View Full Forums : That's one ugly fish


Stormhaven
06-30-2005, 11:56 AM
Thai men hook 646-lb. catfish, may be world's largest
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2005/more/06/30/fish.ap/index.html
Posted: Thursday June 30, 2005 10:57AM; Updated: Thursday June 30, 2005 11:00AM

(snip)
BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) -- Thai fishermen caught a 293-kilogram (646-pound) catfish that may have been the world's largest freshwater fish, wildlife conservation groups said.
(/snip)

Click on the link above for a picture.

Panamah
06-30-2005, 12:07 PM
Oh yum! That's gonna be a lot of fried cat fish and hush puppies. Oh wait, that's thailand... hmmm, guess it'll be a lot of red curry and Singha.

It makes you wonder though... how the hell did they catch it? (haven't read the article yet) You'd need a set up like the marlin fisher's use, not your typical tackle for fresh water fishing!

Aidon
06-30-2005, 12:16 PM
Evidently, that species of catfish is generally large sized (though not as large as that one, obviously), and considered a "large freshwater species" which, if I recall, is defined as 250+ lbs or 6ft+ length. Which means that those fishing for those catfish would be out there with some hefty gear.

Sadly, however, that species (mekong) of catfish is endangered. And those guys fried it up and ate it instead of releasing it.

Stormhaven
06-30-2005, 12:36 PM
Well I don't know if they did it to this particular catfish, but according to an old <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2003/TECH/science/12/01/cambodia.catfish.ap/">CNN article</a>, this fish species is held in pretty high regard in parts of Thailand.

(snip)
Around the Mun River in northeastern Thailand, fishermen believe they must not catch it, and if they do, they hold a ceremony with a monk and burn a picture of it to ward off bad luck. In Baan Haad Bai on Thailand's border with Laos, fishermen pray every April to the spirit that protects the giant catfish, beseeching it to allow them to catch it.
(/snip)

Teaenea
06-30-2005, 01:26 PM
According to an article I read, not sure where, The fish in question was not going to be killed or eaten. Unfortunately it died before it could be transfered, so the locals had lunch.

Ah it was MSNBC.
Local environmentalists and government officials had negotiated to release the fish so it could continue its spawning migration in the far north of Thailand, near the borders of Thailand, Laos, Myanmar and China, but the adult male later died.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8404622/