Photo: A 249-centimeter-long catfish was caught in the Netherlands
In the Netherlands, on the Waal River, a local angler caught a giant catfish measuring 249 centimeters in length, setting a new official national record for the country.
The previous record was surpassed by a few centimeters thanks to unique tactics and coordinated teamwork.
After taking the necessary measurements and recording the result, the giant fish was released unharmed back into its natural habitat.
Angler Mohammed Massoudi became the country’s new absolute record holder. He managed to surpass the official record set by his close friend and regular fishing partner, Paul Brem.
Until then, it was Brem who held the prestigious title of Dutch national record holder, a record he had been steadily improving on his own over the past few years.
The former record holder had consistently improved his results during his annual fishing trips. In 2023, he caught a fish measuring 242 cm, in 2024—246 cm, and in 2025—247 cm.
However, this time luck smiled on his fellow angler, who managed to raise the record bar to nearly two and a half meters.
The success was preceded by extensive preparation and the use of modern tracking technology. The anglers caught the catfish using a fish finder, which clearly detected a large object on the riverbed.
To minimize stress for the fish and avoid scaring it, they deliberately left the location for several days.
This was reported by the State Agency for Land Reclamation and Fisheries of Ukraine.
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Starting June 1, seasonal restrictions on the catch of Black Sea shrimp until July 31 and mussels until August 30 in the Black Sea basin came into effect in Ukraine. Violations of these rules are subject to administrative or criminal liability, as well as confiscation and compensation for damages caused to the fishing industry.
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