Animal Planet’s Jeremy Wade Risks Life And Limb To Capture River Monsters

You don’t have to travel all the way to Scotland’s Loch Ness to search for a real monster. There may be one lurking in water much closer to home.

For those who doubt such things, just ask the folks who live near Mississippi’s Chotard Lake. In February, a fisherman pulled a 327-pound, 8 1/2-foot-long prehistoric-looking alligator gar from the freshwater site.

One well-known angler, Jeremy Wade, doesn’t know the meaning of the phrase “the big one that got away.” As host of the hugely popular Animal Planet series, “River Monsters,” the 55-year-old biologist’s life is a series of detective stories as he travels the world searching for unimaginable creatures that lurk in the murky depths of inland waterways.

“It starts with a crime scene or a story, and then it’s an investigation,” Wade told AOL Weird News from his home in England. “Following the analogy, I will have a list of suspects and will narrow it down to the prime suspect.

“I’ll then apprehend the culprit and then I’ll let him go. It’s all about motivation and understanding, like why did this fish grab the leg of a person who was swimming in a lake?”

Wade is on a six-week trip to begin filming the fourth  season of compelling adventures that would make Indiana Jones jealous. While he’s obsessed with capturing the most fearsome, dangerous fish in the world, Wade introduces his audience to fascinating cultures who cautiously welcome him into their villages and lives.

He’s been angling ever since his parents gave him his first fishing rod when he was around 7 years old.

“Fishing was a way for families to get their sons out of the house and out of trouble,” he recalled. “I wasn’t at all successful when I first started. There was just something about the whole experience — something about a line in the water, just hanging there limp, nothing happening, and suddenly, it’s alive.

“I was almost frightened to catch my first fish — it was a very alien thing, from another world. For me, the attraction was to go back and catch something different, bigger and more demanding.”

Wade’s TV companion book, “River Monsters,” (Da Capo Press) takes readers along on some of his more daring and dangerous journeys, revealing monster-sized fish in some of the most remote rivers and lakes on the planet.

What he finds is truly the stuff of nightmares. It’s a rogues gallery that includes fearsome-looking catfish, tigerfish, piranha, alligator gar, as well as deadly stingrays, sawfish and electric eels.

One of the fish Wade set out to find was the fearsome goliath tigerfish of the Congo.

“From the accounts I’d read, it sounded completely impossible, like some giant piranha,” he said. “The teeth of the fish are about 1 inch long. To put that into some kind of perspective, that is the same length of the teeth in a 1,000-pound great white shark. But this is something that actually swims up a river.”

Wade is constantly reminded that while rivers of the world, like the Amazon and the Congo, are essential to people’s lives, danger lurks nearby.

“If you haven’t got running water in your house, you’ve got to go down to the river and wash your dishes, clothes, yourself, and you’ve got these fish, which are predatory, and they often have a reflex that can cause you to lose fingers or other parts of your body,” Wade explained.

One of the more amazing pictures Wade snapped was in 1994 of an animal that’s come to be known as the Amazon lake monster. At an estimated 9 feet long, the very prehistoric-looking beast appeared to have at least six humps on its back as it broke the surface of the water.

“In the end, the explanation turned out to be a bit mundane,” Wade said. “I think it was a malformed, adult pink river dolphin.

“What probably happened is that it was likely caught in a fishing net and the fisherman possibly used his machete to mutilate it, and it became this mystery monster.

“I almost wished that I never knew that. But in some ways, the most important thing for me out of that whole story is the fact that I saw something in the water, nobody believed me, but the evidence of my eyes was correct — I wasn’t hallucinating.”

Wade says that compared to the oceans of the world, scientists know very little about what lurks in the planet’s vast number of rivers.

“Fresh water is a bit of a last frontier and, in many cases, the only way to find out what’s in a river or a lake is to put a fishing line in there.

“There are fish that can grow up to 10 feet long, with a mouthful of nearly 500 teeth. And these are things that live really close to big populated areas. So if that doesn’t fulfill the criteria for a monster, I’m not sure what does.”

Most people go fishing to relax.  What does Wade do?

