Sand tiger shark caught in Milford

Milford, Conn. (WTNH) - It was quite a surprise when a man reeled in an unusual catch off the coast of Milford.

"At the time I actually thought it was a crab. It started moving off slowly and then when she saw the boat she went ballistic."

Steve Thomas was fishing just 100 yards off the Milford shore when he reeled in a sand tiger shark. At first he didn't know what he had. He knew it was a shark, but what kind of shark was it? So he took it to the experts.

"We took it to a bait and tackle shop,” Thomas said. “I made the mistake of telling someone and there were 100 people there when we showed up.”

News 8’s Bob Wilson: “What was their reaction?”
Steve Thomas: “You know what; I don't think there will be many people swimming on the beach."

Sand tiger sharks are found in Long Island Sound. But the experts at the Mystic Aquarium say while they are found in the Sound, it's unusual to find them so close to the shore.

Mystic Aquarium’s Donald Harrington said, "You don't see them to close to the shores here, but they are found at the surface because they do gulp air to balance themselves out, for their swim bladders."

The shark is an impressive 4’4” in length and weighing in at 30 pounds. While the two men who caught the sand tiger shark rather not give away their secret fishing spot, Mystic Aquarium says these sharks are not likely to attack people.

Still people News 8 talked to say they don’t want to have an encounter.

“I do a lot of wet wading, and it kind of freaks me out,” said Tiffany Layton of Milford.

“I feel kind of surprised,” said Jessica Schreiber of Milford. “Yesterday, we went swimming and I can't really believe there is a shark in Long Island Sound."

"I'm a kite surfer and I live here on the beach in Milford,” said Peter Knights. “I know there are small sharks around and the water seems warm. I'd be more concerned about the mother looking for the baby."

A full grown sand tiger shark can get up to 13 feet long and weigh up to 250 pounds.

The Mystic Aquarium asks that if you do catch a shark just cut the line, they aren't on the threatened species list yet and they would like to keep it that way.