Tiger fish in Congo river

[tropicrows]

http://www.couriermail.com.au/entert...-1225941552399

Here's the story, go to the line above to see to photos. Glad we don't have these in tour rivers.


FTER an eight-day monster battle a British fisherman has caught one of the world's most fearsome freshwater fish.

Angler Jeremy Wade wrestled the 5ft-long goliath tigerfish during a fishing expedition along the Congo River in Africa.

The tigerfish - believed to be a deadlier version of the piranha - has 32 teeth that are a similar size to those of a great white shark and has been known to attack humans and even crocodiles, the UK's Daily Mail reports.

Mr Wade reeled in the 45kg beast as part of aTV show about mythical reports from around the world of humans being attacked by unknown monsters from the deep.

“'It is very rare to catch one, especially by an outsider because they are found in such a remote and difficult location to get to,” Mr Wade said on the show River Monsters.



“There are no guides or lodges on that part of the Congo River.”

Mr Wade said he used catfish as bait for the tigerfish and a 91kg rod and line.

He said he feared handling the monster fish and had to stand back from it until it was safely in his landing net.

“It is a very dangerous fish to handle. If you aren't careful it could easily take your finger off or worse,” he said.

After carefully avoiding the creature’s razor-sharp teeth while posing for photos, Mr Wade said he returned it to the river soon afterwards

[Steve B]

man that looks savage!!!!

Note to self, dont swim in congo

thanks mate.

[darylive]

and that's why I stay in Bloody Australia!

I suppose it won't chase you up the bank like a croc?

[Luc]

Eight-day monster battle !!!

What a piece of journalistic B/S.

Luc

[TimiBoy]

I reckon I've seen that fish's face before... no... wait... that was your face after feeding that Red to the sharks a few weeks ago!



Tim

[Scott nthQld]

As usual the Courier Mail has FAILED in the journalism stakes.

Jeremy Wade hosts and is the angler in the program called "River Monsters". He basically travels the globe to catch the worlds most 'dangerous' freshwater fish, in order to highlight just how dangerous or not each fish is. That is he travels and gets local stories about attacks by the various fish, then goes out to try and catch them and comes to a conclusion about whther or not the target fish is actually capable of committing the attacks on people the fish is accused of.

The episode of the Tiger fish was aired on the Discovery Channel ages ago, I watched it and it was not an epic 8 day battle against the fish, the 8 day battle was just trying to catch one, the one he caught was hooked and captured in about 2 hrs fight time. The fish in the photo's could not be revived (though he stresses that he releases all of his catch and in most cases he does, unless it cannot be revived such as in this case) and was given to one of the villages for food.

Other fish he has caught and episodes aired include the American Alligator gar, Wells Catfish in europe, white Sturgeon, giant freshwater stingray, Arapaima in south America, pirahna, there's more but I can't remember.

I watch nearly every episode, not just out of interest, but he is a very good pro-fishing advocate, in that he teaches the right techniques to handle fish, how to release fish in a healthy state, and displays a good understanding and knowledge that some people do fish for food but any unwanted fish should be cared for and released in the best possible condition, and that responsible angling practises will ensure there is fish for the future.

[jim_bream]

Ok, having grown up in Africa (Sth Africa and born in Zimbabwe) and caught these ferocious buggers I was chuckling at the story.
Firstly I don't know of a single person that's been bitten by a tigerfish (much less savagely attacked) IN THE WATER. When you finally get them into the boat they go berko- snapping and lashing about like a watery pit-bull. If any of you have had a big spanish mackeral or 'hoo on the deck of the boat I'm sure you know what I mean!
Secondly, Scott quite rightly pointed out that it took the geezer 8 days to find one- and they (Goliath) are a legit member of the tigerfish family. Much as 25kg GT's are members of the same family of trev we catch in canals and off rockwalls.
Have a look at the Kariba Invitation Tigerfishing Tournament website. http://www.kitft.co.zw/
It breaks my heart that I can't go- imagine a bunch of diehard fishos getting together in the African bush, sinking megalitres of beer and catching one of the hardest fighting freshwater fish on the planet. Been some of the happiest times of my life at the comp, maybe we should organise an Aussie team to go over??
Here's the competitors shirt from 2007, I think..

[byron_moses]

wow one gnarly looking fish

[The Phantom]

The same day that the picture appeared in the Courier Mail I walker into the La Balsa Museum in Ballina wearing my Ausfish shirt.
The 2 guys at the front desk called me over to tell me that the Ausfish Logo was really the Goliath Tigerfish.
Looks similar.