A great white shark surprised three Aucklanders as it nudged the sides of their small boat and took a "good old look" at them while they were fishing in shallow water. 

Local Brodie Caddy said the 10-minute encounter with the shark was an "unreal experience" at the river mouth near Stillwater on Sunday afternoon. 

"It was pretty crazy. I don't know whether it was aggressive or just interested but when it started nudging the boat it was pretty out of it, a pretty unreal experience," Caddy told the Herald. 

It was Caddy's first time seeing a great white shark, and he said it was unusual because the water was only about four metres deep. 

 

A great white shark was spotted in Stillwater, Auckland on Sunday. Photo / Supplied 

He believes the shark took an interest in their small vessel because a berley bag was hanging off the back and it had "heaps of bait out". 

As soon as they noticed the shark, he pulled the camera out. 

"It was just curious, swimming around the boat, and then it grabbed the berley and then started nudging into the boat," said Caddy. 

"It was looking up at one of the fullas at the back of the boat. It leaned back and angled its head up and was having a good look at what was in the boat. 

"It was circling the boat for probably 10 minutes actually. It had a good old look." 

Caddy said he wasn't scared because he goes diving and has been around a lot of sharks before. 

He said the group had caught a few snapper before the great white shark paid a visit, and then the fishing trip was less successful. 

He has shown the video to lots of fishermen at the local club and said they couldn't believe it. 

"It's the first time someone has seen something like that." 

There have been numerous great white shark sightings this summer. 

A Boxing Day fishing trip turned into a once-in-a-lifetime experience after a family captured rare footage of the moment they accidentally hooked a great white shark in the Kaipara Harbour. 

Meanwhile, sightings near Waihī Beach and Bowentown have "gone through the roof". 

The Department of Conservation issued a warning for water users in December. 

Such sightings include great whites jumping out of the water and knocking a small fishing boat while a local fisherman was inside. 

Great whites are protected under the Wildlife Act 1953, which means it is illegal to hunt, kill, or harm them. 

It is not illegal to accidentally catch a white shark but it must be released without causing it further harm, and it is a legal requirement to report the capture.