Fish with Frighteningly Humanlike Teeth Caught off North Carolina

My what big teeth you have!

The startlingly humanlike chompers of a sheepshead fish caught off Jennette's Pier in Nags Head, North Carolina, whipped the internet into a bit of a frenzy this week.

Angler Nathan Martin, from South Mills, caught the creature on Monday using a handtied rig and sand fleas for bait, WRAL reports.

While sheepsheads aren't particularly rare off the southeast coast, they are difficult to catch.

"It's a very good fight when you're fighting on the line, it's a really good catch, and it tastes very good," Martin told McClatchy News.

Jennette's Pier shared photos of the lucky fisherman and his catch on Facebook with the caption "#bigteethbigtimes."

"I think grandpa lost his dentures and this fish found them," wrote one Facebook user. "Bad dentist. Must look elsewhere," posted another.

Also known as convict fish for its vertical black bars on each of its sides, the sheepshead can grow up to 35 inches long and weigh as much as 10 pounds.

This bizarre fish has several rows of molars for crushing shrimp, oysters, and other prey. They are often found around structures like docks, bridges, petroleum rigs, and reefs, as barnacle-covered pilings make for a great food source.