Ditch Ballard With Catfish

220-Pound Wels Catfish Drags Spanish Fisherman Mile Down The River

The wels catfish is one of the biggest freshwater fish on the planet. They’re found throughout most of Europe. The species attracts fishermen from around the world to try and hunt down the big cats. The fish have been rumored to grow to lengths of up to almost 10 feet and weigh almost 450 pounds. However, the world record for a Wels catfish hooked by an angler is 297 pounds and measured 8 feet long. Spain’s River Ebro is known as one of the premier locations to fish for the species. According to Outdoor Life, the river is actually known as the “catfish capital of Europe.” They recently shared the fishing story of a man named Ditch Ballard. He got taken for a wild ride down the river by an absolutely gargantuan Wels catfish.

He was actually fishing for carp back in February from a small boat. Ballard knew it wasn’t a carp though when the fish hit hard enough to bend his 10-foot rod in half and started ripping line off his reel. He’s actually a professional fishing guide and operates an outfit named Ebro Mad Cats. He knew immediately that he had a special big cat on the other end of his line. He knew the cat would take off for deeper water. So, he unanchored his 12-foot aluminum boat and got ready to ride it out. He battled both the fish and sub-zero temperatures to ultimately hook the fish of a lifetime.

Ditch Ballard Fought The Fish For More Than An Hour

“The next hour was simply painful, as my muscles fatigued and the adrenaline wore off,” Ballard wrote in a Facebook post. “My body temperature began to crash, and I found myself crouched in the bottom of the boat trying to hold on while shivering uncontrollably. At one point panic set in as I thought I could see my braid (line) fraying in the first-rod guide, but on closer inspection, it turned out to be icy slush forming in all the guides as the wet braid ran through under tension.”

After keeping the fight going, the fish started to tire out too. When his leader knot popped out of the water, Ballard knew the fish was getting close. He slipped on a pair of frozen gloves and actually began handlining the catfish up to the surface of the water.

He Finished The Fight By Handlining The Catfish In

“I needed this battle to be over one way or another So I just pulled with all I had left in me. Each time the fish ran I nearly lost a digit, as by this time my hands were so cold they weren’t really doing what my brain was telling them,” he said. Finally, the fish got close enough that he could grab it by the jaw. It was just 4 feet shorter than the boat he was in. “I was physically and mentally exhausted, but had to give one last push to secure my prize,” he continued. “It was the biggest battle of my fishing career, yet I wouldn’t wish it on anyone!”

He laid the fish out on a tarp and got its weight and measurements. It weighed 222 pounds and was 8 feet long. Though a true monster, it was still 28 pounds short of the River Ebro record. He was able to get the fish safely back in the water quickly though, so in due time it might just grow into the river’s new record if someone is lucky enough to catch it again.