09.08.2016

A colourful freak of nature

Tostedt. Radical and Black Cat test angler Johann Troppacher recently encountered a multi-coloured freak of nature on the Po in northern Italy. He was awoken at 5:45 by his favourite alarm clock to wake up to…his catfish alarm bells! His Black Cat rod with the Fin-Nor Marquesa multiplier reel was bent almost into a semi-circle. Fishing at a distance of around 350 metres, Johann Troppacher leapt into his boat. With his bait presented against a natural bank, he had to prevent the fish from taking shelter in the vegetation. It was a fight that would fray his nerves. Twice he had to free his line from trees.
At times, he could not even be sure whether there was still a fish on the line, then suddenly his rod would bend over again and it was game on! A mega fight on a glorious summer morning. And then came the moment he will not forget in a hurry. The animal showed itself at the surface and he saw...white! He could hardly believe his eyes. The catfish turned away again and Johann’s nerves were finally shattered. However, a few long and anxious minutes later, his hand was at last inside the fish’s mouth. As its tail slid over the rail of his boat, Johann jumped for joy. A giant half white and part yellow catfish lay at his feet. The beautiful Mandarin catfish shone with shimmering colours in the morning sunrise. A freak of nature at an incredible 2.14 metres in length!
The catfish took a small asp on a combi rig and a 2.5-metre leader presented at a depth of four metres in a pool against a natural bank of the Po.

You can find a short video on Facebook under “The Haunzz Videoproduktion”.