All language subtitles for River.Monsters.S01E03.Alligator.Gar.1080p.AWEB-DL.DDP2.0.H.264-NTb

MY NAME IS JEREMY WADE.

I'M AN EXPLORER, A BIOLOGIST,
AND A FISHERMAN.

LOOK AT THIS!

THERE IT IS!

I'VE CAUGHT MANY EXTRAORDINARY FISH FROM
RIVERS ALL AROUND THE WORLD... OH, OH, OH!

FISH THAT CAN BE DESCRIBED
AS REAL MONSTERS.

NORMALLY I HAVE TO TRAVEL HALFWAY 'ROUND
THE WORLD TO FIND MY QUARRY... HERE WE GO!

THE BIGGEST, SOME WOULD SAY BADDEST,
FRESHWATER FISH ON THE PLANET.

IT'S NOT OFTEN I HEAR OF A RIVER
MONSTER IN MY OWN BACKYARD...

BUT THIS IS EXACTLY
WHAT'S HAPPENED.

A REPORT IN A GERMAN NEWSPAPER
SAYS SWIMMERS ARE BEING ATTACKED

IN A LAKE OUTSIDE BERLIN.

THIS ISN'T A FAR-OFF,
EXOTIC PLACE.

A RIVER MONSTER WITHIN 10 MILES OF
A 21st-CENTURY EUROPEAN CAPITAL...

CAN IT REALLY BE TRUE?

IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY
NOT TO BE MISSED.

I'M ALREADY
PACKING MY EQUIPMENT.

I HAVE MY SUSPICIONS AS TO THE IDENTITY
OF THE CULPRIT, AND IF I'M RIGHT,

IT'S A FISH WITH A MONSTROUS REPUTATION,
CHRONICLED SINCE MEDIEVAL TIMES.

THERE IT IS! THERE IT IS!
THERE IT IS!

THE WELS IS EUROPE'S LARGEST FRESHWATER
FISH, CAPABLE OF REACHING OVER 200 POUNDS.

I'VE BEEN DOING SOME RESEARCH INTO THIS
PREDATORY MEMBER OF THE CATFISH FAMILY,

AND I'M FINDING THAT EVER SINCE RECORDS
BEGAN, EUROPE SEEMS TO HAVE HAD

ITS VERY OWN WELL-DOCUMENTED
FRESHWATER MAN-EATER.

IT APPEARS THE WELS CATFISH IS ACTUALLY
NO STRANGER TO MAKING FRONT-PAGE NEWS.

THERE ARE STORIES ABOUT THIS SPECIES
GOING BACK LITERALLY FOR CENTURIES

PORTRAYING IT
AS A MAN-EATING MONSTER.

I'VE BEEN DOING A BIT
OF RESEARCH.

QUITE FRANKLY, I HAD NO IDEA
IT HAD SUCH A REPUTATION.

BACK IN THE 1500s, A HUMAN HEAD
AND A HAND WITH A GOLD RING

WAS FOUND INSIDE THE STOMACH.

1630, THE CORPSE OF A 7-YEAR-OLD CHILD,
BODY OF A WOMAN, TWO GIRLS DEVOURED.

IT JUST GOES ON AND ON.

BUT ALL THIS
IS JUST SO TANTALIZING.

THERE ARE NO HARD FACTS
AND FIGURES

UNLESS, YOU KNOW,
YOU COUNT SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

IF THAT WAS THE EQUIVALENT OF YOUR
FRONT-PAGE STORY IN THE 16th CENTURY,

WOULD YOU GO IN THE WATER?

IT WOULD BE TOO EASY TO DISMISS THESE
TALES AS THE WORK OF SUPERSTITIOUS,

UNSCIENTIFIC MEDIEVAL MINDS.

ATTACKS AND HUMAN BODY PARTS
TURNING UP IN WELS' STOMACHS

HAVE BEEN REPORTED ACROSS EASTERN EUROPE,
FROM RUSSIA TO POLAND, THROUGH THE AGES

RIGHT UP TO THE PRESENT DAY.

I RECENTLY CAME ACROSS THIS REPORT IN A
GERMAN NEWSPAPER OF SWIMMERS IN A LAKE

BEING ATTACKED BY WHAT IS THOUGHT
TO BE A LARGE WELS CATFISH.

I'M ON MY WAY TO GERMANY TO
INVESTIGATE THESE ATTACKS

AND MAYBE SOLVE THE MYSTERY
OF A SERIAL KILLER

WITH ITS ROOTS
IN EUROPE'S MEDIEVAL PAST.

GERMANY IS AT THE FOREFRONT
OF URBAN EXPANSION.

ALTHOUGH STEEPED IN HISTORY, IT
IS NOW COATED IN GLASS AND STEEL,

HARDLY THE PLACE
FOR A MAN-EATING MONSTER.

SCHLACHTENSEE IS A LAKE JUST 10
MINUTES FROM BERLIN'S CITY CENTER,

AND IT'S JUST BECOME
GERMANY'S VERY OWN LOCH NESS.

THIS IS WHERE
THE ATTACKS ARE HAPPENING.

OVER A MILE LONG
AND UP TO 700 FEET ACROSS,

THE LAKE WAS FORMED
IN THE LAST ICE AGE.

THESE COLD WATERS HAVE ALWAYS
BEEN A REFUGE FOR WELS CATFISH,

AND FALLING TO OVER 25 FEET
IN PLACES,

IT'S PLENTY DEEP ENOUGH
TO HIDE AN ABSOLUTE MONSTER.

THE ATTACKS WERE LOCALIZED,
CONCENTRATED IN TWO SMALL AREAS.

STRANGELY, AREAS... ACCORDING
TO THE LOCAL FISHERMEN...

NOT TRADITIONALLY
THE PLACES TO HUNT FOR WELS.

SO, JUST WHAT HAPPENED?

I'M GOING TO ASK
ONE OF THE VICTIMS, JONAS FEI.

WHAT EXACTLY DID YOU DO
WHEN YOU CAME DOWN THAT DAY?

MAYBE TWO OR THREE MONTHS AGO, I WAS
SWIMMING 10 OR 20 SECONDS OUT ON THE LAKE.

SUDDENLY,
SOMETHING BIG BIT ME.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT WAS, BUT IT WAS A
VERY BIG SHOCK FOR ME... PAIN AND SHOCK.

IT HURTS VERY MUCH,
OF COURSE.

ALMOST EXACTLY HERE?

YES, RIGHT HERE.

IN A FRESHWATER LAKE SO FAR FROM THE
SEA, THE LAST THING YOU WOULD EXPECT

IS TO GET ATTACKED BY A FISH.

IT'S JUST NOT SUPPOSED
TO HAPPEN.

