Fishing Forum

Not really...but a huge catfish...[cool][shocked]

FF462

Fishers in northern Thailand netted this huge catfish in the Mekong River on May 1. Nearly nine feet long (2.7 meters) and as big as a grizzly bear, the behemoth tipped the scales at 646 pounds (293 kilograms). Experts say the fish, which belongs to the species known as the Mekong giant catfish, may be the largest freshwater fish ever recorded.


[url "http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2005/06/photogalleries/giantcatfish/"]http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2005/06/photogalleries/giantcatfish/[/url]
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where did you find that pic? is there an article?
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Update..

FF462[cool]
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FYI, that article was published in June 2005, so it's not exactly 'new'. [cool]
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New too me...[cool] Also the title is a farce if you didnt catch that.[]

FF462
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[cool][#0000ff]Not even close to the largest freshwater fish ever recorded. Sturgeon have been caught up to 20 feet long and 2000 pounds. There have even been larger catfish caught.[/#0000ff]
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Fixed the link..im not one to argue with National Geographic, but that just me...[sly]

Also posted in USA today...
[url "http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2005-06-30-fish_x.htm"]http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2005-06-30-fish_x.htm[/url]

Im not sure the critera, but I guess sturgen dont fit the bill..[unsure]

FF462
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Thai fishermen netted a catfish as big as a grizzly bear, setting a world record for the largest freshwater fish ever found, according to researchers who studied the 646-pound Mekong giant catfish as part of a project to protect large freshwater fish.
“It’s amazing to think that giants like this still swim in some of the world’s rivers,” project leader Zeb Hogan project leader said in a statement. “We’ve now confirmed now that this catfish is the current record holder, an astonishing find.”
Others have made claims of finding larger sturgeon, but the International Game Fishing Association says the largest sturgeon on record is 468 pounds. That fish has also held the record for largest freshwater fish caught.

[url "http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8404622/"]http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8404622/[/url]

anyone find a bigger freeshwater fish record?
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[cool][#0000ff]The big Mekong cat was NETTED and does not qualify as a rod and reel record...as does the 468 pound sturgeon. And, technically sturgeon do not qualify as "freshwater" because they spend a good part of their lives in salt water.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]No record of larger fish? The photo archives in San Francisco and Portland Oregon have many photos of big white sturgeon caught in the Sacramento and Columbia Rivers that exceed 15 feet and 1600 pounds. And, the same in Russia, where the Beluga sturgeon are caught with some weighing over a ton. But, these fish are also usually netted so they do not qualify for rod and reel records.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]See pics.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]And, as far as National Geographic being the "bible" for all things they publish....well, if you believe that I have some AUTHENTIC Rembrandt paintings I would like to sell you. They can...AND DO...make mistakes and get things wrong.[/#0000ff]
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Those first two pictures you drew, admit it...And the last one total fake you can tell by it's eyes 100% photo shop!![]

FF462[cool]
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[cool][#0000ff]OOPS. BUSTED. [/#0000ff]

[#0000ff]I suppose you think this is photoshop too.[/#0000ff]


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Noooo, looks legit too me.[]

FF462[]
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[#ff0000]Sturgeon Record Fish[/#ff0000]
Sturgeon - 468 lbs.
Caught by: Joey Pallotta
Caught at: San Pablo Bay in California


this is from oregon wildlife division:

**There is no state record information for sturgeon in Oregon because the maximum size limit is 60". It is unlawful to remove an oversized sturgeon from the water.

found the california records wildlife division:

sturgeon, white 468 lbs 0 oz San Pablo Bay (Contra Costa) July 9, 1983 Joey Pallotta (Crockett)
[url "http://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/AnglingRecords/Default.aspx"]http://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/...Records/Default.aspx[/url]


thats from the wildlife divisions

[url "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beluga_sturgeon"]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beluga_sturgeon[/url]

Unconfirmed reports suggest that belugas may reach a length of up to 8.6 m (28 ft) and weigh as much as 2,700 [url "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kilograms"]kilograms[/url] (5,940 lbs), making them the largest [url "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freshwater"]freshwater[/url] fish in the world, larger even than the [url "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mekong_giant_catfish"]Mekong giant catfish[/url] or the [url "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pirarucu"]pirarucu[/url]. At this mass, the beluga would be even heavier than the [url "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ocean_sunfish"]ocean sunfish[/url], generally recognized as the largest of [url "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bony_fish"]bony fishes[/url]. But the largest actually confirmed specimens were about 5.5 m (18 ft). Nevertheless, some scientists still consider the Mekong giant catfish to be the largest freshwater fish, owing to sturgeons' ability to survive in [url "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seawater"]seawater[/url].


that was interesting for a day at work, i learned alot. thanks for the post of that cat, i enjoyed it.
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[black][size 3]Last year there was some international coverage on a large catfish that was caught and had a human body inside.[/size][/black]
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[size 3]Attached are a couple of pics. that was with the writeup.[/size]
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That sure looks like one type of whale shark to me. I think the true identity of these three pics is a small whale shark. How many pounds did the stories say the fish was?
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[cool][#0000ff]Another "Internet Blooper". That is NOT a catfish. It is a small whale shark. They get several times that large. And there is no way they found human body parts in it. Whale sharks feed on plankton and schools of small fish. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I never cease to be amazed at the stories concocted to go along with a set of pictures that have nothing to do with the stuff they try to make you believe.[/#0000ff]
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[cool]We can always count on the sensai to set us strait on marine biology issues. Man Pat, I think you could teach this stuff in college. Seriously. Good on ya, man. We need to go fishin' again soon so you can download more of this stuff to me. Hope you guys are getting into the cats today at Lincoln. Beggin4bass invited me on his new boat, but unfortunitely, my divorce debt calls so I'm workin o.t. today...[pirate]

I'm thinkin' of hitting Lincoln next Fri or Sat for some much needed R&R.[]
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[cool][#0000ff]You didn't miss much...fishingwise. The north wind blew all day...until we got off the water. Then it turned to glass.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]No fish in that boat today...even with Fishhound as guide.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I think we scored 11 cats for all the people fishing. TubeBabe and I got there late and got NO channels. I got three white bass and a toothless golden walleye.[/#0000ff]
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