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Calif. beaches closed after fishermen tussle with great white shark

SAN CLEMENTE, Calif. -- San Clemente's beaches remained off limits to swimmers on Monday after more than two dozen sharks were spotted in the water, CBS Los Angeles reported

The city's beaches were first closed around 10:30 a.m. Sunday, after an eight- to nine-foot shark was reported off the San Clemente Pier. Another shark was spotted in the same area three hours later. 

The closure was extended into Monday morning after an Orange County sheriff's helicopter spotted more than two dozen sharks swimming within 25 yards of the beach between Cotton's Point and Capistrano Beach. Some of the sharks measured up to 10 feet long. 

At one point, a fisherman tussled with a 10-to-12-foot great white shark that tried to steal some bait. 

Scott West told CBS Los Angeles he was there when another fisherman got a powerful yank on his line. 

"He fought it for about a half hour," West said. "After about a half hour, it tired out and he was able to cut the wire and saw what it was — a mako or a great white."

There have been an increasing number of shark sightings this year in Southern California. Last week, 35-year-old Leeanne Ericson was attacked in knee-deep water located north of San Diego. 

San Clemente's beaches were closed in April when a shark bit a woman in the thigh, and earlier this month when 15 sharks were observed swimming offshore.

Long Beach has also issued shark advisories this month, warning swimmers of sightings of juvenile white sharks measuring up to six feet long near Belmont Shore.

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