A Florida angler is recovering after being nipped by a shark while surf-fishing on Riviera Beach.
It was a scary encounter just off the sand.
"I'm looking at him and I'm thinking, I wouldn't do that," said a man who identified himself as Dan.
Dan had his line cast just a few feet away.
"There were two on the beach and they were taking pictures and playing around with it a little bit," Dan said.
The victim was fishing on shore, when a 6 foot long Spinner shark took the bait, and when the man went to cut it loose, the shark took a bite.
"He was up to his chest in the water, both hands on the shark," said Dan.
Like several others on the beach Saturday afternoon, the man apparently ignored the double red flag warning, and paid the price.
"Laid a good bite on him, 1/2 dozen holes or so, he was bleeding pretty good," Dan said.
Officials say spinner sharks spawn this time of year; they have closed the beach in the past for this reason.
Dusk is feeding time.
"You have an animal that's full of muscle and very aggressive and full of teeth, you can't let your guard down," said Dan.
There is no word on the victim's condition.
Those who witnessed the incident say he was responsive, just a little shaken up.
The victim is being treated at a West Palm Beach hospital.
