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River Monsters
Jeremy Wade is a tv host and extreme angler. He has traveled all around the world to catch some of the strangest and most dangerous freshwater creatures. He was brought up in Suffolk, England, where his father was a vicar. He has a degree in zoology from Bristol University and a postgraduate teaching certificate in biological sciences from the University of Kent and has worked as a secondary school biology teacher in Kent. Wade's journeys around the world have not only included fishing. At various times, Wade has been detained as a suspected spy, caught malaria, threatened at gunpoint, survived a plane crash, and survived drowning.
He once journeyed to Brazil, following reports in which a bus crashes into the Amazon River, and all the passengers were eaten by piranha. He investigated this and other stories in order to determine if the piranha really deserve their reputation and what exactly triggers a feeding frenzy.
Jeremy also travelled to the Kali River in India, where a number of mysterious drownings had occurred. He investigated the possibilities of the culprit being whirlpools or crocodiles, but determined neither fit. Wade eventually found a little-known catfish species that can grow to a large size: the Goonch, or Giant Devil Catfish. He reasons that, since funeral pyres are done at the shore of the river, the fish feed off the burnt human remains.
Jeremy then faced off against a large goonch which proved there are monster goonch big enough to eat people. Then, Jeremy went to the Trinity River in Texas to discover the truth behind the Alligator Gar: a massive predator blamed for horrifying attacks on people. Reports claim this fish is more dangerous than a man-eating shark. With huge jaws and two rows of needle-sharp teeth, the gar proves an elusive opponent. Finally hooking a large gar, Jeremy was able to learn once and for all if the Alligator Gar deserved its reputation as a river monster.
The Wels Catfish is one of the largest catfish in the world. Medieval reports claim it is an aggressive man eater that will swallow you whole. After new reports surface of attacks in Germany, Jeremy Wade dove deep into the mystery of these fish. His investigation led him to Spain, where a group of catfish were introduced into the Rio Ebro. Numerous factors led to these creatures taking over the ecosystem and possibly growing to man-eating size. There, Jeremy found that these river monsters have no fear of man, and faced a potential maneater.
The Amazon has many river monsters. Anacondas, Caimans, Piranha, and Jaguars all call this place home. Years ago, Jeremy Wade traveled here looking for Arapaima: a 10 foot long fish that has been known to ram predators with the force of a car crash. The trip resulted in Jeremy feeling the full force of one of these blows causing permanent damage to the muscle in his chest. Jeremy returned to Brazil to once again face off against this fish and determine if the Arapaima deserves to be on the Amazon's already large list of monsters. Journeying to the few spots where fishing for these fish is allowed, he encountered an Arapaima farm where the fish do something surprising. Jeremy then heard stories of the Amazon's other killers, the caiman. He searched for these, as well as a mysterious legend with its roots buried deep in folklore. Then, after finding the perfect spot, he finally came face to face with the legendary giant, whose body could become a living missile.
Following a report of a fisherman swallowed whole, Jeremy Wade traveled to South America in search of the Amazon's largest catfish: the Piraiba. Arriving there, Wade not only tried to catch this monster, but discovered that it belongs to a whole family of Amazonian killers. He finds the Candiru, a small blood-sucking catfish that has entered a man's body in the most horrifying of places, and the Candiru-Acù, a small catfish that swarms around and drills holes in dead or dying animals (including humans), eating them from the inside. Discovering the horrifying deeds of these fish only pushes him even further, until he faced off with the giant head of the murderous catfish family, the Piraiba.
