iStockphoto / Joanne-Weston
Open water spearfishing is a thrilling way to catch fish and it’s a sport that calls the name of many diehard anglers who grow tired of the traditional rod and reel.
Spearfishing is much more akin to hunting than traditional fishing, and like hunting, it often puts the hunter in close proximity the local predators (aka sharks). Here we see footage of two guys who were out spearfishing and filmed the ‘most intense shark encounter’ they’d ever been a part of, and ‘most intense’ is certainly not an exaggeration.
This intense encounter went down in the eponymously named Shark Bay, Australia when these fellas were out spearfishing. They were within sight of land as the shark began to attack but the shark was also between them and dry land.
We have some thoughts on this video and what led to the aggressive behavior from the shark. But first, let’s see this insane footage.
@taos_oceanadventure The most intense shark encounter I’ve ever had 🦈 😰 #taos_oceanadventure #spearfishing #shark #sharkattack #sharkweek #cobia #westernaustralia #spearfishing_worldwide #spearfishinghazards @tridentspearing @SPEAROS @GoPro
♬ Scary and mysterious horror background music(878937) – Inumori
Here’s a direct link to the TikTok video if that isn’t loading.
Most Intense Shark Encounter Ever (While Spearfishing)
As you can clearly see, the person filming the video was on the bottom near the sand when the shark arrived. Things went from bad to worse in a hurry as the diver tried to surface.
That’s when the shark immediately went after the fish they’d shot while spearfishing. That fish was attached to them via a line called a ‘stringer’. The shark wanted the fish, the guys spearfishing wanted out of the encounter as fast as possible.
Unfortunately, trying to get out of there swiftly after the shark took notice of the fish appeared to only exacerbate the situation. The slapping of the fins and surfacing could have been mistaken as signs of ‘distress’ by the shark.
The top comment on TikTok reads “Well, if you didnt splash about like nuts maybe the shark wouldnt be to bothered by you?”
The person who posted the video responded and said “You can clearly see I’m laying on the bottom calmly then as I surface it comes straight at us and takes our fish.”
The first commenter replied “I dont see you or the shark with a fish. He looks like he was checking you out and then charged your fins due to the movement.” And the person filming the video added some context. They said “Look closer, you can see a fish in the sharks mouth! You can also see my buddy on the surface holding two fish when I look at him from the bottom.”
Australia’s Shark Bay is, as the name implies, full of sharks. It’s a World Heritage Site located on the westernmost tip of Western Australia. It’s also home to a lot of other cool animals like dugongs.
Should you ever find yourself in Western Australia, check out Shark Bay. Just be wary of sharks if you’re out spearfishing.