Fish with bizarre “human” teeth caught in North Carolina: “It’s a really good catch”

For Nathan, it was just like any other day when he arrived at his favorite fishing destination to enjoy the quiet charm of fishing. What he didn’t know was that a bizarre water being would end up at the opposite end of his fishing rod. It was a rare sheepshead fish that had human-like teeth in its mouth.

The aquatic creature has several rows of molars similar to us which are used to crush the hard shells of its prey, including clams, oysters, and crabs. Thus, the 9-pound creature is aptly named sheepshead fish as its mouth bears an uncanny resemblance to the ruminant mammals.

Martin, a regular on the pier, says he was hoping to catch a sheepshead fish when he ended up coming face-to-face with a “mouth full of teeth.” Recalling the struggle to reel it in, Martin continued, “It’s a very good fight when you’re fighting on the line, it’s a really good catch, and it tastes very good.”

Sheepshead fishes are generally found near jetties, rocks, reefs, and even bridges. They are also known as the “convict fish” due to their black and white stripes. North Carolina aquarium’s officials revealed that these fishes are very difficult to catch, however, added that they taste great.

As soon the news about the fish made it to social media, it created quite a buzz. While some were quite freaked out by its appearance, most people joked about contacting the dentist.

Apparently, they can live up to 25 years underneath while feeding on plankton, bacteria, and other small particles, using their ‘slime nets,’ which is also consumed once there’s enough food caught. Due to their flexibility and soft built, these create U-shaped burrows that are later used by other creatures when they move on to another spot, hence the name “innkeeper.”