Angler catches enormous 9ft catfish after 50-minute battle
Jakub Vagner, 43, made the catch in the Vranov Reservoir in the Czech Republic on August 4, and said he released the huge fish back into the water after photographing it.
Measuring 8.79 feet long, the fish was, he said, 'not only long, but also brutally tall and broad… a beautiful, almost flawless fish with the potential to grow even bigger'.
Vagner said he first spotted the fish in the early morning light while drifting past a rocky overhang. He cast his custom-made rod towards it and waited.
He said: 'Ten minutes passed and nothing happened. Suddenly, it turned and went straight into my trap.'
What followed was, in his words, 'the hardest battle I have ever had with a catfish in the Czech Republic'.
'After almost 50 minutes, it was lying half-tired next to my boat. I was shaking, completely done,' Vagner added.
Vagner said catching big fish is 'not just about passion… it's about morale, dedication and determination'.
He has also revealed he never kills the fish he catches, hoping this one will continue to grow.
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