With that being said, I can only imagine how excited the Pakistani fishermen were when they reeled in this 40-foot, 20-ton whale shark that was located in the Arabian Sea.  After discovering the dead fish floating in the water off the coast of the southern Pakistani city of Karachi, the fisherman brought it to shore where they sold it to Qasim Khan for $2,200 shortly after.

Khan then decided to charge visitors 20 rupees (22 cents) to see the beast, but after receiving payments from several thousand onlookers during Wednesday’s viewing session, the operation was shut down on Thursday by police, who feel that the public has a right to look at the whale shark for free.

Because we also feel that everyone has the right to see the giant fish for free, we have provided you with the following images of it.

Hat Tip – [The Star...pictures via Acid Cow]

Every sport fisherman dreams of catching “the big one,” a world-record lunker that will get his or her name forever etched in the annals of fishing history. Of course, most of us understand we’ll never realize this dream, and would instead be perfectly content to set a new personal best every couple of years. But there are people who have lived the dream—people who have landed monster fish certified by the International Game Fish Association as world records. So, to inspire anglers everywhere and keep dreams alive, here are 9 of the largest fish ever caught (by species).

9. Blue Catfish

This world record blue catfish (Ictalurus furcatus) was landed by 47-year-old Missouri resident Greg Bernal at 1:30 A.M. on July 21, 2010. He caught the beast with rod and reel in the Missouri River. At 57 inches long, 45 inches in girth, and a whopping 130 pounds, the fish beats five-year-old previous world record—also caught in Missouri—by a solid 6 pounds.

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8. Giant Trevally

Keiki Hamasaki of Kagoshima, Japan caught this 160 lb. 7 oz. giant grevally (Caranx ignoblis) not far from his hometown on May 22, 2006. Casting a lure from the shore on a 130-pound test line, it took him 35 minutes to hall the fish in. It beat the previous record, set by Russel Mori, by 25 pounds.

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7. Giant Tigerfish

The giant tigerfish (Hydrocynus goliath), found in rivers throughout central Africa, is famous (and almost certainly named) for its giant teeth. These teeth can take a chunk out of just about anything, including human limbs, so fishing for these things can be quite hazardous to one’s health. The world record giant tigerfish, caught on rod and real and pictured here, was landed on July 9, 1988 by Raymond Houtmans. It weighed a whopping 97 pounds.

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6. Alligator Gar

The absolutely terrifying Alligator Gar (Atractosteus spatula) is typically found in the Southeastern portion of the United States, but they have been seen as far north as Illinois and as far south as Veracruz, Mexico. Historically despised because they feed on prized game fish like largemouth bass—and because they are scary as hell—recently there has been a surge in “Gar hunting.” The one pictured here, for example, may be the world record for Alligator Gar killed by bow and arrow. It was shot in Texas by John Paul Morris, the son of Bass Pro Shops CEO Johnny Morris. The beast measured 8’3” and weighed 230 pounds!

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5. Largemouth Bass

In North America, the largemouth bass (Micropterus salmonides) record is considered the “holy grail” of freshwater fishing records. This is primarily due to two factors. First, largemouth bass are among the most sought-after game fish, and bass fishing is a billion dollar industry. Second, the world record for largemouth bass is one of the oldest and most revered in the world, having stood for an incredible 77 years. And while this hallowed record has not yet fallen, it has been tied. Manabu Kurita of Aichi, Japan caught a 22 lb. 4 oz. bass on July 2, 2009 in Lake Biwa near Kyoto, tying the record set by George Perry of Jacksonville, Georgia on June 2, 1932. There was much debate and quite a bit of controversy surrounding this record-setting catch, given the sanctity of the record involved, but the International Game Fish Association went to great lengths to verify the record—even subjecting Mr. Kurita to a polygraph test, which he passed. So, the record is officially tied.

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4. Mekong Giant “Grizzly Bear” Catfish

On May 1, 2005 Fishermen in northern Thailand netted what scientists believe is the largest freshwater fish ever recorded, let alone caught. At 9 feet long and 646 pounds, the Mekong giant catfish (Pangasianodon gigas) was the size of an adult grizzly bear. Since this species of fish is considered critically endangered, the fishermen tried their best to keep the brute alive, but were unsuccessful. It was later eaten by local villagers.

