Man from Ireland Catches Huge Catfish From a Float Tube

If you know me you know I spend quite a bit of my time fishing from my float tube.  The float tube allows you to get into places that are pretty much untouchable by people on boats or on the shore.  To say the least, it's an absolute blast.  There is nothing like being taken for a sleigh ride by a large bass, pike or carp.

However my experience being dragged around is nothing compared to Gerard Smyth of Roslea, Ireland.  You see Smyth was fishing for giant catfish on the Ebro River in Spain with guides from Monster Tours when he hooked into the catch of a lifetime.  A behemoth of a catfish weighing in at 169 lbs.

According to this man on a mission to catch a giant catfish from a float tube, this fish hit a dead dead

Vietnamese Swamp Eel like a "Steam train".  "I didn't realize just how hard it would fight," Smyth said. "Quite a few scary moments throughout, when the float-tube was getting dragged under like a (fishing bobber) with only my head and shoulders above water level.  I finally got the strength to use one armand loosen the drag on the reel a tad as instructed."

Wow!  After a mile long sleigh ride, being pulled around like a man-sized bobber, Smyth was able land the catfish with some help from his fishing crew.
I have to say this get's me riled up to push the limits of my float tube and catch some of the large fish swimming around at the bottom of my local fishing haunts. Congrats Gerard Smyth you're an encouragement to us all!
Pictures and story sourced at grindtv.com.