Yeah, you’re definitely going to need a bigger boat.

East Coast shark researchers fortunately had a better time than those in “Jaws” when they recently came across a nearly 3,000-pound monstrous great white shark.

Atlantic White Shark Conservancy staff scientist Megan Winton was off South Carolina with Outcast Sport Fishing’s Chip Michalove last week for Michalove’s first charter of the season, and they truly “hit the lottery.”

They caught and tagged an estimated 2,800-pound, 14-foot great white female shark off Hilton Head, which swam away with the first ever camera tag put on a shark in that southeastern region. They named the massive apex predator, “LeeBeth.”

“We’ve seen a few (that size) off the Cape, but we don’t see them that often,” Winton told the Herald on Monday. “It’s so humbling to be in the presence of an animal that big.”

The female shark is likely between 25 and 30 years old.

“She has definitely seen some things. The ocean is a really tough place to make it that long,” Winton said. “She had seal scratch marks all over her, so it looks like she spent some time off the Cape in the northern coastal waters sometime this past summer, and she’s now going down south for the winter.”

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Typically, the first few white sharks of the season off South Carolina are small, but Michalove started the season off with the largest shark they have landed in years.

“Seeing that shadow swim up behind the boat, there’s just nothing that can compare to that adrenaline rush,” Michalove told the Herald. “I could feel my heart beating on my fingertips.”

Michalove called the nearly 3,000 pounder a “giant” that was quite gentle, never showing any signs of aggression.

“We hit the lottery,” he said. “It was one of the best days of my life. Just an absolutely amazing day, and it’s really hard to settle down after a trip like that.”

LeeBeth is named after Michalove’s friend’s daughter, who died two years ago when she was 34.

“She absolutely loved shark fishing and was definitely watching her dad, brother, and family friend catch and satellite tag a true lifetime fish,” Michalove posted.

They were able to attach four tags to the shark, including a satellite spot tag that people can follow on the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy’s Sharktivity app, a pop-up satellite archival tag that will detach in 8 months, and the first camera tag ever put on a shark off South Carolina.

Winton and Michalove were already able to retrieve that camera tag a day after tagging LeeBeth. Camera tags in the past have shown intimate glimpses into the lives of white sharks, including the apex predators going after seals and other fish or getting shocked by a torpedo ray.

“That has a treasure trove of data,” Winton said as she anxiously waited for the tag to finish downloading. “I’m just over the moon about this right now, feeling like a kid on Christmas.”

The shark that was caught and tagged off South Carolina swam away with the first ever camera tag put on a shark in the region. (Atlantic White Shark Conservancy photo)
The massive shark had seal scratch marks all over her. (Chip Michalove photo)