One slippery customer: Angler snares deadly 20st stingray after four-hour battle

By LUCY BUCKLAND

Prize catch: Jeremy Wade had to pull the creature to the shore before he could finally snare the 20 stone stingray

It was the most exhausting and dangerous catch of his career.
When British angler Jeremy Wade decided to grapple with one of the world's biggest and deadliest freshwater fish he never imagined he would win the battle.
But the 53-year-old managed to snare the 20 stone monster short-tailed stingray in Argentina after a tiring four hour standoff on the River Parana near Buenos Aires.

After taking his bait of eel, the creature stuck itself to the bottom of the river, prompting an exhaustive battle of attrition with Mr Wade, host of the TV series River Monsters.
The flat fish is one of the heaviest found in the world's freshwater rivers and has been known to kill people with its lethal and poisonous barb.
The four hour stalemate was only broken when the fish became tired and Mr Wade was finally able to lift it towards the surface.

Fight: Jeremy Wade grapples with one of the world's biggest and deadliest freshwater fish that he spent four hours reeling in

Even then he had to tow it towards the shore using his boat before he could see the huge fish in all its glory.
Mr Wade, from Bath, Somerset, had to wear a pair stab-proof gloves while he handled the creature which was then released back into the water safe and well.
He said: 'This is the largest true freshwater fish that I have ever caught.
'This species is the biggest true freshwater fish in the world and this must be one of the biggest of the species.



source: dailymail