Fishing means something different to everyone, and the beauty of it is that you can mould it into whatever you want it to be. Whether you go to escape the pressures of everyday life and reset mentally, aim to catch loads of fish, or simply enjoy the social side of being on the bank, if you enjoy the experience, that’s all that matters.
Each angling journey is personal, and as a result, some captures will hold more meaning than others for a variety of reasons. On a memorable trip to Thailand, Kate Rivers landed the largest Mekong catfish ever caught by a woman, weighing in at a sensational 278lb. It was caught from Gillhams Fishing Resort after an epic two-hour battle and is believed to top the women’s record for the species by 3lb.
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The capture was filled with emotion for Kate, who dedicated the catch to her late friend and fellow angler, Laura Plummer, who sadly passed away earlier this year.
"Laura was an amazing carp angler, and at her funeral, I told her husband, Craig, that I’d catch a Mekong for her, bigger than the 246lb fish he landed six years ago,” Kate told us..
“On my first day fishing I hooked what turned out to be one of the most special fish I would ever catch."
"Unbelievably, I hooked and landed the fish from the same swim Craig caught his. I felt Laura there with me throughout the fight, every turn of the handle.”
"When the fish was netted, I dropped the rod, fell to the floor, and broke down in tears as I looked to the sky and let Laura know this fish was for her."
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