Sharks are perhaps the most dangerous and feared of all fish, but these predators are confined to the oceans, right? The Bull Shark, the most dangerous and aggressive shark, has been known to swim miles up rivers. Jeremy Wade followed reports of attacks in rivers to Australia to find out why and how far these fish swim upstream. He traced the trail of blood left by these monsters from bays to lagoons to rivers, until he finally zeroed in on the lair of these sea monsters. While fishing for one, Wade found something even more shocking and terrifying than a full grown shark: a baby one that was born there, far away from the ocean. Around the same time, a group of scientists in South Africa made a shocking discovery: the largest Bull Shark ever caught, and it was found in a river. When the team came back, they brought Jeremy with them in hopes of finding out if this was a horrifying fluke, or if the sharks have made the river their homes. Jeremy discovered that the largely populated river is full of sharks, yet nobody has ever been attacked. Wade realized the reason why these fish are in this river as well as why there have been no attacks, and landed two of his biggest catches yet.
Jeremy also traveled deep into the jungles of the Congo in search of a little known predator that may be the most terrifying monster of all: the Goliath Tigerfish. This creature combines everything that made all previous river monsters deadly, and then some. Growing to 6 feet long with the jaws and teeth of a crocodile, this beast is covered in armor plating and thick muscle. Basically a giant piranha, the tigerfish is believe to be responsible for gruesome deaths, both in and out of water. The search for the elusive tigerfish pushed Jeremy to his mental limit as he uses everything he knows as a fisherman, as well as some luck from a witch doctor, to find this terrifying monster and uncover the truth behind a number of violent attacks. Then, he ventured to the Mekong River in Thailand to find what may be the largest freshwater fish: the Giant Freshwater Stingray. Armed with a 10 inch, venom-coated barb, this fish grows to 16 feet long and its venom has no known antidote. Unlike South American freshwater stingrays (which usually don't get very big and deadly), this creature is a true monster. As this behemoth can nearly glue itself to the bottom of the river, once Jeremy hooked one, it became one of his biggest challenges yet.
Journeying to Florida, Jeremy Wade encountered the Bullseye Snakehead, which were introduced to the state from Southeast Asia. With razor-sharp teeth and the abilities to breathe air and "walk" on land, these aggressive predators soon spawned numerous rumors of being man-eaters. Proving to be incredibly violent and vicious, Wade gets to the bottom of their monstrous rumors, only to be unconvinced of their lethality. That is, until he learns of another species, the Giant Snakehead, which is reported to be the largest and most dangerous of the snakeheads. Meanwhile, he travels up to Illinois and gets a taste of how much of an impact an invasive species such as the silver carp can have on humans. Arriving at Khao Laem Dam along the River Kwai in Thailand, Wade uncovered stories of attacks, one being fatal. With no luck in reeling one in with a line, he then dove deep into a murky river right in the middle of a school of young snakehead, hoping to find their murderous parents.
Jeremy Wade then traveled to the Congo, the only river to ever defeat him. He had once traveled there, only to catch nothing. Now he's back, investigating reports of fishermen being dragged to their death by a malevolent river spirit. Jeremy suspected the Tsuni catfish, Vundu Catfish or the Kamba Catfish, which are known to grow to large sizes. While staying with local villagers, he faced their superstitious beliefs as they blame his arrival for the disappearance of the chief's brother. After using traditional Congolese fishing methods, hearing of how one fisherman died, and finally facing a Catfish, Jeremy began to wonder if the real danger isn't the fish itself.
Deep in the Alaskan wilderness, Lake Iliamna is supposedly the home of a monster. Reports claim it grows 20 feet long and is responsible for the disappearance of many fishermen. Investigating the identity of this creature, Jeremy Wade faces cold-water fishing for the first time. He investigates the possibility of the monster being a Pike or a Beluga whale, but none would match the description. Wade then tries to find out a possible food source: Salmon. This results in the first salmon he has on the end of his line, only to have it stolen by a bear. After hearing an eyewitness's encounter, Jeremy is able to determine the identity of the monster: a White Sturgeon. These fish grow to 20 feet long and are known to leap out of the water, which could result in people going missing. Fishing for sturgeon, Wade faces what may be the biggest fish he's ever caught.