BEING BITTEN BY A WELS IS TO EXPERIENCE
THE POWER OF TWO HARD PLATES

PACKED WITH HUNDREDS
OF NEEDLE-SHARP TEETH.

HUGE JAW MUSCLES
CREATE A CRUSHING FORCE.

A BITE IS LIKE BEING GRABBED BY A
VISE COVERED IN COARSE SANDPAPER.

BEFORE THIS HAPPENED, YOU USED
TO QUITE ENJOY COMING HERE.

OF COURSE.

EVERY DAY I WOULD SWIM IN HERE, BUT
AFTER THAT, YEAH, I DON'T SWIM AGAIN.

NORMALLY ABOUT 100 OR 200 PEOPLE
ARE SWIMMING HERE.

SO, DEFINITELY PEOPLE
HAVE BEEN PUT OFF, YOU THINK?

YES, YES. OF COURSE.
YEAH?

BUT JONAS
WASN'T THE ONLY VICTIM.

IN ALMOST THE IDENTICAL PLACE, KATERINA
AND HER FRIEND CLARA HAD AN ENCOUNTER

THAT HAS SPOOKED THEM
OUT OF THE WATER FOR GOOD.

JUST ON A NORMAL SUMMER DAY, AND WE WANTED
TO SWIM A LITTLE BIT AND MEET FRIENDS,

SO WE WENT TO THE LAKE.

WE WERE SWIMMING IN THE WATER, JUST
TREADING WATER AND TALKING TO EACH OTHER,

AND THERE WAS SOMETHING SWIMMING AROUND OUR
LEGS, BUT WE COULDN'T REALLY DEFINE IT.

I THINK IT WAS LIKE
A SNAKE IN THE WATER.

YEAH.

THEN, SUDDENLY... THERE
WAS SOMETHING ON MY LEG.

THEN THERE WAS A... WOUND
ON MY LEG.

THERE WAS BLOOD.

THERE WERE TWO PARTS... THAT PART HERE,
AND THE OTHER ONE ON THE OTHER SIDE.

I WENT TO THE HOSPITAL
WITH MY MOTHER.

THEY REACTED REALLY SHOCKED, THE
DOCTORS, BECAUSE THEY'VE NEVER SEEN

ANYTHING LIKE THAT
BEFORE.

AND THERE WERE OTHER ATTACKS,
THE SAME PATTERN EACH TIME...

SWIMMERS BITTEN ON THEIR LEGS, SENT
TERRIFIED OUT OF THE WATER, BLEEDING.

WILL THESE
21st-CENTURY ATTACKS PROVE

THAT THIS EUROPEAN RIVER
MONSTER IS NO MEDIEVAL MYTH?

WHAT I WANT TO FIND OUT
IS WHAT PROVOKED THESE ATTACKS,

AND ARE WELS CATFISH REALLY CAPABLE
OF WHAT THEY STAND ACCUSED OF?

LET'S HAVE THIS.

TO FIND OUT WHAT'S GOING ON BELOW, I'M
WORKING WITH MY CAMERAMAN, SIMON,

AND A MINI SUBMARINE.

WE HAVE ALSO ENLISTED THE HELP OF DR.
CHRISTIAN WOLTER FROM THE BERLIN FISHERIES

TO GIVE ME AN EXPERT OPINION.

WE'RE HERE TO EXAMINE
THE SCENE OF THE CRIME

AND SEE WHETHER KNOWLEDGE
OF THE BIOLOGY OF THE WELS

COULD EXPLAIN WHAT EXACTLY HAPPENED
TO TRIGGER SUCH AGGRESSION.

THAT'S ABOUT 10 METERS OUT,
ISN'T THAT?

THAT IS ABOUT WHERE THE BOY
SAID HE WAS ATTACKED.

WHAT WE COULD DO IS TAKE IT DOWN THERE...
JUST OVER A METER.

YEAH. YOU'RE STRAIGHT IN WEED
AT A METER DEPTH.

YEAH. THAT'S OKAY.

I'D HAVE THOUGHT
YOU'D BE OUT OF YOUR DEPTH.

YOU COULD STAND UP IN THAT WATER,
COULDN'T YOU, ALMOST? YEAH.

SO, IT'S WEEDY AND SHALLOW,
BUT FOR DR. WOLTER,

THIS IS JUST THE INFORMATION HE NEEDS
TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IS GOING ON.

THE WELS WERE JUST DOING WHAT EVERY PARENT
DOES... PROTECTING THEIR OFFSPRING.

THE SWIMMERS HAD TRESPASSED
INTO THEIR NURSERY.

SO, IS THERE ANYTHING SPECIAL OR UNUSUAL
ABOUT WHERE THEY TOOK BITES, DO YOU THINK?

IT'S A COMMON
SPAWNING PLACE.

THAT'S WHY IT MIGHT BE THE REASON WHY
IT OCCURRED SO CLOSE TO THE BANK.

THE PLACE THAT WE'VE HEARD
ABOUT THE ATTACKS HAPPENING,

THAT WOULD BE
A POTENTIAL SPAWNING PLACE?

CATFISH IS A PLANT SPAWNER.

THEY BUILD NESTS IN THE PLANTS
WHERE THEY LAY THEIR EGG,

AND THEN THEY GUARD
IN THERE.

THEN, IT'S THE ONLY EXPLANATION THAT
IT WAS DURING THE BREEDING TIME

THAT THEY HAD THE NESTS THERE,
WERE GUARDING THE NEST,

AND ATTACKED SOMETHING
WHICH COMES TOO CLOSE.

FOR THIS PARTICULAR CATFISH, IT WAS
A HUGE STRESS TO GUARD THE NEST

AND HAVE
ALL THOSE SWIMMERS AROUND.

SO IT WAS ACTUALLY
A PROVOKED ATTACK.

IT WAS PROTECTING THE NEST.

FRESHWATER CRAYFISH AND OTHER FISH
WILL EAT EGGS FROM AN UNGUARDED NEST.

TO PREVENT THIS, THE MALE CATFISH
SITS OVER ITS 300,000 YELLOW EGGS,

PROTECTING THEM FROM
ALL COMERS, LARGE OR SMALL.

THERE ARE TWO ESSENTIAL QUALITIES
THAT MAKE A MAN-EATER.

WELS CATFISH CERTAINLY HAVE THE ATTITUDE,
BUT DO THEY HAVE THE CAPACITY?

DO THEY LITERALLY
HAVE THE STOMACH FOR THE JOB?

AS A YOUNGER ANGLER, I CAUGHT SMALLER
WELS, BUT HOW BIG DO THEY NEED TO GET

TO POSE A SERIOUS THREAT
TO A HUMAN?

