World record Blue catfish.

[cometcattle]

I immediately thought of a few members here who keep large cats and I wanted to share. This was caught on the Mississippi River last Friday. The fish is still alive and will be kept on display until later this summer when it's released back into the Mississippi River.

It's an Ictalurus furacatus and it weighs 124 pounds with a length of 58 inches and a girth of 44 inches.

I couldn't find a pic on the net so I photographed the pic in the newspaper, and here's the article:

http/www.suntimes.com/output/outdoors/cs...t-bigfish24.htm

 

[Bloo]

What a mammoth moster ! And just not very pretty either
Wonder if they put him back - I hope so

 

[digital_run]

What a mammoth moster ! And just not very pretty either 
Wonder if they put him back - I hope so 

It says that he will return to the "mississipi" in the summer???...No idea what that means, but i hope that they do return it. It'd be sad for a fish to struggle and survive all that time just to be hung on a wall.

 

[Erised]

Umm ... Cometcattle did say they're going to put it back around the end of the summer.

The fish is still alive and will be kept on display until later this summer when it's released back into the Mississippi River.

So why wouldn't they? And it is indeed massive!

 

[Bloo]

Yeah but "on display" until they put him back
Will the poor thing survive until then ? Being the size he is, he must be quite some age and therefore stressful to be kept captive. Hope it does ok......

 

[Herefishyfishyfishsy]

The catfish will be on display in one of the tanks @ Cabela's in Kansas City, MO. They have great tanks, and do an excellent job of taking care of the fish they have.

 

[eudielynn]

Just read that the catfish died on the way to the aquarium where he was to be displayed. So sad. Wish they'd have put him back but I guess one man's glory is more important than the life of a 30 year old cat fish.

 

[Bloo]

I just knew that would happen

 

[cometcattle]

Yep, he died :

http/www.suntimes.com/output/outdoors/cst-nws-fish26.html

 

[guppler]

That fish was bigger than me!
When i lived in Texas I heard some stories about Giant catfish. One person at least even said they must be responsible for some disapearances of people in row boats on a certain lake. I don't remember which one.

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

Such a shame the fish died, he was a grand old fish and shoud've had the right to live out his days in his natural native habitat

 

[Ferris]

I agree, thats ended up being a really sad story.

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

If people hadn't messed around with him so much and taken him out of the water for long periods of time he may have lived another 2yrs...

 

[Bloo]

Is their life expectancy 32 years ?

 

[Erised]

Is their life expectancy 32 years ?

Age and Growth
Blue catfish grow faster and live longer than channel catfish. They are the largest member of the catfish family. Blues may grow to lengths of over 55 inches and may weigh more than 100 pounds. Maximum lifespan for blues is unknown but is probably 20-25 years.

source: ESPN

--edit--
Not gonna state my opinion here It wouldn't be appreciated.