Underwater footage filmed June 29 by National Geographic photographer Brian Skerry shows a juvenile female great white rocketing up from murky water to snatch a hooked fish from an angler’s line. Scientists call the behavior depredation; slow-motion reveals the shark taking the fish sideways and seemingly avoiding the lure. Massachusetts biologist Greg Skomal said it may be the first underwater documentation of white-shark depredation, and local captains report dozens of similar incidents this summer. Researchers link increased encounters to a rebound in gray seals around Cape Cod.
Rare Underwater Footage Shows Great White Rocket Up and Snatch Angler’s Catch
Great White Rocketed In And Stole This Angler’s Catch on Camera (Video)
New underwater footage off Massachusetts captures a juvenile female great white shark rocketing from murky water to snatch a hooked fish directly from an angler’s line. The encounter, filmed June 29 by National Geographic Explorer and photographer Brian Skerry, provides a rare and dramatic view of a behavior scientists call depredation — when predators steal or damage a fisherman’s catch.
Instant Strike Caught on Camera
Skerry described the attack as nearly instantaneous. "It was so sudden, it wasn't even a second," he told reporters. Slow-motion replay shows the shark twisting and taking the fish sideways, a motion Skerry likened to grabbing something "like a loaf of bread." Observers also noted the shark appeared to avoid the lure itself, suggesting selective targeting of the hooked fish.
"She grabs it from the side, and it almost seems intentional that she's not grabbing where the lure is," Skerry said, adding: "I do think there's some decisions being made."
What Scientists and Fishermen Are Saying
Massachusetts shark biologist Greg Skomal told National Geographic that, to his knowledge, this may be the first underwater footage documenting white-shark depredation. Local captains and anglers say such thefts are becoming more common: charter captain Hap Farrell reported hearing of roughly 50 depredation incidents this summer, while captain Doug Brown said he personally experienced about 15 similar events.
Cape Cod: A Seasonal Hotspot
Cape Cod has emerged as a major seasonal hotspot for great whites. Research estimated that roughly 800 individual great whites visited the region between 2015 and 2018, with activity peaking in summer and fall. Scientists link their return largely to a rebound in gray seals around the Cape, now estimated at approximately 30,000–50,000 animals.
This season the sharks have been particularly visible. A separate recent incident on Nantucket—where a great white attacked a seal in only a few feet of water—captured public attention as onlookers watched from shore.
Implications For Fishermen And Researchers
For commercial and recreational fishermen, increasing shark numbers create a new challenge: a hooked fish can attract larger predators before it can be landed. Researchers, charter captains, and local fishing communities are monitoring these interactions as both shark populations and human-shark encounters appear to rise in New England waters.
Originally published by Surfer on Oct. 2, 2026.
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