Angler Hooks ‘Biggest’ Catfish He’s Ever Seen That Breaks Record With Its 9-Foot Length After 43 Minutes

Jun 09, 2023

For most people, fishing is a relaxing hobby that allows them to spend some time by the water and enjoy the tranquility of nature around them. It usually takes a bit of time to catch a fish, but the payoff is certainly worth the effort. While many people find peace in allowing their thoughts to wander as they wait for fish to take the bait, others have dedicated much of their time and passion to fishing, meaning every catch is even more worthwhile.

Italian angler Alessandro Biancardi has much to brag about after reeling in a huge catfish that he fought with for close to an hour. Biancardi has been catching fish for over two decades and is part of the MADCAT fishing team.

When Biancardi decided to take to the water in June 2023, nothing could have prepared him for the catch he made. “I always need to be 100% sure that everything is in place if a dream fish decide to bite my lure,” he told the Daily Mail. Fortunately for the fisherman, his dreams seemed to have come true.

According to the Daily Mail, Biancardi made a record-breaking catch when he managed to reel in a catfish that was 9 feet and 4 ¼ inches long. However, it certainly was no easy feat, as it took the experienced angler about 43 minutes to catch it and bring it in. 

He didn’t realize just how big the catfish was until he hauled it from his boat onto land. Biancardi said the “prehistoric fish” was about the length of two people. Talk about a massive catch!

Speaking with the Daily Mail, Biancardi recounted the moment he caught the catfish. When it surfaced for the first time, I really realized that I hooked a monster, adrenaline started pumping hard and the fear of losing it almost sent me into a panic,” he said. The angler added, “I was alone facing the biggest catfish I ever seen in 23 years.”

The nearly hour-long battle with the fish almost caused Biancardi to lose his boat as he rushed to land to try to reel the fish in. He tried gloving its mouth several times before finally hauling it in. After he tied the fish up, he realized his boat was not properly anchored and had to return to the water to retrieve his belongings.

It seems like all of his hard work, though, as the Daily Mail reported Biancardi caught a record-breaking catfish. The angler proudly shared his accomplishment on Instagram in one post that showed off how big the fish’s mouth was and another photo that showed the entire length of its body.

However, Biancardi didn’t hold onto the fish after his accomplished catch. “I was very curious about the weight but I feared to stress too much that rare specimen so I decided to safely release it, hoping it could give another angler the same joy he gave to me,” he explained.

While MADCAT said the catfish would break the International Game Fish Association (IGFA) all-tackle world record for length, it wouldn’t count since Biancardi decided to release it. However, the catch still qualified for the IGFA’s catch-and-release length record, beating the previous record-holder by four centimeters.

What do you think about this fisherman’s record-breaking catch? Have you ever gone fishing? Let us know, and be sure to pass this along to your family and friends.