In the heart of Africa's Rift Valley, lives the Nile Perch, Africa's largest freshwater fish. Growing to 6 feet long, this fish is considered a prize and is what many people brave countless perils to catch. Jeremy traveled to the birthplace of humanity and the oldest and most dangerous fishing spot to find this legendary creature. He faced off against Crocodiles, Hippos, and Gangs to find the perch, and was amazed at the dangers people face every day in order to catch this fish. He then took on these perils in order to land a monster perch.
Deep in the jungles of Papua New Guinea, two separate deaths have attracted the media: two men were found to have bled to death in the Sepik River as a result of a "ball-cutter" attacking villagers. Jeremy Wade came to this unexplored river to uncover the creature responsible. While fishing for a possible food source, Wade made an unusual discovery: a Pacu. These fish are related to the Piranha and are from South America, where they use their strange human-like teeth to eat nuts and fruits. Wade made a terrible discovery about the seemingly-placid pacus living in the Sepik: they had started to eat meat because their environment had changed so much. Not only that, they were attacking people.
After reading reports of flesh-eating eels in New Zealand, Jeremy Wade journeyed to a land which he always thought a safe place to swim. Captain James Cook's memoirs and Māori folklore's tell of man-eating snake-like creatures. He trekked into the Waitomo Caves and Lake Manapouri and discovered just how savage and dangerous these "devourers of men" can be. Armed with razor-sharp teeth which prevent escape, these eels spin and tear off bits of flesh like a crocodile. Although he already knows they have the ability to cause serious harm, Wade still had to determine if they have the attitude to attack a human in order to find out if they deserve their reputation. The only way to do this was to put himself on the menu.
On Argentina's Paraná River, a young girl was killed by a river stingray. Venturing to a country he's never been to before, to face a fish he's never heard of before, Jeremy traveled to this river in order to find the killer: the Shorttail River Stingray, which grows to 6 feet across. Unlike Thailand's Giant Freshwater Stingray, this fish isn't long or wide. Instead it's thick and heavy, with a short, clublike tail with which it delivers its venomous sting. After hearing many more reports of attacks, Jeremy became determined to face this beast, which can glue itself to the river bottom like a suction cup. Its strength was then proven as Jeremy hooked into this tank-like fish in what turned out to be his longest battle yet.
25 years ago, Jeremy Wade was in a hardware store in the Amazon when he came across a weapon more sinister than any he'd seen before. It was a yard long and studded on each side with 2 inch long teeth. This strange weapon was the snout of a Sawfish: a 20 foot relative of the rays which has been known to swim hundreds of miles upriver. Reports claim this shark-like fish hacks boats apart and saws people in half, feasting on their flesh. Wade traveled to the Fitzroy River in Australia in order to find out if this critically endangered creature deserves its reputation as a river monster and why it swims so far up rivers. After being plagued by crocodiles and sharks, (which, ironically, he had previously traveled to Australia to find, yet didn't catch one for weeks) Wade hooked into this bladed beast and reeled in a 7-foot monster.
Jeremy Wade returned to the Amazon to search for a mysterious and deadly killer with a reputation to match it's awesome ability. Hearing the stories of three cowboys in Pará dying at the same time without any bite marks on them, he rules out piranhas and stingrays. After hearing a witness's claim, he concludes that the killer was an Electric Eel: an 8-foot, snake-like fish that possesses the bizarre ability to produce up to 600 volts of electricity. Following stories of "invisible powers", he journeyed all over Brazil, searching for the elusive fish. Jeremy then came across a story that confirms the eel's ability to kill a man, but he still tried to find out if it can kill three as the story claims. After searching through the smallest of ponds he can find in the dry season, he finally finds a large eel in little more than a mud-puddle.
