A fisherman makes a golden discovery after one of his biggest catches at sea, leaving us with a big question. Of course, it's every fisherman's dream to achieve this kind of mind-blowing feat, but is this extra element of surprise really worth it?
Well, keep reading to find that out.
Eugene Cronley, an aficionado fisherman from Brandon, Mississippi, had just made what is probably the most significant catch in his life and dragged it to the deck to take it all in and enjoy a brief moment of pride before he discovered that there was more to his catch than he initially thought.
Eugene quickly noticed an alligator foot inside the mouth of this giant catfish that he had just caught, and he couldn't hold back his shock.
The claws of this alligator were intact, including everything else, and it looked fresh, making it appear like it may have been recent prey for the sea beast.
Eugene had the task of his life while trying to catch this catfish as he almost got dragged into the water himself because of its intimidating size and aggressiveness of the animal.
He cruised on the Mississippi in his tiny boat for over two hours, and when he finally got the hang of the giant animal, it was a full-on battle for survival.
This fish weighed about 60 kilograms (132 lbs) and measured up to 16.6 inches in length and 41 inches in circumference. It's no doubt that this fish is a personal record in Eugene's books, as he felt like a fulfilled fisherman who had been in the game for a long time.
The elated Eugene narrated how he got the large animal to the shore which involved untying the boat and letting it float down the river.
“We had to untie the boat and float down the river. I couldn’t move him. I’d pull on him and take in a foot of line; then he’d pull and take ten feet. It is truly a fish of a lifetime.”
He then placed the fish in a cooler and loaded it onto his truck as he embarked on a smooth, proud journey home.
The catfish is one aggressive specie, and catching it is not for the faint-hearted or a one-person mission- it literally takes a village. Top on the list of the consequences of going alone is death by drowning after the fisherman gets dragged down from his boat.
Catfish are hazardous types of fish, and they have scary spines and stinger sets on their fins that lay on the top and lower parts of their body. These parts contain toxic poisons, and if fishermen get in contact with them, it can cause severe irritation and even permanent skin damage.
Over the years, fishermen have seen catching the heavy, beastly catfish as a notable challenge and a thing of pride, so they spend a reasonable amount of their lifetime in pursuit of these fishes.
Scratch the money-making factor, as small catfish only cost around three dollars per pound. They also lose their delicious taste due to the fat in their flesh as they grow, and they absorb poison from the water.
However, they serve as the perfect prey for recreational fishermen worldwide, and trailing them is a way to unwind for the bold and daring.
