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Straits Times
6 days ago
- Sport
- Straits Times
Czech man triumphs over 2.68m catfish after a 50-minute battle
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Mr Jakub Vagner with the 2.68m catfish he caught at Vranov Reservoir. A man in the Czech Republic rewrote his own national record after catching a 2.68m catfish in what he described as a 50-minute 'intense battle'. Mr Jakub Vagner, 43, caught the freshwater fish on Aug 2 at Vranov Reservoir, 200km south of the Czech capital Prague. Pictures on his social media accounts showed him with the massive catfish, which is slightly longer than the one he caught about 10 months ago. Mr Vagner, host of National Geographic Channel's Fish Warrior, spotted the fish in the early morning while he was on his boat. He then cast his custom-made rod towards the fish and waited. 'Ten minutes passed and nothing happened. Suddenly, it turned and went straight into my trap,' he told What's The Jam website. What followed was 'the hardest battle I have ever had with a catfish in the Czech Republic', he said. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Business Singapore banks face headwinds in rest of 2025, but DBS is pulling ahead: Analysts Asia Mixed reactions among Malaysia drivers on S'pore move to clamp down on illegal ride-hailing services Asia Typhoon Podul slams into southern Taiwan; hundreds of flights cancelled Business Singtel Q1 profit soars 317.4% to $2.9 billion on exceptional gains of $2.2 billion Asia Diamonds, watches and shoes: Luxury items at heart of probe into South Korea's former first lady Singapore Yishun man admits to making etomidate-laced pods for vaporisers; first Kpod case conviction Sport New Hui Fen becomes first Singaporean bowler to win PWBA Tour Player of the Year Singapore SG60: Many hands behind Singapore's success story At one point, the fish bit his hand and pulled him into the water as he tried to wrangle it . 'After almost 50 minutes, it was lying half-tired next to my boat. I was shaking, completely done,' he said. With the help of his friend, Mr Vagner took a few pictures with the enormous fish, and released it back into the waters. 'A beautiful, almost flawless fish, which has potential to grow even further,' he wrote on his Instagram. In October 2024, Mr Vagner set the national record when he caught a 2.64m catfish with a fishing rod at the same reservoir.
News18
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- News18
Man Hauls Deadly 9ft Catfish After Epic 50-Minute Struggle
Last Updated: Jakub Vágner set a Czech record with an 8.8ft catfish after a near-deadly struggle. The Fish Warrior host battled for 50 minutes, was pulled into the water, but succeeded. Celebrity angler Jakub Vágner has set a new Czech record after a near-deadly struggle with a giant 8.8ft catfish. He said that it was a fight so intense it left him bitten, soaked and nearly pulled under. The 43-year-old fishing star, who hosts the National Geographic Channel's Fish Warrior, was on the Vranov Reservoir in southern Czech Republic on August 4 when he spotted the massive wels catfish gliding in the early morning light. 'I cast towards it, waited ten minutes, and suddenly, it turned and went straight into my trap," Vágner told What's The Jam. What followed, he said, was 'the hardest battle I've ever had with a catfish in the Czech Republic." The enormous fish thrashed for almost 50 minutes, forcing him to call a friend for help just to hold onto the rod. But the real drama came after the catch. As Vágner was unhooking the fish from his belly boat, it clamped down on his ungloved hand, rolled and yanked him into the water. 'Panic hit me in the eyes and I had to decide in a split second. I dove in after him… in a way, he caught me," he told the outlet. Despite waders filling with water and his phone still in hand, he managed to wrestle the fish back to shore. Measuring at 2.68 metres (8.8ft) (which is four centimetres longer than his previous record) the catfish, Vágner said, was 'not only long, but brutally tall and broad… one of the biggest fish I've ever seen in Europe". True to his conservation ethos, he released the fish after photographing it, saying that catching giants is 'not just about passion… it's about morale, dedication, and determination." Fans have hailed the catch as legendary, with one jokingly calling Vágner the 'Final Boss" of fishing. Wels catfish, the largest freshwater fish in Europe, can weigh over 200 kilograms and are known for their brute strength, making them a dangerous opponent for even the most seasoned anglers. Who is an angler? An angler is someone who fishes with a rod, line, and hook, often as a sport rather than for survival. In sport fishing, which can range from casual weekend casting to extreme, record-chasing expeditions, anglers aim to land large or rare fish, typically releasing them afterward. It's a test of patience, skill and sometimes raw strength, especially when battling giant species like catfish. view comments First Published: Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
The Irish Sun
12-08-2025
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
Angler reels MONSTER 9ft catfish from Czech river in epic 50-minute battle
'This is one of the biggest catfish I've ever seen in Europe,' the TV host said FROM THE DEEP Angler reels MONSTER 9ft catfish from Czech river in epic 50-minute battle AN ANGLER reeled in a massive 9ft catfish after a gruelling 50-minute battle. Jakub Vagner, 43, hauled in the epic catch just south of Prague, in the Czech Republic - setting a new national record. 4 Celebrity angler Jakub Vagner set a Czech record with a 9ft catfish Credit: Newsflash 4 The Fish Warrior host let the giant catfish swim free again after posing for photos Credit: Newsflash 4 The encounter took place at the Vranov Reservoir just south of Prague Credit: Newsflash The celebrity angler was drifting past a rocky overhang in the Vranov Reservoir, on August 4, when he spotted the giant fish gliding below in the early morning light. He cast his custom-made rod towards it and waited. "Ten minutes passed and nothing happened. Suddenly, it turned and went straight into my trap," Jakub said. What followed was "the hardest battle I have ever had with a catfish in the Czech Republic", he continued. read more world news TASTE FOR BLOOD Girl, 9, attacked by PIRANHAS in scenic lake as fish gnaw through bones The fish put up such a fight that Jakub had to call in a friend to help him hold onto the rod. Jakub said: "After almost 50 minutes, it was lying half-tired next to my boat. I was shaking, completely done." He released the record-breaking fish back into the water after taking photographs. He explained: 'At 2.68 metres (8.8ft) in length, it's four centimetres (1.6in) longer than the one I caught last year. 'This is one of the biggest catfish I've ever seen in Europe.' Pictures show the Fish Warrior TV host, aired on the National Geographic Channel, standing in the shallows with the enormous catfish. Angler catches rare Atlantic Salmon while fishing on a river in London The 8.8ft whopper was "not only long, but also brutally tall and broad… a beautiful, almost flawless fish with the potential to grow even bigger", Jakub said. He added that catching big fish is all about 'morale, dedication and determination' - and stressed he never kills his catches, releasing them so they can keep growing. It comes after another angler landed a monster 20-stone catfish in Italy following a 45-minute fight to reel it in. Dramatic images show Benjamin Grunder, 37, wrestling with the catch of a lifetime on the banks of the River Po. At first, he thought his hook had snagged a submerged tree, but the sheer weight revealed it was a huge fish. The German angler finally hauled in the 8ft 8in Wels catfish - the largest freshwater species in Europe - estimating it at a colossal 20 stone. That fish was also released back into the water safe and sound.