THERE'S NO POINT
FISHING OVER THE ATTACK SITES.

BREEDING IS OVER.

I'VE HOOKED UP WITH
LOCAL FISHERMAN HOSS STATUGY.

HE KNOWS WHERE THE WELS
ARE LIKELY TO BE NOW.

ME TOO.

BUT FIRST, WE'VE GOT TO GET
OVER THE LANGUAGE BARRIER.

YEAH. UM... UM... UM.
OH, HEY, RIGHT!

AH!
OH, I UNDERSTAND!

HE'S A BUTCHER. OKAY.

SO NOW JUST FISHING.
FISHING?

HUH? RIGHT.

OKAY.

ONE GLOVE, NO GOOD.
NOT ENOUGH.

ALWAYS WITH TWO.

ONE GLOVE, THE FISH CAN TWIST
AND TWIST YOU AROUND.

SO WE HAVE TWO GLOVES.

FINALLY, WITH THE BEST SPOTS PINPOINTED,
WE WANT TO START FISHING AT DUSK.

SO, THIS IS THE PLACE
TO FISH.

WELS ARE NIGHT STALKERS.

THEIR BODIES ARE BULGING
WITH SENSORY RECEPTORS.

THE LATERAL LINE THAT ALL FISH HAVE
ALLOWS THEM TO SENSE WATER VIBRATIONS,

BUT CATFISH ALSO HAVE
EXTRA RECEPTORS IN THEIR SKIN.

THOSE TENTACLES
ARE MORE THAN JUST FEELERS.

THEY CAN TASTE THE WATER
FOR SLIGHT CHEMICAL CHANGES,

ANY CLUE THAT LEADS THEM TO A MEAL, WHICH
CAN BE ANYTHING FROM FISH TO CRUSTACEANS,

EVEN WATER BIRDS.

WHEN YOU'RE UP AGAINST THESE SUPER SENSES,
FISHING GEAR FOR WELS NEEDS TO BE TOUGH,

BUT YOU ALSO NEED
A BIT OF DELICACY.

I'VE GOT VERY STRONG,
80-KILO BREAKING STRAIN,

BRAIDED LINE THERE, SO YOU CAN
LITERALLY JUST HANG ON.

YOU DON'T HAVE TO LET THEM
TAKE ANY LINE AT ALL.

YOU JUST HANG ON AND TRY AND STOP
THEM GETTING ANYWHERE NEAR THAT WOOD.

FLOAT THE SLIDES, BUT ONLY UP AS...
WHOOPS... ONLY UP AS FAR AS THE KNOT.

GOING DOWN
TO A FAIRLY BIG SINGLE HOOK.

AND SOMETHING ON THAT HOOK THAT
SMELLS TASTY, SO A DEAD FISH AS BAIT

SHOULD HOPEFULLY
DRAW A LARGE CATFISH IN.

THE SCHLACHTENSEE CATFISH PROVE ELUSIVE,
BUT MY TRIP HAS NOT BEEN WASTED.

I HAVE CONFIRMED THAT THESE FISH
HAVE AN AGGRESSIVE ATTITUDE.

IT SEEMS THAT THESE ATTACKS IN BERLIN
WEREN'T PREDATORY IN THEIR INTENT

BUT DEFENSIVE, TERRITORIAL BEHAVIOR AT
BREEDING TIME, BUT THAT'S ACTUALLY ACADEMIC

AS FAR AS THE VICTIMS
WERE CONCERNED.

THEY CAME AWAY WITH BLEEDING
WOUNDS ON THEIR LEGS,

WHICH UNDERLINES THE CHILLING TRUTH...
A LARGE WELS CATFISH

HAS BOTH THE SIZE AND THE FEARLESSNESS
TO BE A POTENTIAL MAN-EATER.

IF THERE'S ONE PLACE WHERE I'M GONNA FIND
OUT JUST HOW BIG THE WELS CATFISH GROWS

AND HOW POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS IT IS, IT'S
HERE, THE RIO EBRO IN NORTHERN SPAIN.

THE FISH WAS INTRODUCED... IT'S BEEN
HERE A LITTLE MORE THAN 30 YEARS,

BUT IN THAT TIME, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE
CATCHING FISH BIGGER THAN I AM.

I MEAN, THEY'RE GROWING MASSIVE.

SO, ALTHOUGH PART OF ME IS A LITTLE
BIT DUBIOUS ABOUT COMING HERE

BECAUSE IT IS AN ARTIFICIAL SITUATION,
I'M ALSO QUITE EXCITED BECAUSE I THINK

THERE'S A VERY GOOD CHANCE
THAT, IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS,

I'M GONNA SEE A SERIOUSLY
BIG FISH ON THE END OF MY LINE.

NORTHERN SPAIN, THE RIVER EBRO.

IN 1974, A GERMAN SCIENTIST CAME HERE
AND RELEASED SOME WELS INTO THIS RIVER.

EVER SINCE, NOT ONLY HAVE THEY
GROWN IN NUMBERS BUT ALSO IN SIZE.

THE WELS HAS BECOME SPAIN'S
VERY OWN FRANKENSTEIN MONSTER.

THERE ARE THREE REASONS WHY THE WELS
CATFISH ARE GROWING SO BIG IN THIS RIVER.

IT'S A MIXTURE OF MAN-MADE
AND NATURAL.

FOR A START, YOU'VE GOT THREE
OF THESE HUGE DAMS,

AND IT JUST MEANS THERE'S SO MUCH MORE
WATER, MORE SPACE FOR THE FISH TO LIVE IN.

ON TOP OF THAT,
THIS WATER IS HOT.

THE FISH,
BEING A COLD-BLOODED ANIMAL,

CAN JUST FEED AND GROW
FOR MORE MONTHS OF THE YEAR

THAN THEY DO IN EASTERN EUROPE
AND IN BERLIN.

THIS PLACE WAS STUFFED WITH FISH
ANYWAY, PARTICULARLY CARP.

THE ANGLERS ARE COMING IN.

THEY'RE THROWING IN
HUGE AMOUNTS OF BAIT

AND JUST SENDING THE WHOLE
SYSTEM INTO HYPERDRIVE.

THIS RIVER HAS A POLICY OF CATCH AND
RELEASE, SO EVERY YEAR, THE BIGGEST FISH

ARE EVEN BIGGER
THAN THE YEAR BEFORE.

MONSTERS OF OVER 200 POUNDS
ALREADY PROWL THESE WATERS.

WELS CAN LIVE TO 80 YEARS.

SUCH FISH ARE A MASSIVE LURE TO
FISHERMEN FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD.

TO TEST JUST HOW VORACIOUS
THESE CATFISH ARE,

I HEAD INTO ONE OF THE EBRO'S
SWOLLEN TRIBUTARIES.

