Ian Welch of Aldershot, Hampshire (U.K.), caught the biggest freshwater fish by rod in Thailand, a record 55 stone (770 pound) freshwater ray!
It took 90 minutes to land, 13 men to heave it out of the water... and weighed 55 stone when they finally got it to the scales.
So it's little wonder that when Ian Welch first hooked the record stingray, it almost pulled him into the river.
Mr Welch, who weighs 111/2 stone, said: 'It dragged me across the boat and would have pulled me in, had my colleague not grabbed my trousers.'
The angler, from Aldershot, Hampshire, was fishing in Thailand when he landed the ray, which is the biggest freshwater fish to be caught with a rod.
The biologist was helping with a stingray tagging programme on the Maeklong River, when he hooked the fish.
From the Upcoming ueue, submitted by Geekazoid.
Whilst working with Dr.Zeb Hogan and the Megafish project on an official research program with approval from the Dept of Fisheries we have tagged 18 fish.
The fish caught by Ian Welch whilst fishing with the team was the largest example of this species that we have encountered and was a true monster fish.
The results of the trip will be aired later in the year in a show called Monster Fish on National Geographic channel.
Wow...just...freaking...wow...
--TwoDragons
OK, SOMEONE had to say it... ;-)
--TwoDragons