The tiddler who caught a monster

Sat Jul 18, 2009 4:15 pm » by **domdabears**

There should only have been one winner. On the riverbank was Jessica Wanstall, 4ft 10in tall weighing less than six stone (84lb) and something of a tiddler among anglers.

In the river was a monster, a near 9ft catfish that hit the scales at a record 13st 8lb (193lb).

But despite its size and whiskery age, the fish was no match for the skills of 11-year-old Jessica who waged a 20-minute battle to land her prize.

Jessica, from Sittingbourne, Kent, hooked the fish during a trip with her father to the Ebro River in North-East Spain. She said: ‘I didn’t realise just how big it was until I saw the photos afterwards. I look tiny next to it.

‘My dad thought it was going to be a small one and I told him it didn’t feel small when I picked up the rod. It was really hard work pulling it in and my arms turned to jelly.

‘My dad helped lift it on to the bank and I just laughed when I saw it. It was massive.’

Her father Mark, a 49-year-old engineer, helped return the catfish to the river after his daughter’s triumph was photographed.

He said: ‘Jessica normally catches tiddlers but just loves a day’s fishing.

‘As the fish got near we could see how big it was. Then its tail came out of the water and it looked like the Loch Ness Monster. Everybody on the bank was gasping. I’m so proud of her.’

And so he should be.

According to the International Game Fish Association, Jessica has set a world record for a freshwater fish caught by an angler aged 16 and under.

‘Her catfish easily outweighs the previous record - a 120lb Nile perch caught at Murchison Fall, Uganda, in July 2000,' a spokesman said.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... stone.html

Fri Jul 24, 2009 3:14 am » by **Jeremy**

Recently I saw a show on these fish and that river. I forget the guys name,but he was trying to catch a world record. He got a few even bigger than this one but no record set. Amazing animals. More than once he was pulled into the water by the fish. I think it was a national geographic show.

Sat Jul 25, 2009 1:02 am » by **Slith**

Holy shit, that's amazing.

Sat Jul 25, 2009 1:23 am » by **domdabears**

dlslith wrote:Holy shit, that's amazing.

I know. I love to fish and I couldnt even imagine catching something like that. then lay next to it. lol

Sat Jul 25, 2009 1:24 am » by **Flecktarn**

that is one big cat :flop:

Sat Jul 25, 2009 1:29 am » by **Vulcanic**

reminds me of this kid

Upload to Disclose.tv

seems 11 year olds are the best at catching the big ones!!

Sat Jul 25, 2009 1:54 am » by **domdabears**

thats a lot of good eatin. not too sure about wild hog though. i dont think ive ever had that. :think:

Sun Jul 26, 2009 7:53 am » by **Vulcanic**

domdabears wrote:thats a lot of good eatin. not too sure about wild hog though. i dont think ive ever had that.

wish they were as graceful as that girl and let the hog go instead of killing it.