For the first time in his life, Jeremy Wade traveled to Japan to learn more about its legendary river monsters. In a Tokyo fish market, he interviewed many fisherman and uncovered two seemingly unbelievable stories: the Namazu, an enormous catfish that supposedly causes the numerous earthquakes in Japan whenever it wriggles its huge body; and the Kappa, a gremlin-like beast that drags children underwater. On Lake Biwa, Wade investigated the origin of the namazu legend as well as searches for a connection between catfish and earthquakes. After finding a reasonable explanation, he turned his attention to the Kappa. After visiting a shrine to the creature, he found an alleged mummified kappa and starts wondering if the kappa isn't a fish, but something else entirely. Wade speaks with a scientist about what other creatures live in Japanese rivers, and he learns of a creature known as the Hanzaki, which can grow to 6 feet. Diving into a swift-moving stream, Jeremy comes face-to-face with the strangest and most unexpected river monster he's ever met: the giant river salamandar.
Everyone knows the piranha is the deadliest fish in South America, but is there a little-known fish that is even more vicious and aggressive than the supposed "flesh-eating piranha"? After receiving a report of a diver being brutally attacked, Jeremy Wade went to Brokopondo Reservoir in the remote jungles of Suriname, where he interviews the victim and hears his idea of the culprit. The man claims the fish was the much-feared "anjumara", a Wolf Fish: a large, aggressive predator with razor-sharp teeth. Wade travels deep into the jungle in search of a monster fish and uncovered more reports of their savagery, attacking people and animals on both land and sea. After a "shocking" event and a plague of piranha and caiman, Jeremy comes face-to-face with what is perhaps South America's most vicious fish.
Jeremy Wade has traveled all over the world looking for killer freshwater fish. He's been down the Amazon, deep in the heart of Africa, in the murkiest swamps, in the Alaskan subarctic, and everywhere in between. But are there dangerous killers lurking in the lakes and rivers of the United States? Travelling to Florida, Jeremy once again encountered the bull shark, a species known to swim in freshwater, which he has faced before in Australia and South Africa. Bull sharks are believed to have been responsible for the Jersey Shore Shark Attacks of 1916, which inspired the 1974 novel Jaws. Three of the five attacks that occurred took place in a freshwater river. Following reports of sharks prowling the freshwater canals of Florida, Jeremy once again reeled in a monster shark, as well as a little extra.
Next, Wade returned to Texas' Trinity River, for a rematch with the alligator gar. In season 1, he had caught a 7-foot female gar and concluded that the fish had no interest in attacking people. Now, reports have surfaced that gar in Texas are once again reaching lengths of up to 14 feet, the perfect size for a potential killer. Having already experienced their impenetrable armor and razor sharp teeth, Jeremy followed reports of giant gar all over the Trinity, only to find possible evidence of giant gar in a very unexpected place.
Then, Jeremy turned his attention to the Lake of the Ozarks, America's 3rd most dangerous lake, to investigate stories of catfish growing to man-eating proportions. Local divers have allegedly witnessed giant catfish and been too scared to dive in the lake again. Jeremy uncovered unbelievable stories of catfish eating already deceased humans, but he wonders if a catfish could ever be big enough or strong enough to kill a person. He finds his answer in Oklahoma, where people catch catfish in a very unusual, and dangerous, method: Noodling.
In the Okavango River delta in Botswana, a ferry tips over. All the passengers die, and their bodies are retrieved stripped of flesh. Authorities write it off as crocodiles, but Jeremy Wade isn't so sure. The corpse resemble those devoured by piranha and beggars the question if this was another case of an introduced species running amok. Traveling to the murky swamps of the delta, he is informed of a fish known locally as the ndweshi, which swarms in packs and is greatly feared. Described as long and muscular, with large teeth and horizontal black stripes, Jeremy goes hunting for a fish to match the description. Following a flock of birds, he finds a group of large predatory fish causing a commotion in the water. Casting out, he lands an African Tigerfish, a smaller cousin of the Goliath Tigerfish he caught before. Believing to have found the ndweshi, he tries to discover if they really are pack-hunting killers. Hearing of a rare event believed to attract large numbers of tigerfish, Wade sets out only to find himself in the middle of a feeding frenzy.