MY GUIDE TELLS ME THE FISH ARE
LURKING RIGHT IN AT THE MARGINS.

THEY'RE WAITING TO AMBUSH FISH
IN THE CURRENT

AND ALSO TO GRAB ANYTHING
THAT DROPS IN FROM THE BANKS.

VERY ENERGETIC, ACTIVE FISHING
THAT'S QUITE PRECISE, AS WELL.

ON THE MOVE, NOT SITTING AROUND,
WAITING, AND IT'S THE KIND OF FISHING

WHERE YOU'RE LEFT IN NO DOUBT
IF YOU'VE GOT A BITE.

YOU'RE GONNA SEE IT, FEEL IT, HEAR IT, AS
SOMETHING JUST LAUNCHES ITSELF AT THIS

AND SORT OF WRENCHES ON THE ROD.

AH!

YES, YES, YES, YES!

WE'RE GOING DOWNSTREAM.
WATCH THE OAR.

WATCH THE OAR.

ALL RIGHT.

AAH!

GONE. GONE, GONE,
GONE, GONE. HEY.

I'M NOT DOING VERY WELL.

EVERYTHING'S HAPPENING
TOO QUICKLY.

THIS IS THE LAST PLACE I'D EXPECT
TO FIND A FAT, WALLOWING CATFISH,

BUT IT SHOWS HOW
YOU CAN MISJUDGE THESE GUYS.

I'M LEARNING THAT THERE'S MORE TO
WELS' BEHAVIOR THAN I THOUGHT.

AAH!
YES, YES, YES, YES, YES!

OPEN THE REEL!
OPEN THE REEL!

OFF, OFF, OFF, OFF, OFF.
IT'S OFF AGAIN.

AAH!

IT'S OFF!

LITERALLY TOOK
WITHIN ABOUT A SECOND

OF THE LURE HITTING THE WATER
ABOUT 6 INCHES FROM THE BANK.

THIS WATER IS CRACKING ALONG
AT SUCH A RATE.

THIS IS LIKE A FAST,
RUNNING PACE.

THAT'S THE PLACE.

LET IT SINK A LITTLE BIT
AND THEN TWITCH A LITTLE BIT.

YOU SEE THAT?
THAT'S COMING DIRECT.

THE FISH IS IN THE WATER,
WE LET IT SINK, AND POW.

ABSOLUTELY.

TWO STRIKES ON THAT FISH.
DAMN!

THE WELS HAVE MADE THEMSELVES TOTALLY AT
HOME HERE, NOT JUST IN THE MAIN CHANNELS

BUT THROUGHOUT
THE WHOLE RIVER SYSTEM.

AS APEX PREDATORS, THEY HAVE A CONFIDENCE
THAT I'M ABOUT TO WITNESS FIRSTHAND.

THESE FISH ARE SCARED
OF NOTHING.

Look at this.

That's a big fish.

I could almost reach down
and grab its mouth.

Do you have a calamari?

There's a catfish here.
It's big.

It's 140 pounds, plus.

It is two feet beneath me.

The bank goes down here.
I am looking into its mouth.

I could almost reach down
and touch it.

Well, the fish has backed off.
I think he could see me.

I'm gonna throw this
really hard.

NO REACTION. NO REACTION.

THE FISH IS JUST
MELTING AWAY BACKWARDS.

THIS IS A REALLY RARE SIGHT.

THAT FISH IS 7 FOOT LONG,
IT'S ABOUT 140 POUNDS, AT LEAST,

AND IT WAS IN THE MARGINS,
AND I COULD SEE THE WHOLE FISH.

THERE IT IS.

THAT'S A SIGHT.
THAT IS A RARE SIGHT.

THAT IS A BIG FISH.

IF I GOT DOWN ON MY KNEES, THEN, I
COULD HAVE PATTED HIM ON THE HEAD.

MOUTH LIKE THAT,
RIGHT UNDERNEATH ME.

AND LOOKING DOWN ON ITS BACK, THIS
WONDERFUL, LIGHT CAMO PATTERN,

THIS DISRUPTIVE
SORT OF BLACK AND WHITE.

THREW A STONE TO SEE
IF THERE WOULD BE A REACTION.

NO.

HE JUST REVERSED BACK, AND
THEN UNDER THE BOAT AND AWAY.

I REALLY LIKE SEEING FISH
LIKE THAT.

IT'S FANTASTIC.
REALLY GOOD.

ANY OTHER FISH WOULD HAVE BEEN
SPOOKED OFF BY THAT STONE.

IT WOULD HAVE DISAPPEARED
IN A FLASH.

AND THAT GUY IS NOT EVEN
A REALLY BIG ONE.

I'M ON THE BANKS OF THE RIVER EBRO IN
SPAIN HUNTING DOWN GIANT WELS CATFISH.

THEY'RE ESTIMATED TO PUT ON
UP TO 10 POUNDS A YEAR.

IF THAT'S TRUE, IT WON'T BE
LONG BEFORE AN EBRO WELS

REACHES THE MAN-EATING PROPORTIONS
OF MEDIEVAL FOLKLORE.

IF I'M AFTER A MAN-EATER, I NEED TO CATCH,
AT THE VERY LEAST, A MAN-SIZED FISH...

ONE THAT FALLS ON THE FAT SIDE
OF 150 POUNDS.

IT'S TIME TO RIG UP.

RATHER THAN CASTING, WE DROP
OUR BAITS OVER 100 YARDS OUT,

JUST SHORT OF THE SUNKEN TREES
ALONG THE FLOODED RIVER CHANNEL.

TAKE UP THE SLACK.

THEN, WITH THE HIGH-TECH ALARMS
SET, I CAN ENJOY THE SPANISH SUN.

AND NOW WE WAIT.

THIS IS NOT
MY PREFERRED FISHING TECHNIQUE.

I LIKE TO FEEL THE LINE
BE IN CONTACT WITH THE BAIT,

BUT WELS ARE NOT DELICATE FEEDERS,
AND, BESIDES, IT'S HOT HERE...

YES. HERE, HERE!

AND IT'S ABOUT
TO GET HOTTER.

THAT'S TAKING LINE,
THAT'S TAKING LINE.

THAT'S TAKING LINE.

THIS IS MY FIRST SUPERSIZED SPANISH WELS,
AND, IMMEDIATELY, IT FEELS SERIOUSLY BIG.

THIS IS PHYSICAL,
PHYSICAL STUFF.

A SERIOUS BURST FROM THAT FISH
WHEN IT FIRST TOOK.

IT'S ALREADY TAKING LINE ON US.

STICK IT OUT.

