When Oliver Schäfer from North Rhine-Westphalia felt the weight at the end of his line, he knew immediately this was no ordinary fish. The 34-year-old was competing in a predator fishing tournament in the Polish city of Rybnik, alongside his Dutch partner Kevin Cremers. The event, held on 10 and 11 October, drew around 150 anglers from across Europe, forming 70 teams.
Schäfer and Cremers had travelled to Rybnik specifically for the competition. They used a specialised rod designed for large catfish and a soft-plastic lure, as Schäfer told the German tabloid Bild. The scale of his opponent only became clear when the fish broke the surface for the first time. The fight lasted more than 30 minutes, with Cremers keeping the boat steady against the wind while Schäfer held on.
A giant measured and released
On the shore, the tournament jury measured the animal: 292 centimetres. As required by the rules, the catfish was then returned to the lake. Schäfer explained that the fish are carried to land on a tarpaulin to protect their delicate slime layer, which is vital for their health.
The catch was not enough to secure overall victory, as the competition was decided on total points. According to the Berliner Zeitung and the results list of the PZW Katowice angling association, the pair finished second with 28,930 points.
A familiar giant
The catfish already has a story. Media reports suggest it is the same animal that was landed at the tournament in October 2025, when Polish anglers Krzysztof Pyra and Adrian Gontarz also measured 292 centimetres. The Berliner Zeitung notes that the fish has not grown longer since, but has become noticeably more robust.
The IGFA, the international body that records fishing records, tracks catfish by weight, not length, so there is no official list for length. In 2023, Italian angler Alessandro Biancardi pulled a 2.85-metre catfish from the River Po, as reported by Welt. Within the angling community, Rybnik in the Silesian Voivodeship is now regarded as the place where the longest known catfish has been caught.
Schäfer told Bild that his dream of a three-metre catfish is still alive—he says he is now just a hand's breadth short.
Europe's largest freshwater fish
According to Germany's Federal Agency for Nature Conservation, the European catfish is the largest native freshwater fish on the continent. It can grow up to three metres in length and weigh as much as 150 kilograms. Its scaleless body, broad head, and six barbels help it navigate murky waters.
The catfish's diet consists mainly of other fish, though larger specimens occasionally prey on small water birds or mammals. For 2026, the national angling association, the Federal Agency for Nature Conservation, and the Society for Ichthyology have chosen the catfish as Fish of the Year.
Warming waters, expanding range
Originally, the catfish was native mainly to the Danube and Rhine catchment areas. Stocking programmes dating back to the 19th century, along with waterways such as the Main-Danube Canal, have opened up many new habitats. The climate is also helping: as a warmth-loving species, the catfish benefits from rising water temperatures. Biologist Jürgen Geist told Focus that populations are increasing markedly, both in range and density. Cold-loving species such as brown trout are among the losers.
Warm water is also a key factor in Rybnik. The reservoir there serves as a cooling pond for a coal-fired power plant, and the heated water flows back into the lake. Because fish feed more actively at higher temperatures, catfish, carp, and zander grow faster in these conditions, according to Schäfer.
Experts say the animals pose little danger to humans. They have only small, rasp-like teeth, and outside the spawning season there is virtually no risk. In June 2025, a catfish around two metres long in the Brombachsee reservoir in Middle Franconia bit several swimmers, causing minor injuries.
This remarkable catch highlights the growing presence of the catfish across Europe's waterways, a trend driven by both human engineering and climate change. For anglers like Schäfer, the pursuit of a three-metre giant continues.
