Two men caught more than they bargained for on a kayak fishing trip when they hooked an 8-foot long shark and it was all caught on video. INSIDE EDITION has the story.
It's a fish tale for the books, but Scott Westgaard and David Saldamando have the video to back it up. In fact, the terrifying footage showcases the men's struggle with an eight-foot shark!
Off the coast of Santa Barbara, Westgaard and Saldamando were kayak fishing when they realized they hooked something big. After trying to reel it in for 30 minutes, Saldamando realized it was a massive thresher shark!
In the video, which was shot by Westgaard, Saldamando tried to pull his catch into the kayak to take its picture before he released it. But the shark had other plans.
The big fish turned the tables on the fisherman, flipping the kayak and dragging him into the water. But Saldamando had a grip on the beast's tail, and for some reason, refused to let go.
"[The shark] pulled David into the water, flipped the kayak upside down, and now he's got an 8, 9 foot shark between his legs." Westgaard told INSIDE EDITION. "Most people would probably let it go, but David's the alpha male."
Fortunately, Saldamando was able to climb back into his kayak and finally brought the shark under control using sheer strength.
The full size of the shark only became apparent when it was pulled completely out of the water, furiously shaking its tail. They took the photo, then released the thresher back into the ocean.
Although it was quite the ordeal, the video depicts an amazing display of hand-to-fin combat!