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3. Swordfish

The swordfish (Xiphias gladius) world record was set all the way back on May 7, 1953 off the coast of Iquique, Chile, by Lou Marron. The fish Marron landed after a grueling 2-hour fight was 179.25 inches long and weighed 1,182 pounds. It was one of the heaviest fish ever caught on rod and reel. Today, the restored mount of the fish is on display at the International Game Fish Association Fishing Hall of Fame & Museum in Miami, FL.

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2. Atlantic Blue Marlin

The record for Atlantic Blue Marlin (Makaira nigricans) has the distinction of being set on a Leap Day. On Feburary 29, 1992, after an 80 minute battle, Paulo Amorim landed a whopper off the coast of Vitória, Brazil that weighed in at 1,402 pounds. This beat the old record by an impressive 120 pounds.

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1. Atlantic Bluefin Tuna

Ken Fraser caught the world’s biggest Atlantic Bluefin Tuna (Thunnus thynnus) in Aulds Cove, Nova Scotia back on October 26, 1979. He landed the 1,496 pound fish in an impressive 45 minutes, and has been basking in the glory ever since. These days, Ken Fraser has a slick website which he uses to peddle the book he wrote about his catch, Possessed. (Perhaps the book would be more appropriately titled Obsessed?)

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Being a fisherman myself, I have always dreamed about catching a record-breaking largemouth bass.  That dream has now changed after hearing that there are giant blocks of marijuana swimming in the water at Corpus Christi, Texas.  This guy was lucky enough to find one of those giant blocks on the end of his line during a recent fishing trip.

About 99.99% of the time it isn’t a good thing to get hooked on weeds, but this is definitely part of the other 0.01%.

Hat Tip – Matador Network

When planning a fishing trip, one of the most important things for any fisherman is to be sure that they pack themselves a good meal to get them through their long day on the water.  In the case of the image above, I hope someone remembered to bring the hot dogs and hamburgers, because it appears as though this sexy female is providing the buns.

Bon Appetit!

Looks like someone just caught lunch for the next three weeks!

This is impressive on so many levels.  For starters, the mere size of that fish in incredible, not to mention the fact that she was able to properly set the hook and reel that baby in while sitting in that tiny canoe.  Now the only thing left for her to do is get that catch in her boat before a shark comes by and steals her meal.

We have discussed a few shark catches on our site before, but none were easier than Jason Kresse’s 375-pound catch in the Gulf of Mexico Monday morning.

He, along with two crew members were dumping fish guts into the water at 3:45 am when something suddenly came crashing into their 25-foot boat.  That something was a Mako shark, which landed in the back of their boat and thrashed around for several hours before finally dying.

The shark is currently on display at a Freeport seafood business, approximately 55 miles south of Houston.  Jason plans to have it mounted.

As for all of you tree-huggers out there who are wondering why Jason and his crew members didn’t throw the fish back in the water and let it live, I ask you this: Would you get close to a giant Mako as it thrashes around your boat with its mouth open?  There is your answer.

Here is an interview with Jason regarding his big/lucky catch.

Hat Tip – [http://www.totalprosports.com/?p=40168

Raphael Biagini took ten minutes to reel in this monster during a fishing trip in France.  At 30 pounds, it is believed to be the largest koi carp ever caught.  Once Raphael took some time to catch his breath and take a picture with his catch, he was forced to release the giant gold fish.  Why would he do such a thing you might ask?  Simple.  He didn’t have a big enough bowl to keep it in.

Hat Tip – [Daily Mail]

Is that even legal?

I’m not entirely sure, but this guy doesn’t seem too concerned.  So after 45 minutes of fighting with this 7-foot bull shark, and his kids watching as Jason Mraz plays on the radio in the background, he does his best impression of what Jaws may have looked like had it been directed by Quentin Tarantino.

“Nothing to be scared about here kids.  Daddy’s about to pop a cap in this shark’s ass”

Hat Tip – [Deadspin]

It may not have been a 750-pound Mako, but this small shark sure does pack a rather big bite.  Big enough to make a large fisherman scream like a little girl.

Just as he thought he had caught himself some diner, this fisherman’s hand would turn out to be the only meal being served on the boat.  I’m still left wondering what he was thinking when he decided to use his hand so carelessly to take the hook out of the shark’s mouth?  This may not be the worst way to lose a fish, but it is without a doubt the most painful.

Hat Tip – [Guzer]