Makong River Cats

[pattreadwell]

Larry...

I know you have done a few shows of "big" cats on the amazon and everywhere else in the world, but I want to see if you are going to go after the REALLY big ones in Southeast Asia. I know that the Mekong catfish gets about twice as big as the catfish you have caught previously . Wanted to see if you have given any thought to try and go after these extremely elusive cats.

[Outdoors4life]

My buddy is living on the Mekong right now and they are harder to find than you would think. The attitude on fishing there is much different than our culture. They are a substance fishing culture they use everything from hook and line to poison and explosives. It is even considered bad luck to release a fish. I have learned much from Mike and I even plan to gt out there and try for them but it is not an easy target in the wild but there are Pay Ponds you can fish.

Aaron

[Bionic]

Mekong cats are strong and good fighters. They are however vegetarians. Well the biggest species is. There
are a few species in that family that look the same. There is one that is a predator and gets to decent size.
I myself have only caught them up to 52lbs. I have seen them up to 150lbs and pictures of ones close to 300.
They are hard to find ones in the wild with any concentration worth fishing.

Scott

[pattreadwell]

I was just curious because I saw the record was recently broken with a cat weighing around 700lbs and 9 feet.

[Bionic]

That fish was netted. It is on NatGeo. They give the whole story

[Bottomfeeder]

the Mekong Catfish is a HUGE Pangasius, and most large Pangasius are like Mullet...very hard to hook. They eat mostly algae. I suppose a monsterout breadball might work :D

[dahlberg]

Hi Guys,
They're big, and I was excited when I first saw pictures, but after a little research about them, I have no interest in pursuing them. Give me fish with teeth that other fish with a vengeance, crunch birds and mammals when they get in the wrong neighborhood, or scarf an iguana if he swims in the deep end of the pool!
best,
L

[Bionic]

With what Larry said, if your in that area of the world, I would try your hand at the
giant snakehead. Very aggresive at times and brutal on tackle. They are Asia's
version on the South American wolffish!!

Scott

Wish I knew how to post pictures on here