DENNIS, Mass. — An 11-year-old Cape Cod girl made an impressive catch while fishing with her dad and friends off Dennis this weekend.
Vanna Marland was out on the water when she hooked an enormous sand tiger shark, measuring about 8 feet long and weighing roughly 200 pounds.
Marland says the shark put up a fight.
“One of them picked up the rod and I’m like, ‘Let me reel it.’ And when it got to the end, I had to give it to JJ because, like, this part of my arm started to hurt really bad, and I didn’t want to drop the pole,” Marland said.
The size of the catch was a surprise even for those familiar with fishing off Cape Cod.
‘This is crazy,’ because catching sand tigers here on Cape Cod, especially of that size, is kind of unheard of,” Marland’s father said.
After snapping a few quick photos, the group released the shark back into the water.
The catch comes as sand tiger sharks are making a comeback in New England after being nearly wiped out by overfishing, according to the New England Aquarium.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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