“It Was an Absolute Monster”: British Tourist Catches 160kg Shark in Cape Town

• A British tourist, Max Jeffery, shared that he had reeled in a 160kg bronze whaler shark in Cape Town
• Max captured the exciting moment and posted it on Instagram, showcasing his fishing adventure
• Bronze whaler sharks can reach a great length and size, according to local diving experts

A content creator from the United Kingdom, Max Jeffery, shared that during his stay in Cape Town, he and his friend caught a shark weighing approximately 160kg. He revealed how he managed to reel in the massive sea creature, which turned out to be a bronze whaler.

Sharing the story on his Instagram account on 23 February 2026, Max, who didn't give his exact location, stated that he used a big fish as bait, standing roughly 61m from the coastline. He added that his fishing expedition took four to five hours until there was some major activity on the fishing rod. Viewers saw Max entering the waters in the dark, determined to see what he had caught.

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"We knew it was a shark with the way it was fighting, shaking its head, and the sheer aggression. As we brought it to the coast, we started to see its size.

"It was an absolute monster."

The traveller had no plans to keep the carnivorous fish and safely released it back into the water, not letting it stay out for too long.

Max concluded that the experience was both physically enduring and one of the best days of his life.

Take a look at the Instagram reel here.

Bronze whaler sharks' largest size

According to White Shark Diving Company, a premium shark cage diving operator in the Western Cape fishing town of Gansbaai, bronze whaler sharks can grow up to 3.3m and weigh over 300kg.

3 Other stories about sharks

• In another article, Briefly News reported that a kite surfer experienced a heart-stopping moment when he spotted a shark swimming under his board.
• A fun day at the beach turned into a horror movie when a man bravely swam with sharks in Umhlanga Rocks Beach.
• In 2024, great white sharks were reported to be making a comeback in Cape Town, albeit in low numbers.

Source: Briefly News