Sharks found in lake 100's of miles from ocean

We all know fishermen can tell some wild stories, but this fish tale has pictures and witnesses, and is making some people nervous. It sounds crazy, but two different fishermen at Medina Lake have caught two different sharks. No one knows how they got there, and the incidents have experts puzzled. Biologists have identified the creatures as Atlantic Sharp Nose Sharks, but Medina Lake is hundreds of miles from the shark’s closest salt water home. “It kind of startled me,” fisherman James Price told WOAI. Price is from Lamesa, but he fishes in lakes all over Texas. He says his jaw dropped Monday when he pulled the 37-inch shark out of the water. “It looked like a bull shark, and I know they can live in fresh water, but they shouldn't be in this lake,” said Price. He says he brought the shark back to shore to show friends and take pictures, just so nobody would think he was nuts. His family was shocked.

“I know because I saw the teeth, and that really scared me,” said Connie Price. This is the second shark caught at Medina Lake. Jet Smith caught one the day before Price caught his. “It's just crazy!” That sums up what Texas Parks and Wildlife had to say. Game Warden Danny Shaw says these kinds of sharks shouldn't be in a lake, but they pose no danger.Pretty weird stuff to me.

How can we be sure that this is a shark? It could be a local fish with large teeth..

Interesting, if true. It's not that i think it is impossible, but there aren't any links or pictures, it would be nice to see some.

The news story

It is from 2005 but it is still pretty interesting.

Must have been dumped there by either a private person or some commercial aquarium, fish store, etc.. that was going out of business. Could also be what someone thought funny after catching a few sharks and the bringing them there.

IMO they were purposely placed there.

reply to post by jbondo


I agree but many would love to entertain the possibilty of a connection between the lake and sea via underwater cave. I didn't know the shark was tolerant of fresh water.

Well, if there's a route from the sea to the lake, like a runoff river or something, then it's fairly likely a shark could find it's way upstream provided the motivation. Bull sharks are notoriouse for it.

Well the name of the lake is in the post.Someone could get google earth or find maps etc and see if there is a connection to the ocean.But 200 miles from the gulf of mexico is kinda far for a fish of that species to live that long wouldnt u think?I live in newyork and they have washed up sharks that show up on the shores of the st lawrence river time to time.They also have whale siting tours in the gulf of it.So i dunno.

Bull sharks routinely travel up fresh water rivers and canals in the southern states. Attacks of fishermen are not unheard of. They are a nasty preditor. They attack without provocation. They can survive in fresh water for extended periods.
Lone