After hearing reports of fishermen disappearing in the Zambezi River in Zambia, Jeremy Wade journeyed there to uncover the truth behind their deaths. He hears tales of a man getting pulled in and drowning in the rapids after hooking into a monster fish. The natives believe it to be the work of a large, serpentine fish the size of a man. They also tell Wade of a snakelike river spirit called Nyaminyami, who is angry at the Kariba Dam for blocking its river. Believing Nyaminyami to be inspired from the killer fish, he travels to Lake Kariba to find the beast. After nearly being capsized in a storm, Jeremy hears reports of small toddlers and children being eaten by the fish, known locally as "Mazunda," as well as a fisherman being dragged to the depths beneath the dam. Interviewing a witness of the "Mazunda," Wade learns of the Vundu Catfish, southern Africa's largest fish. Travelling all over the Zambezi, Jeremy gains access to the prohibited waters directly beneath the dam, where he finally hooks into a monster.
Jeremy Wade's journey into extreme fishing started in India, where he caught large Mahseer, and where he later caught a massive Goonch that had been killing bathers. Now, he returns following reports of a new predator, capable of taking pets and small children. Looking around, he uncovers its identity: the Sareng Catfish, a streamlined predator with long jaws and sharp teeth. He also finds a problem: the sareng is sacred in India's Hindu religion and harming it is believed to curse you with bad luck. Almost immediately he encounters problems when the lake where he is fishing is closed and tries his luck in the wilderness of Corbett National Park, sharing the territory with man-eating tigers and wild elephants. The monsoon comes early and the fish are not biting, forcing him to leave the river. In order to escape what appears to be the wrath of the gods, he travels to Thailand to a lake inhabited by sareng, as well as countless other introduced river monsters. Despite not being a Hindu country, Thailand offers no protection from the gods as Jeremy seemingly catches every fish, especially Red-tailed catfish, in the lake but the sareng. Deciding to face his demons instead of running from them, he returns to India to take part in a Hindu blessing, in order to appease the gods and convince them he means the fish no harm.
Chasing reports of three fishermen disappearing without a trace, Jeremy Wade ventures to the far east of Russia to investigate the Amur River. There, he interviews some of the locals. They mention that there is some kind of large fish in the river, but they don't tell him anything else. Believing that they are keeping some sort of secret, he talks to a local biologist, who tells him of an encounter with the Kaluga: a predatory freshwater sturgeon species known to grow up to 18 feet long. Armed with an enormous mouth, this fish could easily drag people in the water when hooked. After the fall of the Soviet Union, a sudden surge of fishing nearly wiped them out, as they produce delicious caviar. Now, people keep up illegal fishing for them and tell nobody, explaining the locals' secretive behavior involving the fish. Journeying with a team of biologists who can legally catch the fish for research, Jeremy sets out to catch what may be the last of these monstrous fish.
Jeremy Wade had wanted to catch large fish since he was a child. One fish that interested him was the Taimen: a very large relative of the trouts and a very popular game fish with tourists. Due to heavy fishing for these trophies, their numbers have greatly declined. When new reports surface of violent attacks on people, Jeremy seizes the opportunity to reel in one of the last giant Taimen and travels to the wild frontiers of northern Mongolia, the Taimen's last stronghold. Upon his arrival he immediately runs into a big problem: Mongolians are not keen fishers and believe that killing fish brings ill fortune. Trekking deep into the wilderness to the Delger-Moron River, he braves venomous vipers, violent gangs of gold prospectors, and dangerous rapids. The legendary Taimen proves elusive and his Mongolian guide brings in a shaman in hopes of appeasing the river spirit.
