Great white sharks that generated so many headlines off Cape Cod during the summer are beginning to show off South Carolina.
Capt. Chip Michalove of Outcast Sport Fishing logged his first tag-and-release of the season Sunday off Hilton Head, involving a young female shark that “took off like a bullet” after the hook was removed.
“She originally grabbed the bait right behind the boat, but missed the hook,” Michalove explained on Facebook. “About an hour later she came back more aggressive and took it all. Perfect hook set and perfect tag application.”
And perfect photo.
The junior apex predator measured only 8 feet, but opened wide to reveal a classic set of great white shark choppers before she was set free, allowing for a spectacular image capture (top and bottom images).
Salt Creek Outfitters accompanied Michalove to gather footage for a documentary and afterward stated, “Man are we glad we did, this shark put on a show for us yesterday and she wasn’t afraid to show off her smile, either.”
Michalove, who has a scientific permit to tag white sharks, told For The Win Outdoors that white sharks are just beginning to arrive off Hilton Head.
“They’re right on time this winter,” he said. “The water is much colder than usual so I was curious if they already went by.”
Michalove said early arrivals tend to be juveniles, with adult sharks showing a bit later and ranging “for a few months” between South Carolina and Florida.
“By Christmas or early January we get a 14- to 16-footer, like clockwork,” the captain said.
The sharks do not have thousands of seals on which to prey, as they do during the summer feeding months in coastal waters off Cape Cod. Michalove said they’re more opportunistic beyond Hilton Head, “looking for anything sick, dying or weak to eat.”
–Images showing the great white shark caught and released Sunday are courtesy of Outcast Sport Fishing and Salt Creek Outfitters
