iStockphoto / atese/Priya darshan
The redfish fishing in North Carolina is heating up as Spring brings warmer water to the coast. Fishermen know this and the sharks certainly know this.
One fishermen was out on his Seadoo waverunner that had been outfitted for fishing when he found himself smack dab in the middle of a shark feeding frenzy. The sharks were after the same thing he was: a huge school of bull red drum.
Seadoo Fisherman Stuck In Middle Of Shark Feeding Frenzy In North Carolina
As long as fishermen have been fishing from boats they have been following the predators in search of fish. Watching the birds is one of the quickest way to find bait fish and finding bait fish is one of the quickest way to find game fish. Then the sharks(and dolphins and seals all follow the game fish.
Even fishing inshore here in Florida, you can look for the roseate spoonbill bird. If they are bright pink then they are eating more crustaceans (crabs/shrimp) and if they are more white then their diet has been heavier on fish. This can help you match your bait when chasing snook, trout, redfish, or tarpon by telling you what the birds are feeding on in that area.
Now in this instance of the shark feeding frenzy, I don’t think he was actively chasing the sharks in search of redfish. He was fishing for red drum and the sharks were in search of easy meals. They just happened to cross paths and chaos erupted. Check out this insanity from fishermen Brett Barley:
I would be in hog heaven in that moment. Sure, I would rather be in a larger boat with a shark feeding frenzy erupting around me if I was in his shoes but that is a true National Geographic moment that money cannot buy. He ws in the right place at the right time and witnessed something truly special.
To cap things off, he caught the fish! That’s one heck of a redfish too. Certainly larger than any redfish I’ve landed so far in 2026, though I haven’t had a chance to go fishing much yet.
Here is a second video from Brett Barley taken from the shark feeding frenzy off North Carolina:
In the caption, he said there were hundreds upon hundreds of sharks spread over a 4-acre area. It was an all out shark feeding frenzy. He seems to have had a cobia setup on his rods and I’m a bit surprised he didn’t hook up with any of the sharks but they likely would have sliced off the leader on his line in a heartbeat with their razor sharp teeth.
Good on him for staying cool out there and reeling in the fish, and not screaming and ruining the video like some people would if they were overwhelmed in that situation.