19.03.2012

Giant wels brace tip scales at 203 kilos, despite poor conditions

Tostedt. Black-Cat field tester Stefan Seuß has often proved that it is possible to target and land 100 kilo wels catfish in the spring. However, this year looked set to be different. Stefan was in the middle reaches of the Po as early as February to film winter wels catches for his new DVD. The river banks were covered in snow and ice and the water temperature was below three degrees. Understandably, the wels catfish pro did not rate his chances. However, he went on to land a number of wels reaching over two metres despite the adverse conditions. Just two weeks later, the water temperature had shot up to 10 degrees and it was clear to Stefan Seuß that the feeding frenzy was about to begin. He was convinced that the time for landing giants was nigh. But then appearances deceived. The baits were cast but not touched. The wels lay passively on the bottom with the excessively fast temperature increase apparently having ruined their appetite.

However, on 7 March, the river turned somewhat browner and the water rose slightly. Stefan Seuß and his guests Uli Schuppler and Patrick Nimz reacted immediately and sought out a new swim where the gently rising water could brush against the grass. Two large bream deadbaits were presented tight to the bank with a u-float system. The first aggressive take came around midnight and, after a hard fight from the dinghy, Patrick Nimz was able to land an angry wels weighing 104 kilos and measuring 242 cm. Just two hours later, there was another bite on the second rod. This time, it was the turn of Uli Schuppler to prove his mettle as the wels towed the dinghy more than a kilometre away from the swim. However, that fight too culminated in a successfully landed wels weighing in at 99 kilos and measuring 241 cm in length.

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