A FISHERMAN had a frightening brush with death after hooking a shark which pulled him from his kayak.

A major search operation was launched after the man’s loaded kayak was found abandoned off the coast of Balnarring this morning.

It turns out the fisherman had been yanked into the water after snagging a shark desperate to free itself.

Once overboard, the man flagged down his friends who plucked him from the water and helped him tow his kayak to shore.

He then jumped back on his mates’ boat and continued fishing.

The fisherman returned several hours later to find his kayak missing.

It was spotted fully loaded with fishing gear and four baited rods in Western Port Bay, about 1km off Cliff’s Beach between 6am and 7am this morning.

The discovery sparked a major search operation involving water police, the air wing and marine search and rescue crews.

But it was all in vain because the fisherman was already safe at home.

Police said he had not thought to notify authorities of his missing kayak.

His fishing gear remained intact police will return his vessel to him today.