Retired British Navy Captain Catches 260-Pound World Record Mekong Giant Catfish
Last week David Kent became the official all-tackle record holder for the Mekong giant catfish, the largest freshwater fish in the world. Here is the story in photos of how Kent landed his world record catch.
Last week, Welsh angler Dr. Martin David Kent (better known as Dai by his friends) was officially named the all-tackle record holder for Mekong giant catfish, the largest freshwater fish species in the world. At the scale, the fish weighed 260 pounds and stretched the tape to 7 feet. Kent landed the monster after a grueling hour-long battle that pushed him and his gear to the limit. Here's the story of his epic fight. AdvertisementRelated PhotosSUBMIT YOUR PHOTOSADVERTISEMENTAdvertisement |
Visit Our Sister Sites at Bonnier Corporation
|
Outdoorlife.com is part of the Field & Stream Network, a division of Bonnier Corporation.
Copyright © 2013 Bonnier Corp. All Rights Reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.
Print
Email
Share
Comments (14)
My mistake it says caught commercially. The National article also goes on to tell how the monster cat died after they tried to take its eggs.
This article states the largest Mekong cat was 646 lbs. and was grown commercially. This link http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2005/06/photogalleries/giantcatf... will take you to the National Geographic page on a 646 lb. Mekong cat and it states it was caught in the Mekong River. Who got their wires crossed here?
the_gulf_guy,
Wels catfish top out just over 550 pounds. Nile perch about 500. Sturgeon, see comments below. Stingrays do get bigger but they're bony fish, like sharks and are not considered in the same category by some experts. The largest Mekong ever caught (commercially) was well over 600 pounds.
There are many species of freshwater fish that are bigger than these?....Nile Perch, sturgeon (several species) the Wels, freshwater stingrays....that's just off the top of my head?
It's just a very bad reporting job.
the_golf_guy
Great story.
THAT IS AN AWESOME FISH!
The Freshwater Stingray is the largest freshwater fish in the world, but I bet Mekong cats eat the little ones all of the time.
Guys....Think for a second. The title of the article does not imply that it's the largest freshwater fish ever caught. And just because it's the largest -species- does not make this particular fish the biggest. The records go by individual species, not generalizations. There will be bigger Mekongs caught, but for now this is the biggest rod & reel-caught Mekong on record. Yes, the world record white sturgeon is quite a bit bigger, but a sturgeon is not a catfish. Makes perfect sense to me.
The Wels Catfish Silurus glanis)is found in Europe.
The record catch of 2.78 metres and a weight of 144 kg. (316.8 lbs) actually came from the Po Delta of Italy.
That's in the world also, so the Mekong fish isn't a world record.
rmestep, This definitely isn't the largest freshwater fish ever caught, but Mekong catfish are considered the largest freshwater species. In other words, there are a lot bigger ones out there swimming.
took me about 1 minute to find this gar record. The current world
record for the largest Alligator Gar caught on rod and
reel is 279 lbs.
http://scienceray.com/biology/zoology/worlds-largest-fresh-water-fish/
I live on lake Erie and know sturgeon here go that large. And we are land locked as far as salt water goes. I dont think it was researched that well as to the specific title. It may be largest cat fish caught. Rodney
Terrahawk, you're right about sturgeon growing larger than than Mekong catfish, and thanks for the links. But white sturgeon are anadromous, which means they live in the ocean but breed in freshwater. That's why many people consider the Mekong catfish the largest freshwater species.
isnt that one of those ponds that stock these fish and then feed them until they are large and have people pay to come and catch them, im pretty sure i saw a very similar pond on the monster fish show on national georgaphic, if that is the case, should it be considered a world record, its the same thing as growing a whitetail and claiming it as a world record, not sportsman like, but if im wrong good for him.
I've seen the claim that the Mekong Catfish is the "Largest Freshwater Fish" in the world before and am confused by that. White Sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus) grow much larger (1,500 pounds) and I believe their life cyle is in fresh water although not much is known about their spawning habits.
White Sturgeon usually get the claim as the largest freshwater fish in North America so I'm wordering if the Mekong Catfish is the largest freshwater fish in Asia (and should be qualified as such).
