U.S. freshwater aquatic wildlife is fairly tame

[Koz]

If you watch River Monsters and similar shows, the freshwater aquatic wildlife in the U.S. is pretty tame compared to places like Asia. Sure, we have pike, musky, and maybe even walleye that can be pretty vicious. But I've never heard of those attacking humans and ripping off private parts. Then there are those overseas fish with human like teeth - scary.

 

It's not just the teeth, but it's also the size of some of those freshwater fish. I mean, we get excited over 25 pound catfish here. Over there they have catfish that could conceivably swallow a human.

 

I'm glad a live here. I'll stick to bass fishing.

[RoLo]

 

Doesn't sound like you would enjoy ocean game-fishing.

Off South Carolina you have barracuda, white sharks & tiger sharks

that can make mincemeat out of Jeremy's personal best   

 

It's all relative of course, when we pursue mean & heavy fish, we use mean & heavy gear. 

For example, sportfisherman in pursuit of swordfish and blue marlin

concede to a fighting chair, fly gaff, wire man, transom door and gin-pole. 

All the comforts of home    

 

Roger

[Bluebasser86]

12 hours ago, Koz said:

I mean, we get excited over 25 pound catfish here.

No seasoned catfisherman is getting excited about a 25 pounder. The guys around here don't even want to hear about it until they're over 50. Blue cats and flatheads have both attacked swimmers when they're on their spawning beds. Pike and probably muskie have bitten their share of feet and hands also.

 

It's not the big things in the water you have to worry about though, it's the bacteria, brain eating ameba, that kind of fun stuff.

 

Those shows are so played up also. Hard to tell what is real and what is just sensationalized for TV.

 

I'll take any of them over a candiru though. That thing is what nightmares are made of. 

[Sam]

2 hours ago, Bluebasser86 said:

No seasoned catfisherman is getting excited about a 25 pounder. The guys around here don't even want to hear about it until they're over 50. Blue cats and flatheads have both attacked swimmers when they're on their spawning beds. Pike and probably muskie have bitten their share of feet and hands also.

 

It's not the big things in the water you have to worry about though, it's the bacteria, brain eating ameba, that kind of fun stuff.

 

Those shows are so played up also. Hard to tell what is real and what is just sensationalized for TV.

 

I'll take any of them over a candiru though. That thing is what nightmares are made of. 

Don't forget that bull sharks can live in freshwater. 

[Koz]

17 hours ago, Bluebasser86 said:

I'll take any of them over a candiru though. That thing is what nightmares are made of. 

 

I believe there was an episode of River Monsters that had a segment on those little buggers.

 

It just seems to me a lot of the fish in Asia are much bigger and nastier than here in the US. I suppose that's in part because those areas are under developed compared to here.

 

As for ocean fishing mentioned above, I've never been a fan of ocean fishing. I was sticking with freshwater species in this thread.

[slowworm]

On 6/21/2020 at 6:27 AM, Sam said:

Don't forget that bull sharks can live in freshwater. 

And Jeremy Wade caught a 500lb bull shark from a river system in South Africa.  One of the biggest ever caught anywhere apparently.  The record is 690 or so. 

 

I think Jeremy's best could hold it's own against most of what swims in Florida ocean waters...

 

 

[Sam]

On 6/23/2020 at 9:27 AM, slowworm said:

And Jeremy Wade caught a 500lb bull shark from a river system in South Africa.  One of the biggest ever caught anywhere apparently.  The record is 690 or so. 

 

I think Jeremy's best could hold it's own against most of what swims in Florida ocean waters...

 

 

I saw that show, recently.

 

I knew bull sharks could live in fresh water but did not know they would stay in fresh water. I thought they would head back into the salt water.

 

And to think we fish tidal rivers in Virginia that probably have bull sharks in them. I think that I may have lost a bull shark the last time I was on the Historic James River.

 

As i was reeling in my KVD 1.5 Sexy Shad crankbait something came along like the speed of lightning and took the bait. For all I know the fish is in Chicago by now.

 

I bet it was a bull shark. Can't wait to tell the bass club guys. That will put a stop to jumping into the Historic James River to cool off during July and August.

[VolFan]

Catfishermen have seen/caught bull sharks around Alexandria on the Potomac, and I've seen blue crabs as far up as Gravelly Point. Nothing really surprises me there any more.

[TnRiver46]

Those tv shows about man eating fish are completely silly and fabricated in my opinion 

[tipptruck1]

Living were you can catch huge pike and muskie. They have attacked humans before. Its not super common, but the DNR has reported a few over the years. They typically bite hands, feet, and fingers of swimmers. 

 

https://www.twincities.com/2017/09/06/again-muskie-bites-woman-on-same-lake-as-previous-suspected-attack/

 

 

 

 

[soflabasser]

Florida has great white sharks, tiger sharks, bull sharks, hammerhead sharks, Goliath groupers, barracudas, and other saltwater fish that can be very dangerous. Bull sharks are caught in freshwater canals in Florida so you have to be careful when canal fishing, especially if you are fishing a canal close to the ocean. There is a healthy population of alligators, crocodiles, Burmese pythons, and other animals you need to look out for when fishing.