New record by Jakub Vágner

Though we have no sea in Czechia fishing on rivers and lakes is very popular here. 

We have also one recordman - extreme angler specializing in travel and natural history.^[2][3] He is best known for his television series Fish Warrior, shown on National Geographic Channel. He holds a special interest in freshwater, and has been travelling around the world fishing for giant freshwater fish.^{[2] (from Wikipedia)}

A few days ago fisherman Jakub Vágner achieved another Czech record. He caught a catfish 268 centimeters long at the Vranov Dam. He beat his own record from last year by four centimeters. 

He writes about his adventure:
"A catfish with a length of 268 centimeters, which is 4 centimeters longer than I caught the year before. A beautiful, almost flawless fish that has the potential to grow even further," Vágner wrote on his Facebook on Friday.

"But catching big fish is not just about passion. It's about morale, dedication and determination. So I put on the last piece of the Tatra fishing line and head out on the water. I'm really tired and I'm completely on autopilot. I'm sailing around the rocks and here and there I see a catfish about a meter long," the fisherman said.

"I get under a high rocky overhang, where a large piece of tree is sticking out of the rock. It seems strange to me, because I've never seen anything like it here. But suddenly the whole tree moved and I realized that it was a huge catfish levitating right next to the rock," Vágner described. He dropped the bait to the catfish and waited. “Nothing happens for ten minutes. Suddenly the catfish turns and heads straight for my bait,” he added.

A fierce battle ensued. “The rod tip suddenly swung just slightly and then the force of the fish literally nailed my hand to the bellyboat. The fish was taking meters of line through the tightened Bagrus drag and I couldn’t do anything at all. I have to do something to keep the rod at all.”

After a tough fifty-minute fight, the decision is made and Vágner leads the giant fish to the shore.

 Vranov Castle

As usual, Jakub released the fish again.

Catfish is a long-lived fish. It usually lives up to 50 years. In favorable conditions (abundant food, warm water) it grows very quickly. In cold waters, its growth is slower. In the first year of life, it grows 10–18 cm, in the fifth year 55–75 cm, in the tenth year 85–120 cm, in the fifteenth year 120–170 cm, in the twentieth year 150–200 cm. Its weight increases by 1–3 kg per year. The large catfish is today the only fish in our country that can reach a weight of 100 kg or more.

                Thanks for reading

                                                      Margaret