This is the wild moment a fisherman was dragged off Santa Monica Pier by a small shark before a daring rescue attempt.

The bizarre scene, which was caught on video, showed the man desperately trying to climb back over the railings but splashing back into the water before finally being saved.

The clip, shared by the Instagram account @california.local, shows the man hanging from a rope being pulled up by who appears to be his family. As soon as he got to the rail, he falls back into the water.

“This guy caught a juvenile shark with his fishing pole. Whatever he caught was too heavy and was pulling the line under the pie,” the video’s caption read.

The historic hotspot has been a go-to for amateur anglers and salty pros alike for over a century. Since there is no license required for fishing on the pier, there are plenty of fisherfolk throughout the day.

But if you decide to take your rod to the sand, you’ll need a valid license from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife or you could be on the hook for trouble. 

Health officials have constantly asked people to avoid consuming certain species caught near the pier as they have been swimming in toxic levels of mercury and PCBs — nasty industrial chemicals that have been linked to cancer, developmental issues and a host of other health nightmares.

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