Local Fishers Come Face-To-Face With Great White Off Jersey Shore

MARGATE, N.J. (CBS) -- It was the thrill of a lifetime for a boatload of recreational fishermen, when they came face to face with a juvenile Great White shark.

"It was amazing. It was really a kind of life changing experience," said Jennifer Schreiber.

On Sunday afternoon, Schreiber and her husband took some friends and their teenage children out to go shark fishing. Heading from the Seaview Marina in Longport, to an offshore reef, they came across an enormous school of bait fish about three miles off of Margate.

They dropped their lines and soon who should appear?

They weren't certain it was a Great White, but since it's a protected species, they pulled their lines and took out their cameras.

"It was particularly amazing because he was really checking us out. He was as interested in us as we were in him." Schreiber posted video on social media and got the suggestion to report the shark to the Massachusetts Shark Research Program which has a Great White database.

They confirmed it's a Great White and based on the marking, one that's never been reported before. So, the crew got the right to name it. 19-year-old A.J., who first identified it, picked the name Carlos.

"I don't know. We said what's his name and that was the first name that came out of A.J.'s mouth."

Shark experts estimated there are several thousand great whites off the East Coast and it's not unusual to see juveniles close to the shore.

"These animals are small. They eat almost exclusively fish, a lot of fish that live close to the bottom. No danger at all for swimmers," said Greg Skomal of the Massachusetts Shark Research Program.

Shark experts say if you think you see a Great White shark out in the ocean, do exactly what Schreiber and her fellow fishermen did. Don't try to boat it. Take lots of pictures, report and maybe you'll get to name your own Great White shark.