Giant Freshwater Stingray Vs. Two Boats: Six Hour Battle
Tue, Mar 11, 2008
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Jean-Francois Helias was cruising in a convoy of 2 wooden boats with a total of 7 people on them along the Bank Pakong River in Thailand. The men were equipped with some of the best fishing equipment around and had already caught a smaller specimen that day, which they released back into the river. Nothing however, could prepare them for the epic battle that ensued…
At 6.30pm the giant freshwater stingray took the bait. Weighing in at several hundred pounds and 10 ft squared, the stingray dragged the boats loaded with people for miles, taking them to the Nakorn Nayok River, then to the Prachinburi River, then back to the Bang Pakong River again, to be finally landed at the Nakorn Nayok River. No one knew how long this could last.
Helias said:
“We had to take over and go on with the fight. Philippe, Kik and Noi, two of my team guides, and yours truly would be taking turns, helping taming the ray by giving our best personal share of pumping.”
When the ray crawled along the river bed, no one could lift it, or reel in any line. It was impossible. Amazingly, everyone persevered. The boats were booked until seven in the morning the next day, so they still had lots of time and the crew thought that seeing as none of the line had snapped, there was no reason to give up for such a rare specimen.
Finally at midnight the ray was exhausted and it gave up. After a brief photo shoot, it was released back in the ocean.
The giant freshwater stingray or Himantura chaophraya is a truly magnificent animal and quite a rare specimen. The enormous force: the power, strength and endurance and the sheer beauty is something only nature could create. Unfortunately, the rays are not often treated with respect and put back into the water, like they should. Overfishing is a serious problem. This is partly the reason why the stingray is classed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. That, as well as pollution of course.
Sources: Images and news via Fishing Adventures Thailand
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“The only true currency in this bankrupt world is what you share with someone else.”
March 11th, 2008 at 5:33 pm
“Unfortunately, the rays are not often treated with respect and put back into the water, like they should.” So, keeping them hooked on a fishing line, and stressing them out for 6 hours is treating them with respect??? I don’t get it.
March 11th, 2008 at 6:19 pm
This just seems cruel, to hook the animal for that long for what, to get a picture of yourself with a big fish?
March 11th, 2008 at 7:19 pm
“This is partly the reason why the stingray is classed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. ”
You, sir, should be fucking fined for participating in an act that must CERTAINLY be contributing to the decline of this species. Go to hell.
March 11th, 2008 at 7:24 pm
Yeah respect the fish. Gut it! Cut it! Grill it! Eat it! Yummy!
March 11th, 2008 at 8:39 pm
Its a fish for gods sake. Do we really care?
March 12th, 2008 at 12:47 am
Apparently you don’t.
March 12th, 2008 at 1:59 am
D00D OMG I CANT BELIEEEV U WUD DO THAT TO A FISH WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU !!
I LOVE PETA
AND U R GAY FOR DOING THAT EVERYONE KNOWS FISH HAVE SUPERIOR SENSORY AND MEMORY FUNCTION ROFL U NOOB!
seriously though, youre all idiots.
March 12th, 2008 at 2:09 am
Great Catch its a shame people dont understand how much fun it can be to fish for something like this. im sure the stingray was completely stressed out im sure it started therapy soon after its encounter with you. what a load of crap. You released the damn thing i cant stand people who cant just enjoy the fact that you caught something amazing and then had the respect to release it back to the wild without causing it harm.
March 12th, 2008 at 2:40 am
Nothing like finding a marvel of nature and then killing it so you can take a picture next to it.
March 12th, 2008 at 8:25 am
I am having a brain fart… is stingray best server skewered or fried in a lemon butter sauce? I always seem to forget…
April 6th, 2008 at 10:25 pm
Stop killing all these sea creatures for your own good.They should be treated just the way you would want to be treated ,as the golden rule says treat others as you would want to be treated. the only reason they attack is beacause they are in self defense mode so stop acting like you don’t know better.You would not like it if you was a sea creature were a sea creature you would not like to be killed so stop killing harmless creatues they in the world for a reason you should study them and not kill them.If I am only 10 years old and know that you should know it you should know it to.Stop pushing the limit!This is from Derrinyc Russell
April 6th, 2008 at 11:34 pm
You guys are sick and mean to do something like that to a poor sea creature.The thing didn’t even do you nothing.
August 10th, 2008 at 4:20 pm
Dang thats a big fish, i bet it would make a lot of fish sticks…
PETA…. People Eating Tasty Animals… yummmy yummy fish in my tummy
August 13th, 2008 at 3:58 am
You guys are sick and mean to do something like that to a poor sea creature. it’s not a sea creature (it’s a freshwater sting ray) it was a freshwater sting ray and I’m sure it lived hooking a fish does not usually kill it nomatter the fight I’m sure it’s fine.
My opionion if your going to eat it that’s okay, and it would taste best I think it would be best in Lemon butter sauce but that’s just me.
That was an awsome catch guys good job.
thx for releasing it though that was respectful to the creature. Freshwater Stingrays are really cool and from what I hear for the expeirenced hobbyist make really good pets.
September 6th, 2008 at 5:28 pm
It’s interesting that this fresh water ray that was caught in a river was released into the ocean.
“Finally at midnight the ray was exhausted and it gave up. After a brief photo shoot, it was released back in the ocean.”
Some of the commenters here don’t realize that these fish can and do provide meals to more than one or two families who are trying to survive. You people released it, and though it may have been fun, this is often the only way to research fish this size.
September 10th, 2009 at 5:43 pm
“This just seems cruel, to hook the animal for that long for what, to get a picture of yourself with a big fish?”
cool, have fun cutting the line and leaving the fish to live with a piece of metal in its mouth for the rest of it’s life