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A British fisherman has landed a massive 30 stone catfish after ‘the fight of his life’ to bring the monster back to Thailand.
Dean McEwan, 36, an oil rig engineer from Renfrewshire in Scotland, was stunned when he caught the huge Mekong catfish.
He said the huge fish gave him the “fight of his life” and it took him an hour and a half to bring it back.
Three men then had to help hoist it into a large net so the catch could be measured.
The 7-foot-long specimen tipped the scales at a mighty 30 stone (420 pounds).
Dean said: “The first time you feel the true power of these fish, you understand why they hold the title of the toughest freshwater fighting fish in the world.
“It was midday and hot when I looked up from the float for a second to hear the braid coming off the spool of my rod.”
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He added: “I immediately lifted the rod and leaned over it. As soon as it took off, I immediately knew it was a big girl.
“I’ve caught a few catfish before, so I knew what to expect. There really isn’t anything you can do with these fish except reel in the line every chance you get, usually when the fish changes direction.
“It was really a test of endurance. After about an hour and a half later we landed the fish and let it rest for a while.
After recording his weight and measurements and posing for the obligatory photo, Dean released the catfish back into the lake at the Palm Tree Lagoon Fishery.
Tim Webb, a British expat who runs the fishery with his wife, Benchawan, said: “It’s the biggest catfish in the lake and probably in Thailand.
“It is certainly the biggest catfish caught by a Briton.”
The Mekong Giant Catfish is the official freshwater heavyweight champion of the world.
According to the Guinness Book of Records, a 9-foot-long fish caught in northern Thailand in 2005 weighed 646 pounds, making it the largest freshwater fish ever recorded.
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