Here is one photo:
http://www.canadaka.net/forums/sports-f8/bc-catches-world-record-sturgeo...
Vancouver Aquarium also used to have a mounted one on display that I believe was over 800 pounds.
Here is one more article with an amazing photo:
http://www.esd.ornl.gov/~zij/sturgeon_project/index.html
Video of Animal Planet's Jeremy Wade catching one here:
http://animal.discovery.com/videos/river-monsters-massive-white-sturgeon...
Peter
Post a Comment (200 characters or less)
isnt that one of those ponds that stock these fish and then feed them until they are large and have people pay to come and catch them, im pretty sure i saw a very similar pond on the monster fish show on national georgaphic, if that is the case, should it be considered a world record, its the same thing as growing a whitetail and claiming it as a world record, not sportsman like, but if im wrong good for him.
rmestep, This definitely isn't the largest freshwater fish ever caught, but Mekong catfish are considered the largest freshwater species. In other words, there are a lot bigger ones out there swimming.
I've seen the claim that the Mekong Catfish is the "Largest Freshwater Fish" in the world before and am confused by that. White Sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus) grow much larger (1,500 pounds) and I believe their life cyle is in fresh water although not much is known about their spawning habits.
White Sturgeon usually get the claim as the largest freshwater fish in North America so I'm wordering if the Mekong Catfish is the largest freshwater fish in Asia (and should be qualified as such).
Here is one photo:
http://www.canadaka.net/forums/sports-f8/bc-catches-world-record-sturgeo...
Vancouver Aquarium also used to have a mounted one on display that I believe was over 800 pounds.
Here is one more article with an amazing photo:
http://www.esd.ornl.gov/~zij/sturgeon_project/index.html
Video of Animal Planet's Jeremy Wade catching one here:
http://animal.discovery.com/videos/river-monsters-massive-white-sturgeon...
Peter
Terrahawk, you're right about sturgeon growing larger than than Mekong catfish, and thanks for the links. But white sturgeon are anadromous, which means they live in the ocean but breed in freshwater. That's why many people consider the Mekong catfish the largest freshwater species.
took me about 1 minute to find this gar record. The current world
record for the largest Alligator Gar caught on rod and
reel is 279 lbs.
http://scienceray.com/biology/zoology/worlds-largest-fresh-water-fish/
I live on lake Erie and know sturgeon here go that large. And we are land locked as far as salt water goes. I dont think it was researched that well as to the specific title. It may be largest cat fish caught. Rodney
Guys....Think for a second. The title of the article does not imply that it's the largest freshwater fish ever caught. And just because it's the largest -species- does not make this particular fish the biggest. The records go by individual species, not generalizations. There will be bigger Mekongs caught, but for now this is the biggest rod & reel-caught Mekong on record. Yes, the world record white sturgeon is quite a bit bigger, but a sturgeon is not a catfish. Makes perfect sense to me.
The Freshwater Stingray is the largest freshwater fish in the world, but I bet Mekong cats eat the little ones all of the time.
THAT IS AN AWESOME FISH!
Great story.
There are many species of freshwater fish that are bigger than these?....Nile Perch, sturgeon (several species) the Wels, freshwater stingrays....that's just off the top of my head?
It's just a very bad reporting job.
the_golf_guy
the_gulf_guy,
Wels catfish top out just over 550 pounds. Nile perch about 500. Sturgeon, see comments below. Stingrays do get bigger but they're bony fish, like sharks and are not considered in the same category by some experts. The largest Mekong ever caught (commercially) was well over 600 pounds.
This article states the largest Mekong cat was 646 lbs. and was grown commercially. This link http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2005/06/photogalleries/giantcatf... will take you to the National Geographic page on a 646 lb. Mekong cat and it states it was caught in the Mekong River. Who got their wires crossed here?
My mistake it says caught commercially. The National article also goes on to tell how the monster cat died after they tried to take its eggs.
The Wels Catfish Silurus glanis)is found in Europe.
The record catch of 2.78 metres and a weight of 144 kg. (316.8 lbs) actually came from the Po Delta of Italy.
That's in the world also, so the Mekong fish isn't a world record.
Post a Comment (200 characters or less)