SWFL family catches shark in Caloosahatchee River

A family in Cape Coral got a big surprise this weekend when they pulled a shark out of the Caloosahatchee River.

Huge jaws caught James Wheeles and his family by surprise Saturday afternoon.

“He put up a good fight,” Wheelas said.

Once he cast his reel, Wheeles said his bait worked like magic. 

“He hit it within 15 seconds. It was a bull shark,” Wheeles added.

The shark was caught along the brackish water in the river. And now, other anglers are hoping they might reel in the next big catch.

“Never realized there were sharks out here. It’s pretty amazing,” said Cape Coral resident Carlos Delosantos.

Wheeles says after releasing this big catch, he’s ready to be back on the hunt again.

“I was hoping it would be something bigger, but I’ll get that one next time,” he said.

As for the shark, it had a little surprise for Wheeles.

“When I sat him down in that water, he flipped his head around like he was gonna bite me. I jumped back faster,” Wheeles said.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission says if you unknowingly catch a shark, it’s best to try and keep it in the water as long as possible before releasing it.