An Eel, Bull Shark and a Teenager in Brisbane

"I was both stoked with the catch and grossed out by
the copious amounts of slime.”
What happens when an enthusiastic angler in Brisbane hooks a giant Pike Eel in the Brisbane River? Hilarity, as we found out when we read the story of Rick van der Drift’s big catch this week.

Eels in Brisbane River aren’t uncommon, they are everywhere, especially Pike Eels, but this one is larger than most. 1.1m long and weighing over 2kg, this sucker put up a good fight;

“I wasn’t sure what it was. It was a great fight until it was close to the shore where it seemed to give up fairly easily,” said Rick. “I was both stoked with the catch and grossed out by the copious amounts of slime.”

Picture the scene, with this guy and his heavily rigged fishing rod while he’s looking for Bull Sharks. He reels this thing in, and of course the immediate thing to do is take a hilarious selfie. Check it out adjacent, it’s gold. But after you’ve taken the selfies, sent them to the newspaper and calmed down a little; then what do you do with the huge stinking (literally) eel?

Cut it up and use it for bait!

Apparently, according to Mr van der Drift, Eels are the best bait for Bull Sharks because of the smell. Abundant in the Brisbane River, these Bull Sharks are quite the catch, and known for being pretty angry little critters on the end of a line.

While the eel was recycled, Ricks efforts turned out to be in vain, Rick didn’t catch his Bull Shark. Although he did say his friend caught one once.