MY FOREARM
IS ALMOST CRAMPING UP.

IT'S A GOOD SIZE.

HAVE YOU GOT THE FISH?

I DID GET IT.

FEELS LIKE... YEAH. HE
WAS MOVING UP THE SIDE.

THESE SPANISH WELS ARE HUNTING
IN BROAD DAYLIGHT.

THEY REALLY ARE BREAKING
THEIR PROGRAMMING.

AND THESE FISH EVEN SEEM
USED TO BEING HANDLED.

MY FIRST FISH IS 140 POUNDS AND
MEASURES 6 FOOT, 9 INCHES.

IF THESE FISH ARE PUTTING ON
10 POUNDS A YEAR,

THEN, IN 20 YEARS, THIS ALREADY MASSIVE
CREATURE COULD WEIGH AS MUCH AS 340 POUNDS,

MORE THAN DOUBLE
ITS PRESENT SIZE.

AND IF THEY DO LIVE UNTIL 80
YEARS, I'LL LET YOU DO THE MATHS.

THE ONLY THING THAT WILL RESTRICT THEM IS
FOOD, BUT THERE IS ONE FOOD SUPPLY HERE

THAT IS IN HUGE QUANTITIES...
OTHER CATFISH.

THE WELS IS NOT JUST
A MAN-EATER.

IT'S A CANNIBAL.

JUST GETTING SORT OF A COOL
SCIENTIFIC LOOK AT THIS ANIMAL.

I MEAN, THE FIRST THING,
OBVIOUSLY THE THING TO DO,

START AT THE BUSINESS END...
THE HEAD.

I MEAN, THE MAIN THING IS JUST
THIS VERY, VERY WIDE MOUTH

ABOUT 10 INCHES ACROSS ON THIS ANIMAL,
AND YOU'VE GOT NEEDLELIKE TEETH.

THEY ARE SHARP, AS WELL.

YOU PUT YOUR HAND IN THERE,
AND THEY'LL DRAW BLOOD.

BUT IN TERMS OF GETTING A GRIP,
JUST PERFECT.

IF THEY CLAMP DOWN TIGHT
WITH THOSE SORT OF JAW MUSCLES,

YOU'RE NOT GONNA
GET OUT OF THAT.

THEY'RE JUST PURPOSE-BUILT
FOR LURKING ON THE BOTTOM

AND GRABBING STUFF
THAT COMES ABOVE THEM,

AND THEY'RE GONNA KNOW
THAT STUFF IS THERE, THE PREY,

BECAUSE THEIR EYES
ARE ON TOP OF THEIR HEAD,

BUT MORE TO THE POINT, THEY'VE GOT
THESE, AND THESE ARE JUST, YOU KNOW...

THIS IS LIKE SORT OF
EXTRA-SENSORY PERCEPTION.

YOU CAN TELL
WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE WATER.

THESE WILL PICK UP VIBRATIONS AND ALSO
CHEMICALS IN VERY, VERY SENSITIVE,

VERY SMALL QUANTITIES,
IN BOTH CASES.

ON THE SIDE, YOU'VE GOT... VERY PRONOUNCED
ON THIS ANIMAL... THE LATERAL LINE,

AND THIS IS THEIR SUPER
ORGAN, THE SUPER-TOUCH ORGAN.

IT JUST PICKS UP VIBRATIONS
IN THE WATER, YOU KNOW,

OFTEN, AGAIN,
AT A VERY LOW LEVEL.

AND, ALSO, YOU CAN SEE HERE
THESE SORT OF MARKS ON THE SKIN.

NOW, I THINK THESE ARE PROBABLY
WOUNDS FROM ANOTHER FISH,

POSSIBLY WHEN THIS FISH
WAS SPAWNING,

AND, YOU KNOW, THEY GOT
A LITTLE BIT TOO ROUGH,

A LITTLE BIT
SORT OF OVER-ENTHUSIASTIC.

STOMACH HERE.
THERE'S THE VENT THERE.

SO, ACTUALLY,
IF IT SWALLOWS SOMETHING...

THIS FISH COULD POTENTIALLY
SWALLOW SOMETHING THAT LONG.

IT GOES TO THE BACK
OF THE THROAT, WHICH IS HERE.

IT OPENS UP THIS SORT OF
SPHINCTER MUSCLE THERE,

AND IT COULD SWALLOW SOMETHING
ABOUT TWO FOOT LONG.

SO, NO PROBLEM ACCOMMODATING THOSE MEDIEVAL
ACCOUNTS OF BABIES AND SMALL CHILDREN

IN THE BELLY OF THE BEAST.

IT LOOKS LIKE WELS CATFISH
CAN SWALLOW PREY

ROUGHLY A THIRD
OF THEIR OWN BODY LENGTH,

SO IF THESE FISH IN THE EBRO
KEEP ON GROWING,

IT'S POSSIBLE
THAT THEY COULD REACH A SIZE

WHERE THEY WILL HAVE
MAN-EATING POTENTIAL.

FACT IS FOLLOWING CLOSE ON THE HEELS OF
WHAT WAS ONCE THOUGHT TO BE FICTION.

LOOKING AT THIS FISH,
IT IS THE PERFECT PREDATOR.

I MEAN, THEY DO EAT ANYTHING...
LITERALLY ANYTHING...

BUT THEY ARE PERFECTLY EQUIPPED TO PREDATE
AND ALSO TO COME FROM UNDERNEATH.

YOU KNOW, THAT IS JUST... A MOUTH ON THE
END OF A SOLID, SINUOUS PIECE OF MUSCLE.

ANYWAY, I CAN'T HOLD HIM
MUCH LONGER.

WELS, LIKE ALL CATFISH, COULD LIVE
QUITE A LONG TIME OUT OF WATER

IF KEPT COOL AND WET.

THIS GUY SEEMS QUITE RELUCTANT
TO LEAVE.

SHALL I LEAVE HIM THERE?

A NICE RUB ON HIS BELLY.

IN A SPLIT SECOND,
THE FISH TURNS.

I'M JUST QUICK ENOUGH
TO ESCAPE.

THAT WAS THE FIRST CATFISH
ATTACK ON A HUMAN ON-CAMERA.

I WAS JUST WONDERING,
"IS HE GONNA MOVE?"

AND HE DID
SORT OF DOUBLE 'ROUND.

AND I HAVE HEARD STORIES OF THEM
ACTUALLY HAVING A BITE

OF SOMEBODY WHO'S CAUGHT THEM.

SO, I THOUGHT,
"THAT'S NOT GONNA HAPPEN TO ME."

THERE'S NO MARK THERE,
THERE'S NO MARK THERE.

BUT IT HAS HAPPENED.

