River Monsters: Giant Catfish Caught In Cape Fear River!

The Internet is abuzz about a giant catfish caught in Cape Fear River in North Carolina. The giant catfish caught is just five pounds' shy from breaking the current state record for a catfish caught. Are river monsters waking up in the rivers of America?

According to WWAYTV3, a man from New Hanover County in North Carolina caught a giant catfish in the northeast part of Cape Fear River. The catfish weighs 112 pounds and was caught by Riahn Brewington.

Brewington decided to fish before Thanksgiving in his spot in Cape Fear River. Using just a regular rod and a 10-pound line, he wrestled with the giant catfish for half an hour. Brewington said he had to pull all the slack from the line twice during his battle with the river monster.

"I didn't realize how big he was until I actually got my hands underneath him," Riahn Brewington said. The lucky fisherman weighed the catfish and took several photos with it, one of him lying next to the catfish.

Riahn Brewington said after taking photos with the giant catfish, he released it back to the river. His keeping the location of his fishing spot on the Cape Fear River secret and said he will definitely go back to fish there hoping to catch another big one.

One of the major factors that contribute to catfishes growing that big is the temperature of water. According to fisheries biologist Dr. Hal Schramm in his article for in-fisherman.com, "Catfish begin active feeding and resume rapid growth at water temperatures above 70°F, and growth isn't suppressed at high temperatures in natural waters if adequate food is available."

Catfishes grow faster in the warm waters of the South. Giant catfishes are also caught in North like the record-breaking flathead catfish from Elk City, Kansas. Dr. Schramm also shares that, according to the landmark study of catfishes by Dr. Andrew Rypel, catfishes in the South might grow faster. However, the catfishes in the North tend to be longer due to a "latitudinal counter gradient" factor.