Man Wins Epic Battle Against Giant Catfish the Size of a Cow

Fundacion Rapala – A fisherman in the Czech Republic has broken his own record after catching a giant catfish measuring 2.68 meters (8.8 feet)—almost the size of a cow.

A Morning That Turned Into a Fight

Jakub Vágner, 43, spotted the massive fish early in the morning at Vranov Reservoir, about 200 km south of Prague. As the host of National Geographic Channel’s Fish Warrior, he often faces challenges, but this one was different.

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At first, nothing happened after he cast his custom-made rod. Then, after ten long minutes, the creature suddenly turned and swallowed the bait. From that moment, the calm morning turned into a fierce 50-minute battle.

Pulled Under by the Beast

The fight quickly became dangerous. At one point, the catfish lunged, bit his hand, and dragged him partway underwater. Despite the struggle, Vágner refused to let go.

“After nearly 50 minutes, the fish finally lay half-exhausted beside my boat,” he said. “I was shaking—completely done.”

Record Catch, Then Release

With help from a friend, Vágner lifted the enormous fish long enough for photos. Afterward, he released it back into the reservoir.

“It’s a beautiful, almost perfect fish,” he wrote on Instagram. “It still has the potential to grow even larger.”

Not His First Monster Catfish

This catch wasn’t his first brush with glory. In October 2024, he set a Czech record by reeling in a 2.64-meter catfish from the same waters. Less than a year later, he has surpassed that feat, proving once again why he’s considered one of the world’s top anglers.