anna Maria Island was not related the the latest shark sighting but about one supposedly caught years ago. You also need to work on your spelling especially since you could have copied it from the same page. Yes, Anna Maria Island borders the Gulf of Mexico and Tampa Bay just as the map shows.

[skeeter]

FL is a damn cesspool people. Yes I reside here so I have the right to say that. So the land and sea are beautiful, it's the people here that are nasty. Did I mispell anything? HAHA. Enjoyed everyone's postings. Now go get bit!