Stephen Regenold
Expert anglers' top spots to battle big fish
Deep in the jungles of Suriname, on a wild bend of the Courantyne River, Larry Dahlberg hooked a literal monster beneath his boat. "It hit like a freight train -- WHAM! -- and I pulled for all my life," said Dahlberg, the 57-year-old host of television's "The Hunt for Big Fish."
What ensued was the greatest fish battle of Dahlberg's career, a 12-minute tug-of-war against a catfish nearly nine feet long and as big around as a barrel. It shot upstream, spinning Dahlberg's boat, towing the crew and loaded craft several meters against the current. "I wasn't sure what was down there," Dahlberg said...
Expert anglers' top spots to battle big fish
Deep in the jungles of Suriname, on a wild bend of the Courantyne River, Larry Dahlberg hooked a literal monster beneath his boat. "It hit like a freight train -- WHAM! -- and I pulled for all my life," said Dahlberg, the 57-year-old host of television's "The Hunt for Big Fish."
What ensued was the greatest fish battle of Dahlberg's career, a 12-minute tug-of-war against a catfish nearly nine feet long and as big around as a barrel. It shot upstream, spinning Dahlberg's boat, towing the crew and loaded craft several meters against the current. "I wasn't sure what was down there," Dahlberg said...
Stephen Regenold Expert anglers' top spots to battle big fish Deep in the jungles of Suriname, on a wild bend of the Courantyne River, Larry Dahlberg h... more
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Created 06/19/08
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1
Courantyne River, Suriname
Motor far up the Courantyne River in Suriname and you'll enter the domain of some of the world's biggest catfish, including a 396-pounder that Larry Dahlberg, host of television's "The Hunt for Big Fish," caught and released on a recent trip near Wanatobo Falls. "I pulled as hard as I could physically pull and for over ten minutes it had little or no effect on this fish," he said. "Damn near killed me." That mega-fish was even heftier than the 212-pounder (above) caught near Barcelona in 2005.
2
Isla Vieques, Puerto Rico
Six miles off the eastern end of Puerto Rico is Isla Vieques, an old United States Navy bombing range, part of which was recently reclaimed as Vieques National Wildlife Refuge. Greg Breining, an outdoors writer, used a fly rod to hunt for "man-size" tarpon on a recent trip. "The biggest tarpon I caught was only about 40 pounds, still a baby," he said. But they do grow huge in the waters off Puerto Rico: Record tarpon in the region go at 200 pounds or better, Breining said.
3
Columbia River, Washington/Oregon
White sturgeon -- the largest freshwater fish in North America -- live in the swirling dark brew of the Columbia River, where Matt Straw, an editor at In-Fisherman magazine, has caught (and released) beasts up to 8 feet long. Record sturgeon go to 12 feet and weigh in excess of 600 pounds. "When a giant sturgeon finally drifts up to the side of the boat, those not familiar with the sensation will be awed by the sheer size," he said. "But grab them by their thick, cartilaginous lips and they become very docile."
4
Mary River, Shady Camp Reserve, Northern Territory of Australia
On the hunt for barramundi -- a scaly, pale grey-green fish species that grows to six feet -- writer Naomi Shapiro felt like she too was being hunted. "Saltwater crocodiles are everywhere, swimming around your boat the whole time, trying to catch the fish you pull in," she said of her experience on the Mary River in northern Australia. But Shapiro still managed to snag a prize catch, dodging the crocs to reel in a 40-inch barramundi from the river's murk.
5
Great Slave Lake, Northwest Territories, Canada
Giant lake trout thrive in this 11,000-square-mile body of water, which is a frigid and deep remnant of the recent Ice Age. Indeed, the Great Slave's depths plunge past 2,000 feet, making it among the deepest lakes on Earth. Lake trout -- the largest of its namesake species -- grow to 70 pounds in this near-Arctic environment.
6
Puerto Jiménez, Costa Rica
Steve Pennaz, Executive Director of the North American Fishing Club, picked Puerto Jiménez, Costa Rica (and more specifically the Crocodile Bay Resort) as a "paradise for sailfish, marlin, tuna, roosterfish and snook." At Crocodile Bay Resort alone -- which runs a fleet of fishing boats into the waters surrounding the Osa Peninsula -- guided clients may collectively catch upwards of 10,000 big sailfish in a season.
7
Mille Lacs, Minnesota
In the Land of 10,000 Lakes, the mighty muskellunge (or muskie) is the most sought-after catch, reaching 50 inches in length or more. And Mille Lacs, Minnesota's second-largest lake, is the place to catch them. "This lake produced more 50-inch fish last year than any other body of water," said Dennis Lappen of Angling & Musky Innovations.
8
Venice, Louisiana
At the mouth of the Mississippi River, the town of Venice is the departure point for one of the most diverse fishing environments on the planet. "It's literally possible to fish for anything from bluegill to blue marlin in the same day," said John Felsher, the managing editor at Sport Fishing magazine. But for big fish, drop a line for tuna. Felsher caught a 155-pound yellowfin off shore there. In 2003, a record catch in the area netted a 1,152-pound bluefin tuna monster, touted at the time as the biggest fish ever caught with a rod and reel in the Gulf.
9
Baja California Peninsula, Mexico
Giant, jumping, fighting blue marlin are the name of the game on the East Cape. At least that's according to Kip Adam, owner of the guide company Big Game Fishing Inc., who caught a 250-pounder off Cabo Pulmo, a resort 20 miles northeast from the tip of the peninsula.
10
Nile River, Egypt
For big fish in Egypt, put in at the Aswan Dam and motor south toward Sudan, where Larry Dahlberg has caught giant perch up to 220 pounds. "Our guide said the Nile perch is like a lion," Dahlberg said. "It jumps out from behind rocks underwater to get its prey." The biggest catch during Dahlberg's visit was an 8-foot-long monster, coaxed and fought from a deep channel with a stout rod and a saltwater reel.
[source: https://www.forbestraveler.com/adventure/big-game-fishing-story.html ]
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