I FISH ON INTO DARKNESS, AND
I GET ANOTHER SURPRISE.

IT'S JUST PULLED ME ON MY ASS.

FISH ON.

ME PULLED TOWARDS THE WATER.

I THOUGHT
I WAS GONNA GO IN THERE.

THERE'S NOTHING...

THAT'S A SIZEABLE FISH,
SIZEABLE FISH.

WITH SO MANY FISHERMEN AROUND, THE
ONLY INCONVENIENCE THESE FISH SUFFER

FOR THEIR MIDNIGHT FEASTS IS
A LITTLE BIT OF MANHANDLING.

IMAGINE BEING IN A RIVER
AT NIGHT

WITH ONE OF THESE THINGS
SWIMMING AROUND YOUR LEGS.

I DON'T KNOW HOW BIG IT IS YET.
I CAN SEE IT'S BIG.

RIGHT?
YEP.

148, I THINK.

147. 147.

HOW WIDE?

IT'S ABOUT NINE INCHES,
ISN'T IT?

MM-HMM.

THIS FISH IS ALMOST AS HEAVY
AS I AM.

I MEAN, IT IS... THIS IS
QUITE A MONSTROUS BEAST.

AND THE POWER, AS WELL...
I FELT THE POWER.

THE THING NEARLY PULLED ME
IN THE RIVER.

SO, YOU KNOW, DEFINITELY A FIERCE PREDATORY
ANIMAL, AND SOME OF THESE STORIES

ABOUT THEM MAYBE ATTACKING
SWIMMERS... I DON'T KNOW.

I CAN BELIEVE THEM NOW
HAVING ACTUALLY SEEN

THE SIZE OF ONE OF THESE THINGS
ACTUALLY UP CLOSE.

I'M STILL SHORT OF MY TARGET
150-POUND BEAST.

THESE CREATURES REALLY ARE UGLY
OUT OF THE WATER.

I WANT TO SEE THEM IN THEIR NATURAL ELEMENT,
BUT THAT MEANS GETTING INTO THE WATER.

CAMERAMAN SIMON AND I
ARE GOING TO TRY AN EXPERIMENT.

I WANT TO SEE AND FILM
A WELS CATFISH UNDERWATER.

I WANT TO SEE EXACTLY HOW EUROPE'S
BIGGEST FRESHWATER PREDATOR OPERATES

IN ITS ELEMENT.

WHAT I REALLY WANT TO SEE IS THE MOMENT
WHEN THE WELS GETS TO STRIKE ITS PREY.

IT ISN'T GONNA BE EASY.

THIS IS SOMETHING THAT VERY, VERY FEW PEOPLE
GET TO SEE, BUT I DO HAVE A FEW IDEAS

ABOUT WHAT I CAN USE
TO TEMPT THE FISH IN.

THIS IS THE CAMERA, AND THIS IS
WHAT'S GONNA BE BEHIND THE BOAT,

AND ABOUT THREE FEET BEHIND THIS
IS GONNA BE THE LURE,

SO IT'S GONNA BE LOOKING BACK.

THING IS, THIS IS ACTUALLY
QUITE A LUMP OF A CAMERA,

EVEN THOUGH IT'S A SMALL CAMERA,
SO I THINK... HERE WE GO.

FLOATATION.

TWO, IF WE NEED THEM.

TWO TANKS.

AND TO STOP IT WIBBLE-WOBBLING
AROUND A LITTLE BIT

BECAUSE WE'RE ANGLING,
THERE WE GO, ONE OF THOSE,

AND THAT WILL JUST KEEP
IT FLYING STRAIGHT AND LEVEL.

AND WE'LL LOB THAT OFF THE BACK OF
THE BOAT, AND WE'LL SEE THE LURE,

AND HOPEFULLY WE'LL SEE SOMETHING
COME UP AND GRAB THE BAIT.

I'LL NEED TO HANG ON.

OTHERWISE, YOU KNOW,
IF SOMETHING BIG TAKES THIS,

YOU KNOW, THE WHOLE MONITOR
COULD GO OVERBOARD.

THIS IS ACTUALLY
WORKING REALLY WELL.

I'VE GOT THE LURE IN PICTURE.

IT'S BANG IN THE MIDDLE
OF THE SCREEN.

I'M ACTUALLY WATCHING.

YOU KNOW, NORMALLY IT'S JUST THERE,
AND YOU'VE NO IDEA WHAT'S HAPPENING.

I CAN ACTUALLY SEE MY LURE
OUT BEHIND THE BOAT.

A FISH.
I THINK IT WAS A CARP.

YEAH. OH.

WE'RE BUMPING OVER THE BOTTOM.

OH, DEAR. WHAT'S GOING ON THERE? RIGHT,
NEED TO... IN A BIT, IN A BIT, IN A BIT.

IT'S BUMPING. IT'S BUMPING.

I'VE LOST THE LURE, HAVEN'T I?

I'VE LOST THE LURE.

I THINK THE CAMERA MIGHT HAVE
BEEN BASHED AROUND A BIT, THOUGH.

AAH!

NOT ROBUST ENOUGH, UNFORTUNATELY, TO
WITHSTAND BEING BASHED ALONG THE BOTTOM.

BUT OTHER THAN THAT,
ACTUALLY DOING VERY WELL.

BEFORE THAT,
THERE WAS THIS GRAY SHADOW

THAT APPEARED FROM NOWHERE
WHICH SORT OF CAME AND WENT,

AND IT COULD HAVE BEEN
A CATFISH INVESTIGATING IT

AND SHYING OFF
AT THE LAST MINUTE.

OR IT COULD HAVE JUST BEEN
A ROCK GOING PAST. I DON'T KNOW.

WHAT I'M ABOUT TO SEE IS ANOTHER UNEXPECTED
ASPECT OF THESE FISHES' BEHAVIOR.

WHAT WE'RE DOING IS WE'RE DOING
SOMETHING CALLED CLONKING, AND IT'S...

SENDING A SOUND WAVE
DOWN INTO THE WATER.

AND WE CAN SEE ON THE SONAR...
- OH, YEAH. - YEAH, YEAH?

THIS IS A FISH.
OH, YES, YES, YES.

CATFISH.
YEAH, YEAH, YEAH.

ON YOUR LURES.

OH, THERE IT IS!
THERE IT IS! I'VE GOT IT!

THERE'S A CATFISH!
THERE'S A CATFISH!

SEE HIM?

YEAH!
IT'S RIGHT UNDER THE LURE!

YEAH.
FANTASTIC!

I SEE HIM ON THE SONAR.
YEAH, YEAH.

THERE HE IS. THERE HE IS.
TENTACLES.

THAT'S BIG?
YEAH, YEAH, YEAH, YEAH.