Most people think sharks and rays are purely sea creatures, but Jeremy Wade knows different. He's caught large freshwater stingrays in Argentina and Thailand, and a Sawfish that could live in freshwater in Australia. He has also caught Bull Sharks in South Africa, Australia, and Florida. Bull Sharks are salt water fish that have an unusual ability to tolerate freshwater, but are there other sharks with this same ability? Not 10 years ago, scientists discovered a new genus of rare sharks known as Glyphis sharks who can not only tolerate freshwater, but are purely freshwater fish.
When a report of an unidentified attack on a person in Australia's Fitzroy River emerges, Jeremy wade journeys down under, wondering if the attacker was a Northern River Shark, a species of Glyphis Shark, and be one of the only people to catch one. Ruling out crocodiles and Bull Sharks, Jeremy determines that the little-known shark just might be the culprit. Joining a group of scientists, he sets out to a very dangerous body of water, only to make a discovery that could reveal the truth behind the attack. Then, battling both the odds and the tides, Jeremy hooks into a mysterious predator and becomes the first man to film it alive.
One of the most challenging expeditions of Jeremy Wade's life takes him to the isolated and untouched jungles of Guyana, South America, where early explorers wrote about a river system filled with mysterious giants. Armed with only old journals and his rod, Wade embarks on an epic journey where he'll tackle the Essequibo - South America's third largest and largely unconquered river. He immerses himself in the culture of the Mucushi and must earn the trust of these native people in order to gather their knowledge and hear their stories. Once again he'll set out to separate fact from fiction. His last and greatest catch turns out to be a species of Arapaima new to science.
The story of a Bolivian man's face being torn off leads Jeremy to believe that there is a new, ultra-aggressive species of piranha living in the Rio Yata River. He soon finds this not to be the case when a witness tells him that the attackers of the man are red-bellied piranhas. There is a reason for these piranhas in the area to be being more violent and aggressive than others. Also, Jeremy finds that black piranhas, which were always thought to be less aggressive and somewhat shy, are very destructive and violent. More so than scientists ever believed them to be. Changes in the environment brought changes in the fish behavior, turning usually non-dangerous fish to killers.
Wade arrives in Ukraine, searching in the river for a river monster that is said to attack a young man. He then gets a rumor about a giant deformed catfish lurking in the Pripyat River. However, the river is near Chernobyl, the infamous power plant that had destroyed itself and the city of Pripyat 30 years ago. After getting the government's permission to search for the monster in the radioactive river, he teams up with a Ukrainian scientist. With his help, he eventually discovers his nuclear monster.
After that Jeremy searches for a large species of tarpon that supposedly jumps out of the water and knocks fishermen out of their boats. He is confronted with one on the first day of fishing, but has no idea what it is. He soon finds these fish to be Atlantic tarpon living in the brackish waters of Nicaragua. He then has one of his longest battles yet in a foot powered raft using a fly rod in a remote river with a 500 pound tarpon.
Jeremy has also written books about his adventures, one called River Monsters, one called Jungle Hooks, and another called Somewhere Down the Crazy River.
Jeremy Wade is a tv host and extreme angler. He has traveled all around the world to catch some of the strangest and most dangerous freshwater creatures. He was brought up in Suffolk, England, where his father was a vicar. He has a degree in zoology from Bristol University and a postgraduate teaching certificate in biological sciences from the University of Kent and has worked as a secondary school biology teacher in Kent. Wade's journeys around the world have not only included fishing. At various times, Wade has been detained as a suspected spy, caught malaria, threatened at gunpoint, survived a plane crash, and survived drowning.
He once journeyed to Brazil, following reports in which a bus crashes into the Amazon River, and all the passengers were eaten by piranha. He investigated this and other stories in order to determine if the piranha really deserve their reputation and what exactly triggers a feeding frenzy.
Jeremy also travelled to the Kali River in India, where a number of mysterious drownings had occurred. He investigated the possibilities of the culprit being whirlpools or crocodiles, but determined neither fit. Wade eventually found a little-known catfish species that can grow to a large size: the Goonch, or Giant Devil Catfish. He reasons that, since funeral pyres are done at the shore of the river, the fish feed off the burnt human remains.
