13-Foot Hammerhead Shark Caught Off North Carolina Beach

(Photo by Andrew Burton/Getty Images)

"Shark in the water!" And it was a big one. A 13-foot hammerhead shark was caught off the coast of North Carolina on North Topsail Beach. Pretty crazy considering that's an area I visit frequently! The shark was caught by a Paramedic from Caldwell County, NC Blake Cochran. Cochran is an avid fisherman who says he and his friends travel monthly to fish along the coast, hunting for red drums and sharks.

He told WRAL that "It's almost like catfishing from the beach. It's kind of like what it is. You sit and wait after you take your bait out. And all of a sudden that reel started screaming. It was like being hooked to a car." He says once he saw the fish's dorsal fin he knew he had a hammerhead. But he had no idea it was as large it is, 13 feet 6 inches. Previously the largest shark Cochran had caught was 4 feet. This crushed that record!

After taking a quick photo to document his catch, he and his group released the 13-foot hammerhead shark back into the North Carolina waters.

He posed for a quick photo, then the group worked quickly to get the big fish back out into the water.

Source WRAL

https://twitter.com/WITN/status/1450103146693505031

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Melanie DayWriter

Melanie Day is a graduate of North Carolina State University. She has worked for Beasley since 2012 in a variety of behind-the-scenes roles in both digital and promotions. Melanie writes about a diverse range of topics some of her favorites include travel, restaurants, Taylor Swift, and college athletics. When not at work you'll find her at a country concert or NC State sporting event.