“I take a break from fishing.”

TOP 10 MOST DANGEROUS FISH IN THE WORLD

If you’re anything like me, you will be curious about what kinds of fish there are out in our oceans. Here at Oyster Diving we have taken dive holidays all over the world and seen thousands of different fish species of all colours, shapes and sizes. And they still fascinate us.

However, as wonderful as it can be to experience diving and swimming with marine life it is just as important to be aware of the potential dangers in the ocean.

A lot of people fear the ocean and we didn’t write this article to scare you but simply to educate you on what to avoid. Today, we have written you our list of Top 10 most dangerous fish in the world. Read on if you dare – some of these might give you nightmares! 

1. THE PUFFER FISH

The puffer, also called a swellfish or blowfish, inflates when disturbed or threatened. The puffer fish has a highly toxic substance called tetrodotoxin, that is located in its liver, ovaries, intestines and skin. The tetrodotoxin poison affects the brain of its victim and can cause weakness, paralysis and death. 

These fish are extremely tough physically, due to their spiky skin, and have they have tough survival instincts. They are ranked among some of the most poisonous fish found in our oceans.

Where to dive with pufferfish: pufferfish are found in tropical waters, making Indonesia is the best place to dive with pufferfish. 

2. THE RED LIONFISH

The Red Lionfish are famous for their venomous fin spines, which are capable of producing painful, though rarely fatal, puncture wounds. The fishes have large pectoral fins and elongated dorsal fin spines, and each species bears a particular pattern of bold, zebra-like stripes.

When disturbed, the fish will spread their fins and, if aggravated further, they will attack with their dorsal spines.

The red lionfish is one of the most well-known species and is native to the South Pacific Reef ecosystem. It relies on camouflage and lightning-fast reflexes to capture its prey, mainly fish and shrimp. If a human were to be stung by a lionfish it would not be fatal however, it would be extremely painful and can cause nausea and breathing difficulties. 

Where to dive with lionfish: if you want to dive with lionfish, visit the Caribbean and enjoy the warm water temperatures and incredible views.  

3. THE GREAT WHITE SHARK

The Great White Shark hardly needs an introduction, because it is one of the most well-known and powerful predators in the world. In the event of an attack, the great white shark tends to inflict a single bite on its victim and then retreat. In instances where the bite has been very large, there may be serious tissue or organ damage that could result in the death of the victim. 

Where to dive with great white sharks: there are many places you can dive with great white sharks, the five top being: Neptune Islands, Australia, South Africa, Gansbaai, Isla Guadelupe, Mexico, Stewart Island, New Zealand, Tiger Beach, Bahamas. 

4. THE MORAY EEL

One of the most dangerous fish in the sea, the Moray Eel is vicious when disturbed and will attack humans. The jaws of the moray eel are equipped with strong, sharp teeth, enabling them to seize hold of their prey and inflict serious wounds. There are more than 80 species of moray eels. They tend to live in tropical and subtropical areas where the water is shallow and they can hide among the rocks and in the reefs. 

Where to dive with moray eels: the best places to dive with moray eels are Egypt, Belize, and Mexico. 

5. THE TIGER FISH

Tiger fish are famous for their razor-sharp teeth that can inflict serious injuries to unsuspecting swimmers. They are marked, depending on the species, with lengthwise stripes and dagger-like teeth that protrude when the mouth is closed. Best avoided!

Where to dive with tigerfish: tigerfish can be found in Africa, in the river system of Zambia, and in the Congo. 

6. ELECTRIC EEL

The electric eel is a long South American fish that produces a powerful electric shock to stun its prey. The electric eel can grow to a massive 2.75 meters and weigh 22kg. Generaly sluggish, it prefers slow-moving fresh water where it is able to surface every few minutes to gulp air. The charge that is emitted from an electric eel is around 330-650 volts – powerful enough to jolt a human!

Where to dive with electric eels: electric eels are a South American fresh water fish and can be found in the Amazon basin. 