Jeremy then faced off against a large goonch which proved there are monster goonch big enough to eat people. Then, Jeremy went to the Trinity River in Texas to discover the truth behind the Alligator Gar: a massive predator blamed for horrifying attacks on people. Reports claim this fish is more dangerous than a man-eating shark. With huge jaws and two rows of needle-sharp teeth, the gar proves an elusive opponent. Finally hooking a large gar, Jeremy was able to learn once and for all if the Alligator Gar deserved its reputation as a river monster.
The Wels Catfish is one of the largest catfish in the world. Medieval reports claim it is an aggressive man eater that will swallow you whole. After new reports surface of attacks in Germany, Jeremy Wade dove deep into the mystery of these fish. His investigation led him to Spain, where a group of catfish were introduced into the Rio Ebro. Numerous factors led to these creatures taking over the ecosystem and possibly growing to man-eating size. There, Jeremy found that these river monsters have no fear of man, and faced a potential maneater.
The Amazon has many river monsters. Anacondas, Caimans, Piranha, and Jaguars all call this place home. Years ago, Jeremy Wade traveled here looking for Arapaima: a 10 foot long fish that has been known to ram predators with the force of a car crash. The trip resulted in Jeremy feeling the full force of one of these blows causing permanent damage to the muscle in his chest. Jeremy returned to Brazil to once again face off against this fish and determine if the Arapaima deserves to be on the Amazon's already large list of monsters. Journeying to the few spots where fishing for these fish is allowed, he encountered an Arapaima farm where the fish do something surprising. Jeremy then heard stories of the Amazon's other killers, the caiman. He searched for these, as well as a mysterious legend with its roots buried deep in folklore. Then, after finding the perfect spot, he finally came face to face with the legendary giant, whose body could become a living missile.
Following a report of a fisherman swallowed whole, Jeremy Wade traveled to South America in search of the Amazon's largest catfish: the Piraiba. Arriving there, Wade not only tried to catch this monster, but discovered that it belongs to a whole family of Amazonian killers. He finds the Candiru, a small blood-sucking catfish that has entered a man's body in the most horrifying of places, and the Candiru-Acù, a small catfish that swarms around and drills holes in dead or dying animals (including humans), eating them from the inside. Discovering the horrifying deeds of these fish only pushes him even further, until he faced off with the giant head of the murderous catfish family, the Piraiba.
Sharks are perhaps the most dangerous and feared of all fish, but these predators are confined to the oceans, right? The Bull Shark, the most dangerous and aggressive shark, has been known to swim miles up rivers. Jeremy Wade followed reports of attacks in rivers to Australia to find out why and how far these fish swim upstream. He traced the trail of blood left by these monsters from bays to lagoons to rivers, until he finally zeroed in on the lair of these sea monsters. While fishing for one, Wade found something even more shocking and terrifying than a full grown shark: a baby one that was born there, far away from the ocean. Around the same time, a group of scientists in South Africa made a shocking discovery: the largest Bull Shark ever caught, and it was found in a river. When the team came back, they brought Jeremy with them in hopes of finding out if this was a horrifying fluke, or if the sharks have made the river their homes. Jeremy discovered that the largely populated river is full of sharks, yet nobody has ever been attacked. Wade realized the reason why these fish are in this river as well as why there have been no attacks, and landed two of his biggest catches yet.
