Fisherman Expects To Have Caught His Line On Tree Branch, Instead Finds Record Breaking Fish

Jul 27, 2022 by apost team

When fishing, you never know what you're going to catch. A trout? A tin can? A typical day along the lake shore or on the river usually brings one if not both of these results. However, some anglers find themselves unexpectedly reeling in the catch of a lifetime on special days. Few expect to break world records when they first cast out, but as German fishing guide Benjamin Gründer can attest, it happens. In 2018, Gründer caught a nine-foot Wels catfish in Italy's River Po, unofficially setting a new record.

Gründer knows all too well just how casually these records get broken, especially when you're searching for such a special sportfish. You set out with not much more than bait and hope that the fish on the end of your line will be something memorable. 

Wels catfish are known not only for their incredible length but also for their combativeness. Exhausting to reel in, these man-sized fish, once hauled painstakingly to shore, look like the last thing anyone would want to get into a round of tug-o-war with. However, the Wels is no sea monster and prefers a lunch of fish rather than fingers and toes. 

Unlike smaller catfish, like the blue or the channel cat, the Wels is typically not caught for the purpose of eating. Its pursuers are only after the very chance to battle with these watery beasts. This is what the amateur fisherman dreamed of when he cast on that fateful day. When the line pulled, he knew what was on the other side could be a sizable catfish. But a record-breaking one? Perhaps. The kind that stretch of river was rumored to hide in its murky depths. 

In the case of Gründer's catch, "large" is an understatement. The massive catfish was about 9 feet in length and roughly 284 lbs, according to The Epoch Times. Photos of Gründer and his mammoth Wels look like a photoshopped nightmare, dwarfing the men who kneel beside it on the muddy bank. 

Despite the Wels' staggering appearance, Gründer hooked it rather uneventfully. The fish didn't betray its identity until later in the fight to bring it to the surface. As he began to reel in his line, Gründer assumed he'd snagged his hook on a tree, according to his interview with Anglers Mail. He figured he'd gotten his line tangled on something immobile. And then the tree branch started moving.

Surprisingly, the amount of time it took to reel the gigantic fish to the boat wasn't long. Within forty-five minutes, the fish had reached the boat. Aghast at his catch, Gründer quickly launched into a photo op session with the fish. Thankfully, someone had a camera available and snapped what may be the only record of the fish even existing. With those photos, who would believe such an easily exaggerated story? After all, some fishermen are known for stretching the truth of what they really pulled out of the river. 

While Gründer's catch is definitely impressive, his picture is not proof enough to formally break the record. Unable to weigh the fish or perform any of the official steps necessary to claim the title, yet unwilling to kill the fish just to weigh him, he let it go. Thus, the record officially still stands until another angler reels in this magnificent creature that lurks beneath the River Po.

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Would you swim in that river knowing the Wels swim beneath your feet? Let us know — and be sure to pass this article on to friends, family, and fellow fishermen!