US: 15-year-old catches rare 'incredible fish'; netizens exclaim 'what a fishing tale'

In a rare incident, a 15-year-old boy from the United States caught white catfish on the Tennessee River. Edwards Tarumianz was taking part in a fishing trip on June 28 when his bait hooked the unusual fish, which belongs to the rare species named Ictalurus furcatus, also referred to as the blue catfish.

Richard Simms, from Scenic City Fishing Charters, who captained the fishing trip, told Newsweek that what Edwards found was "incredibly rare" and everyone was "shocked" to see the fish.

US: 15-year-old catches rare 'incredible fish', internet reacts

"I'm not sure about Edwards, but I am well aware of how incredibly rare it is. Most anglers fish their entire lives and never see one. I am 67 years old, have boated literally tens of thousands of catfish over the years, and it was the first I'd ever seen in person," said Simms.

He added, saying, "Of course, we saw it before we actually landed it, so it was some very tense and nervous minutes until we got it in the net."

The white catfish is typically bluish-grey in color but the specimen that Tarumianz caught was almost pale, with some light pink areas on its fins. The captain said that the fish may have been a leucistic catfish, which is a rare condition that affects various animals and amounts to an overall whitish colour or areas of reduced colouring. Also, there is a possibility that the unusual fish may be an albino. Animals suffering from albinism tend to have white hair, feathers, skin or scales, as well as pink eyes in some cases.

Taking to its official Facebook account, the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) also shared pictures of Tarumianz holding the fish in his hands. Meanwhile, Simms said the catch was so rare that no one would have believed it if they had not clicked the photos. "Regardless, we all agree that it is a great and rare catch," a TWRA spokesperson told Field & Stream. The white catfish was released back into the water, said Simms, reported Newsweek.

Since being shared on social media, the pictures have accumulated a large number of reactions from users. One user asked, "Was it kept, or is it going to an aquarium in TN?" Another person's comment read, "He will be a fisherman for the rest of his life, and what a fishing tale he will have! Congrats young man!"

One other person said, "The fish is awesome, but the smile is priceless!!"

Image: Facebook/@Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency