SPAIN
THE MONSTER OF THE EBRO
262 CM | 100. 5KG
MEQUINENZA – WHERE THE HUNT BEGAN
For years, stories of giant catfish from the Spanish Ebro had fascinated us. Again and again, one place came up: Mequinenza. Where the Ebro meets the Río Segre, some of Europe’s largest catfish are said to live. After months of preparation, this was where our hunt for the monster of the Ebro began.
THE JOURNEY TO SPAIN
Our journey began in Munich, with more than 1,500 kilometres ahead of us. The route took us through Austria and France before we reached Spain. After a first stop in Barcelona, we continued inland toward Mequinenza — the place where our real expedition was about to begin.
Barcelona
After arriving in Mequinenza, we picked up our small rental boat — barely three metres long, but for the next few days it would become our base on the water. We spent hours exploring the Ebro, searching for deep holes, old riverbeds, submerged trees and the areas where the biggest catfish might be feeding. The river was full of possibilities, but also full of obstacles. Finding the right spots became part of the challenge.
THE BOAT BECOMES OUR HOME
After arriving in Mequinenza, we picked up our small rental boat — barely three metres long, but for the next few days it would become our base on the water. We spent hours exploring the Ebro, searching for deep holes, old riverbeds, submerged trees and the areas where the biggest catfish might be feeding. The river was full of possibilities, but also full of obstacles. Finding the right spots became part of the challenge.
THE FIRST SUCCESSES
The first hours on the Ebro demanded patience. Long periods passed without a single sign of a fish. Then the first breakthrough came — a beautiful common carp, followed the next day by a powerful zander. Neither was our target species, but both confirmed that we were in the right place and gave us the confidence to keep going.
First success: a strong common carp
A powerful zander from the Ebro
FIRST BIG CATFISH – 1.80 M
On the third day, one of the heavy catfish rods suddenly bent deep into the handle. This time there was no doubt — a powerful catfish was on. After a long, demanding fight, we finally brought the fish alongside the boat. At 1.80 metres, it was an impressive catch and proof that we were getting closer to the kind of fish we had come to the Ebro to find.
THE FINAL DAY
On the final day, we were already thinking about packing up. The journey home was supposed to begin the next morning. Then one of the floats disappeared beneath the surface. Seconds later, the reel exploded into life. For almost twenty minutes, the fish pulled our small boat across the Ebro. Every run threatened to end the fight in submerged trees or heavy weed.
After more than half an hour, the giant finally surfaced beside the boat. What we saw left us speechless.
THE FISH OF A LIFETIME
262 CM | 100.5 KG
An albino catfish. 2.62 metres long and weighing 100.5 kilograms. Its pale body, reddish fins and massive head made it look almost unreal. After a few photographs, we carefully returned this extraordinary fish to the Ebro. Slowly, it disappeared back into the dark water — the fish of a lifetime.
A JOURNEY TO REMEMBER
The next morning, we began the long journey back to Germany. During the drive home, the days on the Ebro replayed again and again in our minds — Barcelona, Mequinenza, the first catches, the long hours on the water and finally the fish we had travelled so far to find. We came to Spain searching for the monster of the Ebro. And on the final day, we found it.