RIGHT.
WHAT'S HAPPENED NOW...

AND IT'S COMING UP NOW, RIGHT
IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SCREEN.

FANTASTIC.
LOOK AT THAT.

HE'S ATTACKING THE CAMERA.

WHAT THIS HAS JUST DEMONSTRATED IS
THAT WHEN YOU'VE GOT SPLASHING,

WHEN YOU'VE GOT COMMOTION
ON THE SURFACE,

THE CATFISH... WHICH, THEY LIVE ON THE
BOTTOM... THEY WILL COME UP TO INVESTIGATE.

AH, YES,
YES, YES, YES, YES.

BOTTOM OF THE SCREEN.

THERE IT IS! THERE IT IS!
THERE IT IS!

LOOK AT THAT!
THERE IT IS!

OH, HE'S COME OFF.
COME OFF.

THIS IS AMAZING... GETTING A
FISH ON-CAMERA TAKING A BAIT,

ATTRACTED IN
BY SOUND AND VIBRATION.

LIKE SHARKS TO A PLANE CRASH,
THESE FISH FEAR NOTHING.

IT EVEN ATTACKS THE CAMERA.

IT'S BEEN REALLY GOOD, THOUGH, JUST TO
ACTUALLY SEE WHAT I'VE SEEN ON THE SCREEN.

VERY, VERY RARE
TO SEE THIS FISH BEHAVIOR.

SO I FEEL SORT OF QUITE
PRIVILEGED TO HAVE SEEN THAT.

ALTHOUGH WE DIDN'T GET A FISH
INTO THE BOAT,

I ACTUALLY FEEL
IT WAS A SUCCESSFUL DAY

BECAUSE I FEEL THAT I'VE ACTUALLY
LEARNT A LOT ABOUT THE BEHAVIOR,

PARTICULARLY HOW THEY REACT TO
VIBRATION, TO COMMOTION ON THE SURFACE.

HERE'S THIS FISH THAT LIVES ON THE BOTTOM,
BUT IF IT HEARS SOMETHING, IT COMES UP,

AND THE TENTACLES ARE WAVING,
AND IT INVESTIGATES.

WITHOUT THE CAMERA UNDER THE WATER, YOU
JUST ASSUME THAT NOTHING IS HAPPENING.

AS SOON AS YOU PUT THE CAMERA
THERE, DANGLING UNDER THE BOAT,

YOU'RE MAKING THE NOISE
WITH THE CLONK,

THEY'RE COMING UP
INTO THE MIDDLE OF THE WATER,

AND THEY WON'T KNOW
WHAT'S GOING ON.

EVERYTHING I'VE SEEN SO FAR...
THE REACTION OF THE WELS CATFISH

TO A BAIT IN THE WATER... CONFIRMS
ITS AGGRESSION AS A TOP PREDATOR

AND ALSO ITS FEARLESSNESS.

COMBINE THAT WITH SUPERSIZING, AND YOU'VE
GOT A CREATURE THAT YOU REALLY WOULDN'T

WANT TO GET TOO CLOSE TO
IN THE WATER.

WHAT I WANT TO KNOW NOW IS JUST
HOW BIG A WELS WOULD NEED TO BE

TO TACKLE ME IN THE WATER.

I'VE SAID
THEY LOOK LIKE GIANT SLUGS,

BUT IN THEIR ELEMENT, THEY'RE
LIKE SUPER-SENSITIVE SHARKS.

TIME FOR ANOTHER EXPERIMENT.

LIKE MOST PEOPLE, IF I JUMP
IN THE WATER, I DON'T SINK.

I FLOAT,
EVEN AFTER A HEAVY LUNCH.

AND IT'S NOT TOO DIFFICULT.

I'M FLAPPING MY ARMS
A LITTLE BIT AND MY LEGS.

BUT THE QUESTION IS, HOW BIG WOULD A
FISH NEED TO BE TO PULL ME UNDER?

RIGHT.

I'VE GOT ONE DIVE WEIGHT ON
AT THE MOMENT... 4 1/2 POUNDS...

AND I CAN SUPPORT IT, ACTUALLY.

THAT'S HARDER.
IT'S HARDER.

9 POUNDS NOW.

DOUBLING THE RATE OF PADDLING,
BUT I CAN STILL JUST ABOUT

KEEP MYSELF ON THE SURFACE.

RIGHT.

I CAN SUPPORT 9 POUNDS WITH A BIT OF
FLAPPING AND FLAILING OF MY LEGS.

WE'VE JUST WEIGHED THIS ROCK.

THIS IS GONNA MAKE IT
UP TO 20 POUNDS.

I'LL JUST SEE HOW I DO AGAINST
THAT COMBINED WEIGHT IN THE WATER.

THAT WAS ACTUALLY
VERY INTERESTING.

20 POUNDS OF WEIGHT ATTACHED TO ME, I COULD
JUST ABOUT KEEP MY HEAD ABOVE-WATER.

IT WAS A STRUGGLE.

I RECKON ANOTHER 5 POUNDS,
AND I'D HAVE JUST GONE,

NO MATTER HOW MUCH
MY ARMS AND LEGS

WOULD HAVE BEEN FLAILING AROUND,
AND THAT'S INTERESTING,

'CAUSE IF YOU ASK MOST PEOPLE

HOW BIG A FISH WOULD HAVE TO BE TO PULL
A BODY UNDERWATER, THEY'D SAY PROBABLY

SOMETHING ABOUT THE SAME SIZE
AS THAT PERSON.

NOW, I WEIGH ABOUT 175 POUNDS, AND
ON LAND, I CAN TAKE CARE OF MYSELF,

BUT IN THE WATER, YOU KNOW, A FISH WOULD
JUST HAVE TO EXERT A PULL OF 25 POUNDS,

ABOUT 1/7 OF MY BODY WEIGHT.

AND I WOULDN'T STAND A CHANCE.
I'D JUST BE GONE.

AND IF I TOOK A LUNGFUL OF WATER
UNDERNEATH THERE,

THEN NOBODY WOULD EVER
SEE ME AGAIN.

OKAY,
THAT JUST GOES TO SHOW

THAT IT DOESN'T NEED TO BE
A HUGE FISH TO PULL ME UNDER.

LET'S HAVE A CLOSER LOOK
AT PULLING POWER.

THAT 147 POUNDER PULLED ME OFF MY
FEET AND ALMOST INTO THE WATER.

HOW MUCH FORCE CAN I GENERATE?

I COULDN'T EVEN PULL IN OUR
DIRECTOR, AND SHE'S HALF MY WEIGHT.

SHE'S A MATCH FOR ME
EVEN ONE-HANDED.

