'Big flash of silver': Shark sighted off North Rustico

Reggie Traccitto and his girlfriendMegan Shanahan were out deep-sea fishing off of North Rustico, P.E.I., when they saw a shark thrash through the water at the cod on their line.

"As I was reeling it in I noticed a big flash of silver come underneath it it came up with the teeth and everything. It was crazy, I didn't expect it at all,"Traccitto said.

The shark continued to hover around for a few moments underneaththe dangling cod on the line.

Madeline Cashion at the Institutefor the Oceans and Fisheries atThe University of British Columbia said that it looks to be aPorbeagle.

"The most telling feature is that the fins have white colouration on the trailing edges, particularly on the free edge of its dorsal fin," she said.

'He must have been hungry'

Traccitto and Shanahan were on a tour, searching for mackerel Thursday evening when they spotted the shark for the first time.

"Someone saw it again but were unsure what it was."

They eventually moved spots looking for cod when theshark came back.

"He must have been hungry because he was following us,"Traccitto said.

That's when they saw it again, right in front of their eyes.

'Unbelievable'

"I saw the flash and I wasn't sure if it was a tuna at first because it happened too quick."

The shark plunged from the waterthrashing and splashing for the dangling cod onTraccitto's line.

"I just wanted to see if it came back. It wasn't super aggressive but it definitely wanted that fish," he added.

Though he wasn't concerned that it would jump at the boat, he was amazed that he had the chance to see a shark just a few metres below him.

"I'm an avid hunter and fisher and I've never experienced something like that. For me to see a shark up and close like that is unbelievable," he said.

He's been messaging his family and friends about it back in Ontario, and hasn't stopped watching the video.

He's still in awe about how up close the shark managed to get.

"I've watched the video like 30 times because I can't believe it happened."

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