Fangman vs the shark: Marine becomes first person ever to hook and reel in a Great White shark

The shark was caught by a marine named Jeff Fangman and the catch was filmed by his wife

A US marine is making waves after becoming the first person ever to have caught a Great White Shark.

The aptly-named Jeff Fangman caught the small female shark off the coast of Camp Pendleton, California during one of his many fishing trips.

However, conservation laws to protect Great White sharks prevented him from keeping it, so instead Mr Fangman's wife filmed the incident as proof of the catch.

In the video Mr Fangman grabs hold of the nine-and-a-half foot creature as it writhes around, he then opens its mouth to show the camera the shark's teeth. Mr Fangman struggles to bring the shark out of the water before showing it and eventually releasing it.

The ordeal took around 25 minutes after which Mr Fangman said he was left exhausted by the whole thing.

Speaking to 10News he said: "The line just started rolling off the reel."

"Lo and behold, it ended up being a great white," Mr Fangman added.

"Seeing it in the water was just ... it was almost mind blowing," said Fangman. "It's taken several weeks to get the whole ordeal to sink in."

Mr Fangman has been shark fishing for years and has caught lemon sharks, bull sharks and tiger sharks but this is the first time he reeled in a Great White.