Jeremy also traveled deep into the jungles of the Congo in search of a little known predator that may be the most terrifying monster of all: the Goliath Tigerfish. This creature combines everything that made all previous river monsters deadly, and then some. Growing to 6 feet long with the jaws and teeth of a crocodile, this beast is covered in armor plating and thick muscle. Basically a giant piranha, the tigerfish is believe to be responsible for gruesome deaths, both in and out of water. The search for the elusive tigerfish pushed Jeremy to his mental limit as he uses everything he knows as a fisherman, as well as some luck from a witch doctor, to find this terrifying monster and uncover the truth behind a number of violent attacks. Then, he ventured to the Mekong River in Thailand to find what may be the largest freshwater fish: the Giant Freshwater Stingray. Armed with a 10 inch, venom-coated barb, this fish grows to 16 feet long and its venom has no known antidote. Unlike South American freshwater stingrays (which usually don't get very big and deadly), this creature is a true monster. As this behemoth can nearly glue itself to the bottom of the river, once Jeremy hooked one, it became one of his biggest challenges yet.
Journeying to Florida, Jeremy Wade encountered the Bullseye Snakehead, which were introduced to the state from Southeast Asia. With razor-sharp teeth and the abilities to breathe air and "walk" on land, these aggressive predators soon spawned numerous rumors of being man-eaters. Proving to be incredibly violent and vicious, Wade gets to the bottom of their monstrous rumors, only to be unconvinced of their lethality. That is, until he learns of another species, the Giant Snakehead, which is reported to be the largest and most dangerous of the snakeheads. Meanwhile, he travels up to Illinois and gets a taste of how much of an impact an invasive species such as the silver carp can have on humans. Arriving at Khao Laem Dam along the River Kwai in Thailand, Wade uncovered stories of attacks, one being fatal. With no luck in reeling one in with a line, he then dove deep into a murky river right in the middle of a school of young snakehead, hoping to find their murderous parents.
Jeremy Wade then traveled to the Congo, the only river to ever defeat him. He had once traveled there, only to catch nothing. Now he's back, investigating reports of fishermen being dragged to their death by a malevolent river spirit. Jeremy suspected the Tsuni catfish, Vundu Catfish or the Kamba Catfish, which are known to grow to large sizes. While staying with local villagers, he faced their superstitious beliefs as they blame his arrival for the disappearance of the chief's brother. After using traditional Congolese fishing methods, hearing of how one fisherman died, and finally facing a Catfish, Jeremy began to wonder if the real danger isn't the fish itself.
Deep in the Alaskan wilderness, Lake Iliamna is supposedly the home of a monster. Reports claim it grows 20 feet long and is responsible for the disappearance of many fishermen. Investigating the identity of this creature, Jeremy Wade faces cold-water fishing for the first time. He investigates the possibility of the monster being a Pike or a Beluga whale, but none would match the description. Wade then tries to find out a possible food source: Salmon. This results in the first salmon he has on the end of his line, only to have it stolen by a bear. After hearing an eyewitness's encounter, Jeremy is able to determine the identity of the monster: a White Sturgeon. These fish grow to 20 feet long and are known to leap out of the water, which could result in people going missing. Fishing for sturgeon, Wade faces what may be the biggest fish he's ever caught.
In the heart of Africa's Rift Valley, lives the Nile Perch, Africa's largest freshwater fish. Growing to 6 feet long, this fish is considered a prize and is what many people brave countless perils to catch. Jeremy traveled to the birthplace of humanity and the oldest and most dangerous fishing spot to find this legendary creature. He faced off against Crocodiles, Hippos, and Gangs to find the perch, and was amazed at the dangers people face every day in order to catch this fish. He then took on these perils in order to land a monster perch.
Deep in the jungles of Papua New Guinea, two separate deaths have attracted the media: two men were found to have bled to death in the Sepik River as a result of a "ball-cutter" attacking villagers. Jeremy Wade came to this unexplored river to uncover the creature responsible. While fishing for a possible food source, Wade made an unusual discovery: a Pacu. These fish are related to the Piranha and are from South America, where they use their strange human-like teeth to eat nuts and fruits. Wade made a terrible discovery about the seemingly-placid pacus living in the Sepik: they had started to eat meat because their environment had changed so much. