The Largest Great White Shark Ever Caught in Maryland

Under the waves circle two great white sharks. Illustration
© solarseven/Shutterstock.com

Written by Patrick MacFarland

Published: May 10, 2024

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It may not be the largest shark that lives on this planet, but the great white shark is one of the most feared. The great white shark is the one that plays a huge role in the movie Jaws. It is one of the most recognizable sharks and they roam around in waters throughout the world. Although not the largest species of shark, it is the largest predatory fish. Great white sharks have 300 teeth and it can rip their prey to shreds. This is why people fear them. Sometimes they get close to beaches and people can spot them roaming around. In Maryland, they are close to shore. Sometimes, fishermen have caught one. Let’s take a look at the largest great white shark ever caught in Maryland.

Largest Great White Shark Caught

Great White Shark on the attach showing mouth wide open.

The maximum length a great white shark can grow up to is 20 feet.

©Martin Heyn/iStock via Getty Images

On June 11, 1992, fisherman Jack Holmes caught the largest great white shark in the state of Maryland. He was out on his boat off the coast of Ocean City when he caught this fantastic creature. The great white shark weighed a whopping 467 pounds. 

Various Sightings

Great white shark (Carcharodon carcharias), Isla Guadalupe, Mexico

Most great white sharks weigh between 1,500 and 4,000 pounds.

©Sharkdiver.com / Public Domain – Original / License

Over the years, there have also been sightings that have been recorded. Great white sharks pop up quite frequently off the coast of Maryland and Virginia. This has included a tracked great white shark called Mary Lee who is a massive 16 feet and weighs 3,500 pounds. Other people have also tried catching great white sharks, but none have been able to beat Holmes’s record. This includes two fishermen off the coast of Ocean City who caught two great white sharks in October 2019. The two massive marine creatures measured about 9 feet long and weighed about 400 pounds. Eventually, the two fishermen let them go.

Shark Tracker

Great white shark, Carcharodon carcharias

The great white shark is also called the white shark.

©Martin Prochazkacz/Shutterstock.com

If you want to know more about where you can see any species of sharks, there’s a really cool website called OCEARCH. They have a shark tracker where you can see where people have located or spotted sharks throughout the world. OCEARCH is a non-profit organization that researches large marine species to know more about them.

Conclusion

And there you have it, the largest great white shark caught off the coast of Maryland was a whopping 467 pounds. Jack Holmes was near Ocean City when he caught this great creature.  For those wanting to break records, they will have to make a near-impossible catch.


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About the Author

Patrick Macfarland is a writer at A-Z Animals primarily covering travel, geography, and history. Patrick has been writing for more than 10 years. In the past, he has been a teacher and a political candidate. He holds a Bachelor's Degree in Political Science from SDSU and a Master's Degree in European Union Studies from CIFE. From San Diego, California, Patrick loves to travel and try new recipes to cook.

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