CATFISH RED TAIL PIRARARA (Phractocephalus hemioliopterus)

 A 70 pound - 32 kilos fish caught in a fishing pond in Thailand.

A world record size redtail catfish (pirarara) caught in Brasil. www.igfa.org


Red tail catfish caught on fly rod by Jean Francois Helias www.anglingthailand.com

MORE REDTAIL IMAGES AND VIDEO HERE

The pirarara or redtail catfish is one of the most colorful of the large catfishes found in the Amazon and Orinoco basins. In its natural habitat, the redtail catfish is found in larger rivers, streams and lakes. During high water, it ventures into the flooded forests.
The redtail catfish is omnivorous in its feeding habits with a diet that can include fish, crabs and fruits. This species is considered to be the one of the best fighting of the catfishes with strong and determined runs. Pirarara are most often caught with natural baits and pose a challenge to anglers using artificial lures or flies. 

DISTRIBUTION:	South America
MAX SIZE:	200 lb / 90 kg
MAX LENGHT:	60 inch / 150 cm
MAX AGE:	Unknown
ENVIRONMENT:	Freshwater

SALMON SOKEYE (Oncorhynchus nerka)

The sockeye salmon (anadromous form of Oncorhynchus nerka) is endemic to the Pacific Ocean and its tributaries from Hokkaido in Japan to the Anadyr River, Russia, and from the Sacramento River, California to Point Hope, Alaska. Freshwater, non migratory populations, known as kokanee, occur naturally in Japan, Russia, Alaska, Washington, Oregon and Idaho, the Yukon and British Columbia and have been introduced elsewhere

DISTRIBUTION:	North America
MAX SIZE:	15 lb / 7 kg
MAX LENGHT:	33 inch / 84 cm
MAX AGE:	8 years
ENVIRONMENT:	Freshwater-Saltwater

BASS JAPANASE SUZUKI (Lateolabrax japonicus)

Using a minnow plug, Japanese angler Kentaro Iwakiri, of Oita-Shi, Oita, landed a Japanese seabass (Suzuki) ( weighing 9.4 kg (20 lb 11 oz) with 6 kg (12 lb), line while fishing the Ono River in Japan.

Endemic to the northeastern Pacific from Japan south to Taiwan and the East and South China seas. It is known to frequent river mouths and shallow inshore bays, surf, and rocky reef areas as well as deeper waters. The young occasionally ascend rivers in summer. heir diet includes sardines, anchovies and shrimp, as well as other small fishes and crustaceans. They can be taken by bait fishing with small fish or crustaceans, or by slow trolling, jigging, or casting with feathers, plugs, flashy jigs or spoons at any level from the bottom to the surface. Best fishing is said to be at night and dawn near the surface. The largest fish are caught in fall and winter.

DISTRIBUTION:	Asia
MAX SIZE:	20 lb / 9 kg
MAX LENGHT:	40 inch / 102 cm
MAX AGE:	unknowns
ENVIRONMENT:	Saltwater

SNAPPER CUBERA PACIFIC (Lutjanus novemfasciatus)

French angler Jean Paul Estradere was casting topwater plugs off the coast of Isla Coiba, Panama on Nov. 25, 2011 when a massive 115 cm Pacific cubera snapper (Lutjanus novemfasciatus) exploded on his Sebile Splasher. With the help of local guide Olivier Charpentier, Estradere was able to boat this potential All-Tackle Length record fish in 10 minutes. After a few quick photos and measurements, the toothy snapper was released alive to fight another day.

Raleigh Werking caught off Tropic Star Lodge in Panama (www.tropicstarlodge.com) in over 100 feet this 57 ½ pound (26 kilos) Pacific cubera snapper. Fighting it on 20-pound (10kg) line.

Monster size Pacific Snapper caught in Pendasi, Panama. A fish surely up to 120 lb - 55 kg.