SO, I COULD BE PULLED
UNDER THE WATER

BY A FISH JUST HALF MY SIZE...
75 TO 100 POUNDS.

AND THE THING ABOUT THE EBRO IS
THAT THE RIVER IS JUST FULL OF FISH

THAT SIZE AND MUCH BIGGER,
WHICH POSSIBLY EXPLAINS

WHY YOU DON'T SEE
VERY MANY PEOPLE SWIMMING.

WITH ONLY A FEW DAYS LEFT
IN NORTHERN SPAIN,

I'M TRYING TO BREAK THE 150-POUND
MARKER THAT I HAVE SET MYSELF.

MY RESPECT FOR THESE FISH OVER THE
PAST FEW DAYS HAS REALLY GROWN.

OH! OH, OH, OH, OH,
OH, OH, OH, OH, OH!

AAH!

AAH!

IF THIS ONE PULLS ME OVER,
I'M IN REAL TROUBLE.

I'M NEARLY TIPPING FORWARD OVER THAT
EDGE, AND I'M JUST GONNA MOVE A BIT.

MY GROIN IS STARTING TO ACHE.

THERE IT IS.

THE ROD'S JAMMED IN.

IT'S JUST PHYSICAL STUFF...
PHYSICAL WORK.

IT'S COMING UP.

STRONG FISH, BUT I THINK...
YEAH... IT'S TIRING.

TIRING, TIRING.

THERE IT IS!
THERE'S THE FISH!

HEY!

GOOD GRIEF!

MY CROTCH IS KILLING ME!

AND THERE IT IS.

BUT DOES IT WEIGH
MORE THAN 150 POUNDS?

GET A MEASURE OF THE BEAST.

THAT IS 7 FOOT... 1, 2, 3, 4...
7 FOOT, 4 INCHES.

LET ME OPEN THE MOUTH.

YOU CAN ACTUALLY HEAR THE ECHO
COMING OUT OF THE MOUTH THERE.

HELLO, HELLO!

I CAN SEE ITS GULLET
OPENING AND CLOSING.

IF I WAS SO INCLINED, I COULD PUT
MY FIST DOWN THERE QUITE EASILY.

THAT IS AN EATING MACHINE.

THE WHOLE THING IS NEARLY 8 FOOT
OF JUST SOLID, RIPPLING MUSCLE.

IF THAT GRABBED HOLD OF YOUR LEG,
THAT'S AN UNPLEASANT-ENOUGH THOUGHT.

BUT IF THAT DECIDED NOT TO LET GO, AND
YOU WERE SWIMMING, YOU'D BE HISTORY.

I'M ABOUT 175 POUNDS ON A GOOD DAY OR A
BAD DAY, DEPENDING HOW YOU LOOK AT IT.

THIS FISH COULD BE
MORE THAN THAT.

YEAH.

74 KILOS.

THAT'S ABOUT 163 POUNDS.

NOT QUITE AS BIG AND FAT
AND UGLY AS I AM.

WHAT I FIND REALLY HARD TO CREDIT...
WHEN I WAS DOING THOSE EXPERIMENTS

WHERE I WAS TRYING TO SEE HOW MUCH
FORCE I COULD EXERT IN THE WATER,

AND THERE WAS SOMEBODY ON
THE BANK WITH A SPRING BALANCE

JUST HOOKED 'ROUND THEIR FINGER
READING OFF, "OKAY, 30 OR 40 POUNDS."

THIS THING IN THE WATER IS
ALMOST PULLING ME OFF THE BANK.

I WAS HAVING TO DIG IN AND REALLY
ACT LIKE I WAS IN A TUG-OF-WAR.

HOW SOMETHING WITH NOTHING SOLID
TO ACTUALLY GRAB HOLD OF

CAN EXERT THAT FORCE IN THE WATER, YOU
KNOW, I FIND QUITE MIND-BOGGLING.

IT IS VERY, VERY
IMPRESSIVE, INDEED.

AND NOW IT'S TIME
TO LET THIS GUY GO.

LET'S SEE HOW HE REACTS.

FISH HAS RECOVERED A BIT...
MAYBE A BIT MORE THAN I HAVE.

I'M GONNA PUT IT
BACK IN THE WATER.

IF IT DOES HAVE A GO AT ME, I'M
GONNA ACTUALLY STAND MY GROUND

AND... A BIT LIKE AN ELEPHANT...
SEE IF IT IT'S A FALSE CHARGE,

OR WILL IT ACTUALLY GO
AND GRAB MY LEG?

THIS IS WHAT I'M TRYING TO REMEMBER...
THAT THIS FISH IS BIGGER THAN I AM.

IT'S GOT A FEW INCHES ON ME.

I'VE GOT A FEW POUNDS ON THIS
FISH, BUT I'M IN THE WATER.

MY EXTRA WEIGHT
ACTUALLY COUNTS FOR NOTHING.

IT'S THE FISH'S ENVIRONMENT.

SINKING DOWN TOWARDS MY FOOT.

I THINK... I THINK MY REFLEXES
OVERRULED WHAT I WANTED TO DO,

WHICH WAS STAND MY GROUND, BUT
I CAN VISUALIZE IT TOO MUCH,

WHAT MIGHT BE GOING ON DOWN THERE,
WHAT MIGHT BE GOING THROUGH ITS MIND,

SO DON'T TANGLE WITH THESE GUYS IN
THEIR ENVIRONMENT IS THE MESSAGE.

WELS CATFISH ARE PREDATORS
WITH A LOT OF ATTITUDE.

TWO OF THE FISH THAT I CAUGHT TURNED
ON ME WHILE I WAS RELEASING THEM.

BUT AS FAR AS EATING PEOPLE...
A WELS WILL SWALLOW ANYTHING

THAT FITS INSIDE
ITS MONSTROUS GUT.

AH! YES, YES, YES!

AND IF THAT INCLUDES YOU, WELL,
IT'S NO RESPECTER OF SPECIES.

IT SEEMS
THAT IF THEY EVER WENT AWAY,

THESE MEDIEVAL MONSTERS
ARE NOW BACK, ALIVE AND WELL,

AND STILL GROWING IN THE RIVER
EBRO IN NORTHERN SPAIN.

THIS IS QUITE
A MONSTROUS BEAST.

IF I CAME BACK HERE IN 20 OR 30
YEARS, I THINK IT'S POSSIBLE

THERE COULD BE SOMETHING IN HERE

THAT IS BIGGER THAN ANYTHING
THAT'S EVER EXISTED BEFORE.

AND IN THE NOT-TOO-DISTANT FUTURE,
A BABY-SNATCHING, MAN-EATING WELS

COULD ONCE AGAIN
MAKE THE FRONT-PAGE NEWS.