Sometimes, you want the big one to get away.
At least that's how one recreational fisherman felt this weekend on the Minas Basin, when he briefly ended up with a great white shark on the end of his fishing line.
Millard Ells, his partner Ariana Smith, and their friend Tim Mills were bass fishing Sunday near Economy, N.S.
“At the time we were fighting a striped bass. A decent sized one,” said Ells. “Probably 16 pounds to 18 pounds. It was our second or third bite of the day -- nice fish.”
Mills, who owns the boat, said he was getting the net ready for when the fish surfaced.
“Out of nowhere, the shark jumps out of the water and takes the bass,” Mills said.
Ells described it as “the biggest adrenaline rush that I've ever had in my life to see something like that.”
Ells had to cut the fishing line as the shark swam away.
They sent video of the encounter to the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy in Massachusetts, where it was confirmed as a great white.
It was estimated to be about ten feet long and maybe six to eight hundred pounds.
The crew felt lucky to have captured the encounter on camera.
“It's nice to have the video but I think I'd rather have the fish,” said Mills.
Smith thinks it’s important for sharks to get the extra attention they’re getting for shark week.
“I think if people see them, they should report them to DFO so they can continue doing their research,” she said.
After taking a few minutes to calm down, the trio did continue fishing. And they ended up with three bass.
They also ended up with an amazing fish story about the big one that got away.
With files from CTV Atlantic’s Dan MacIntosh.