Nice cubaera caught off Tropic Star Lodge in Panama


Snapper PAcific Cubera is common throughout the Gulf of California (Sea of Cortez) from at least Laguna San Ignacio south to Panama, and probably Peru. It is an in shore Pacific species, frequenting reefs and caves from shallow waters to 900 feet (28 metres) or more. This snapper is a very strong fighter and sport fish that can be caught on mani techniques: live baits, jigs, spoons, feathers, plugs. It is a very excellent eating and is greatly prized as a sports catch.

DISTRIBUTION: Pacific Ocean MAX SIZE: 88 lb / 40 kg MAX LENGTH: 66 inch / 170 cm MAX AGE: 20 ENVIRONMENT: Saltwater

PEACOCK BLUE (Cichla piquiti)

Brazilian angler Fabricio Bigua was fishing Serra da Mesa Lake  when he landed aa world  record blue peacock (Cichla piquiti). Bigua was casting a Tmakatsu-Trainao lure when this 4.54 kg - 10 lb fish hit. After a quick 5 minutes fight,  He release the fish alive.

DISTRIBUTION:	South America
MAX SIZE:	13 lb / 6 kg
MAX LENGTH:	29 inch / 75 cm
MAX AGE:	unknown
ENVIRONMENT:	Freshwater

CATFISH FLATHEAD (Pylodictis olivaris)

World record flathhead catfish 123 lb / 55 kg Angler: Ken Paulin Caught at Elk City Reservoir USA.

Gene Bedward with a 72 pound 8 ounce landed in Wisconsin; just 2 lb pound under the state record.

Simon caught the 75 lb huge flathead during the City Lake's fish salvage.

James Pruett 76 pound catfish caught in Trinity river. 

SEE MORE FLATHEAD CATFISH IMAGES CLICK HERE

Native to the large rivers of the Mississippi, Missouri, and Ohio basins from southern North Dakota, south into northern Mexico, and east as far as Lake Erie's southeast coast and the western most tip of the Florida panhandle. It occurs broadly over this entire areaand has now been widely introduced outside its native range. This popular food fish has an excellent flavor. It frequents deep sluggish pools with hard bottoms in large rivers. It seems to have a distinct preference for fish, but it is omnivorous and will eat most anything that suits its fancy. Its large size makes it especially popular with anglers.

DISTRIBUTION: North America  MAX SIZE: 130 lb / 60 kg MAX LENGTH: 61 inch / 155 cm MAX AGE: 20 ENVIRONMENT: Freshwater

BASS LARGEMOUTH (Micropterus salmoides)

World record size Laregouth Bass caught in Japan Lake Biwa 22.4 lb 10.12 kg by Manabu Kurita. (www.igfa.org)

Jed Dickerson caught his 21.68 lb bass in Tiny Dixon Lake, US.

Raymond Easley caught his  21 lb 3 oz largemouth on March 4, 1980, on Lake Casitas, California, US 

Mac Weakley caught Dixon’s famous resident giant, which pulled the scales down to 25.1 pounds.

MORE LARGEMOUNTH BASS IMAGES HERE

This fish appartains at the Centrarchidae Family. Originally confined primarily to the eastern United States of American and portions of northern Mexico and southern Canada, this member of the sunfish family can be found in every state in the U.S., throughout Mexico and Central America, and in many other countries throughout the world.

They are the most popular freshwater game fish. Much of its popularity is due to its pugnacious attitude and willingness to strike a lure or bait with explosive force. 

Research indicates that the largemouth bass is also the most intelligent freshwater fish, able to distinguish and avoid a particular type of lure after only one encounter with it. 

DISTRIBUTION:	America Europe Asia
MAX SIZE:	26 lb / 12 kg
MAX LENGTH:	30 inch / 75 cm

TUNA BIG EYE (Thunnus Obesus)

 

IGFA world record Atlantic big eye tuna.

212 lb / 96 kg big eye tuna caught in Hawaii (USA)

Troy Kincaid's 231-pound bigeye tuna caught in Hawaii.

