Hoopers Island Catches Large Bull Shark

HOOPERS ISLAND, Md.-  It's been an interesting summer for Delmarva's waters.  On top of the usual Great White shark passing by, we've had Hammerhead sharks off of Ocean City.  Manatees in the Chesapeake Bay.  Last week, a whale breaching just off of north Ocean City.

And now, captain Boo Powley has an eight and a half foot long bull shark, caught in his net this weekend.

"First morning fishing this brand new net and there's an eight foot bull shark in there that weighs 265 pounds.  Very aggressive.  I got him pinned up to take him out, and he tore about six holes in my net about big enough to shove your head in," said Powley.

And this is not the first time he's had a shark in his net this year, it's just the first time he's seen it.

"I went to the one net at buoy 74 just off of Barren Island and I had another big rip, about a five foot hole in her."

Powley believes the shark's aren't hungry for his new nets, they are hungry for bait fish.  Horn Point Labs director Michael Roman says he's right.

"They are following food.  So depending on what you're talking about, a shark or a whale, there's more food for them, and that makes them show up.  It's not the humans they are following, it's the food, and the right temperature and salinity," said Roman.

As for the Bull shark being so far up the bay, Dr. Roman says that species can handle the lower salinity in the Chesapeake Bay.

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