Terrifying Video Shows Fisherman Accidentally Reel in Enormous Crocodile

A fisherman in northern Australia accidentally reeled in an enormous crocodile, with footage of the event showing the moment the predator emerges from the water.

The video was posted to Facebook on Thursday by local, family-run fishing store Rod & Rifle TackleWorld Katherine.

The fisherman in the video is Trent de With, who is one of the family members who helps run the store. He told Daily Mail Australia that the incident occurred during a trip with friends on October 12.

"We were on the Victoria River, about three hours to the west of Katherine—a very well known fishing spot for people in Katherine," he told the newspaper.

The crocodile bit onto his lure and refused to let go, with a struggle subsequently ensuing between the two. After emerging for the first time, the croc disappears under the water for a moment before appearing again. The animal then shakes its head violently and dives back down.

The fisherman can then be heard breathing heavily as he struggles to free the lure from the croc's mouth, with his rod almost bending in two in the process. At one point, the powerful crocodile pulls most of the fishing rod into the water, with de With fighting to keep hold of his equipment.

He said it was "common" for crocodiles to get hooked in this way in the area, with the reptiles mistaking the lures for food, just like fish do.

"You can accidentally hook them, this one seemed like he actually tried to eat it," de With told the Daily Mail Australia. "You just fight it till the line breaks or the hooks let go. That rod and reel are good quality stuff, which makes all the difference specially when you hook a big 'barra,' you don't won't your gear to fail," he said, referring to barramundi—a fish species found in the area that can grow up to around six feet in length.

After around two minutes the crocodile managed to break free and swam away. "Managed to get the lure back! Although it doesn't track as straight as it use to," de With said in the Facebook post, which has been shared more than 10,000 times.

One Facebook user, Karlie Michelle, said in response to the video: "Who says fishing isn't a work out."