357 lb 73 in long 63 in girth big eye tuna caught  off san cristobal Galapagos (Equador) fish was caught on 50 lb test weighed.

Sarah Elizabeth McLean caught a 114 kilo - 251 lb 5 oz Atlantic bigeye tuna  while fishing with Capt. David Abreu out of Funchal, Portugal.

Angler Curtis De Silva while fishing off Madeira Island onboard "Pesca Grossa" with Capt. Frothy De Silva. caught a 106.6 kg or 234.4 lb big eye tuna

A 312 lb Big Eye Tuna caught off Ascension Island in May 2014

Found in warm temperate waters of the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans, this schooling, pelagic, seasonally migratory species is suspected of making rather extensive migrations. Schools bigeye tuna generally run deep during the day. Schools of bluefin, yellowfin and some others are known to occasionally swim at the surface, especially in warm water.Its diet includes squid, crustaceans, mullet, sardines, small mackerels and some deep water species. Fishing methods are trolling deep with squid, mullet or other small baits, or artificial lures and live bait fishing in deep waters with similar baits. It is an excellent food or sport fish, an important commercial species.

DISTRIBUTION:	All Oceans
MAX SIZE:	440 lb / 200 kg
MAX LENGTH:	72 inch / 185 cm

SHARK SIX GILL (Hexanchus griseus)

The sixgill sharks, Hexanchus, are a genus of deepwater sharks in the family Hexanchidae. These sharks are characterized by broad pointed heads, six pairs of gill slits, comb-like, yellow lower teeth, and a long tail. It can grow up to 5 m (18 ft) long and weigh over 600 kg (1320 lb). They are abyssal plain scavengers.

This six gill shark 2000 lb - 900 kg shark was landed in Turkey by a commercial fisherman.

This huge shark was caught by a  Turkish fishermen in the Gulf of Saros. It was 2200 lb  - 1000 kg.

An huge six gill shark caught off Kuşadası, Aydın Province, Turkey; afish of more than 1300 lb - 600 kg

DISTRIBUTION: Atlantic Ocean MAX SIZE: 1325 lb / 600 kg MAX LENGTH: 15 feet / 5 meter

CATFISH WALLAGO ATTU (Wallago attu)

Andrew Purton with an 18.9 kg Wild Wallago Attu caught in Thailand.

 Three nice wallago catfish caught by Jean Francois Helias in a fishing trip in India www.anglinthailand.com

Wallago is a genus of catfishes (order Siluriformes) of the family Siluridae, or "sheatfish great withe". They are found in rivers throughout southern Asia. Though the genus contains more than one species, name "wallago" is also used as a common name for Wallago attu. 

DISTRIBUTION:	Asia
MAX SIZE:	33 lb / 15 kg
MAX LENGHT:	47 inch / 120 cm
MAX AGE:	Unkonwn
ENVIRONMENT:	Freshwater

CATFISH VUNDU (Heterobranchus longifilis)

A nice vundu catfish caught in Tanzania on a Tourette Fishing exploratory trip. www.tourettefishing.com

Marc towers with a nice size vundu catfish

The vundu catfish (Heterobranchus longifilis) is a species of airbreathing catfish found in the African countries of Niger, Senegal, Egypt, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania, Uganda, Zimbabwe and Zambia. It is also called the sampa, cur, lenda, or certa catfish. Is the largest freshwater species in southern Africa. Occurs in large deep rivers within the mainstream or in deep pools and lakes. Most active at night, feeding on any available food, including invertebrates and insects when small, fish and other small vertebrates when large. Scavenges off large carcasses and offal from riverside villages. Lives for 12 or more years.

DISTRIBUTION:  Africa
MAX SIZE:  125 lb / 55 kg
MAX LENGTH:  66 inch / 170 cm
MAX AGE:  Unknown
ENVIRONMENT: Freshwater