Imagine landing a 60lb fish on your fly rod. Now imagine that the specimen on the other end is a 5foot long Wels catfish bending your carbon to near breaking point as it holds bottom in Italy’s largest river. Quite a test of angler and tackle.
One man who doesn’t have to image is Italian fly angler Paolo Pacchiarini. The Milanese-based rod hooked into this big cat while attempting to set a new International Game Fish Association (IGFA) 16lb tippet class record.
Not normally targeted on the fly, this 60lb fish fell for Paolo’s baitfish wiggle fly, taking the angler 20minutes to bank.
The Italian is no stranger to taking cats on the fly, or setting records, already holding the IGFA 6lb tippet class record with another Wels of 26lb which he caught from the Po in August this year.
Both fish were released and swam away strongly and Paolos claim for the tippet class record is still being considered by the IGFA.
Paolo's 60lb cat from the river Po in Italy.