7. THE BOX JELLYFISH

The Box Jellyfish is one of the most dangerous fish in the ocean and is considered to be the most venomous marine animal. It’s poison can cause death within a few minutes, while the marks left by its sting remain for a lifetime. The Box Jellyfish uses it’s poison to attack the cardiac activity. When attacked, the victim will experience an extremely low heart rate, extremely painful stings, and probably death. 

Where to dive with box jellyfish: you can go diving with box jellyfish in the waters off Japan, Australia, and in the gulf of Mexico! 

8. THE CANDIRU

This scaleless fish is commonly found in the Amazon River. The Candiru fish feeds on blood. Yes, you read that right, it feeds on blood. This little fish can be found in the gill cavities of other fish, eating away at them. But believe it or not, that’s not the scary part. The Candiru has also been known to attack humans. It enters the body through the urethra, it’s short spines and gills causing inflammation, pain, hemorrhages and even death in the unfortunate victim. 

Where to dive with Candiru: we recommend not getting in water with Candiru. However, Candiru can be found in the Amazon Basin in the countries of Brazil, Bolivia, Ecuador, and Peru. 

9. THE STONEFISH

Stonefish are commonly found in the tropical waters of the Indo-Pacific where they live in shallow waters. The Stonefish is a sluggish, bottom-dwelling fish that is extremely difficult to see as it blends in with its surroundings almost completely. When stepped on, it will inject high quantities of venom into its victim. The wounds produced from stepping on a Stonefish are intensely painful and can be fatal. 

Where to dive with stonefish: you can dive with stonefish in the Pacific and Indian Oceans. 

10. PIRANHAS 

Piranhas are some of the most famous fish in the world. Often featured in movies as the bad-guy’s demise, piranhas have a cutting reputation. famous for their razor-sharp teeth, piranhas can apply a bite force that averages 20-30 times its own body weight. As a result, they can crush even the largest of animals in just a few minutes. 

Where to dive with piranhas: the best place to go diving with piranhas is in Japan

18 Unbelievable Fish Jeremy Wade Caught On "River Monsters"

One of the greatest Animal Planet shows of all time, River Monsters, recently came to an end after eight years and nine seasons' worth of extreme angler and extreme badass Jeremy Wade.

Here are just 19 of his most impressive catches:

1. This 250-pound piraiba that only Jeremy Wade would describe as "absolutely wonderful."

Animal Planet

2. This roughly 150-pound tarpon capable of torpedoing out of the water and knocking people out of boats.

Animal Planet

3. This very appropriately named goliath tigerfish that's a relative of the piranha, so you KNOW it means business.

Animal Planet

4. And these bloodsucking sea lampreys that are actually insane.

Animal Planet

Kinda like Jeremy Wade is. He literally let one bite him. He described it as a "very strange feeling."

Animal Planet

5. This massive 120-pound halibut that has two eyes on ONE SIDE OF ITS FACE.

Animal Planet

6. This payara that has some really big teeth.

Animal Planet

7. And this Tapah that has A LOT of really small ones.

Animal Planet

8. This catfish from the Chernobyl cooling pond with flesh that had "16 times the usual level of radiation."

Animal Planet

9. This huge-ass arapaima that weighed at least 250 pounds.

Animal Planet

LOOK AT IT.

Animal Planet

10. We've seen many a stingray on River Monsters, but this was a massive one from Colombia.

Animal Planet

11. This golden dorado — which is kinda pretty but nonetheless a river monster that could low-key sever limbs.

Animal Planet

12. This 5-foot-10-inch electric eel capable of discharging more than 600 volts of electricity!

Animal Planet

13. This 4-foot-plus muskie, a fish Jeremy described as having an "attitude problem."

Animal Planet

14. This prehistoric-looking alligator gar that was almost 7 feet long.

Animal Planet

15. This 5-foot-7-inch, 161-pound goonch catfish that took Jeremy weeks to hunt down.

Animal Planet

16. And this really badass, roughly 7-foot-long sawfish with 39 teeth!

Animal Planet

17. This monster Queensland grouper with a GIRTH of over 4 feet.

Animal Planet

18. This beast of a wels catfish that measured in at 7 feet 4 inches.

Animal Planet