You never know what you're going to catch when you go fishing. The trout? a
can of tin? One or both of these outcomes frequently occur on a regular day
on the river or lakeshore. On extraordinary days, though, some fisherman
unpredictably reel in the catch of a lifetime. Few anglers set out with the
intention of breaking world records, but as German fishing guide Benjamin
Gründer can confirm, it does happen. In 2018, Gründer unofficially broke the
record when he captured a nine-foot Wels catfish in Italy's River Po.
Gründer is well aware of how frequently these records are violated,
particularly while looking for a unique sportfish. With little more than
bait, you cast your line in the hopes that the fish you catch will be
noteworthy.
Wels catfish are renowned for their fierce aggression in addition to their
amazing length. These man-sized fish were exhausting to reel in, and after
they were slowly brought to shore, they appeared to be the last thing
anybody would want to engage in a game of tug of war with. The Wels,
however, is not a sea monster and would much rather eat fish for meals than
fingers and toes.
The Wels is often not caught with the intention of eating it, in contrast
to smaller catfish like the blue or channel cat. Only the chance to engage
in combat with these aquatic creatures is what its pursuers are wanting.
When he cast that fateful day, the novice angler had this in mind. He was
aware that what was on the other side may be a large catfish when the line
pulled. But one that breaks records? Perhaps. the type the river's dark
depths were said to hold there. Large is an understatement when describing
Gründer's catch. The Epoch Times said that the enormous catfish had a length
of nearly 9 feet and a weight of about 284 lbs. Pictures of Gründer and his
enormous Wels, which dwarfs the guys who are huddled next to it on the muddy
bank, appear to have been photo-shopped.
Gründer caught it very uneventfully despite the Wels' startling presence.
The effort to raise the fish to the surface took a while before the fish
revealed who it was. According to Gründer's interview with Anglers Mail,
when he started to reel in his line, he believed his hook had been stuck on
a tree. He assumed his line had been entangled with something stationary.
The tree branch suddenly started to move.
Surprisingly, it didn't take long to reel the enormous fish onto the boat.
The fish arrived at the boat in forty-five minutes. Erstaunted by his catch,
Gründer immediately started a picture shoot with the fish. Thank goodness
someone had a camera with them because they managed to capture what could be
the sole image of the fish ever surviving. Who would trust such an easily
embellished narrative given those images? After all, some fisherman have a
reputation for exaggerating what they really hauled from the river.
Even though Gründer's catch is unquestionably remarkable, his photo is
insufficient evidence to legitimately break the record. He couldn't weigh
the fish or carry out any of the formal procedures required to claim the
title, and he didn't want to kill the fish merely to weigh himself. So he
let the fish go. Until someone angler successfully reels in this amazing
species that dwells under the River Po, the record will continue to
stand.
Tags:
animals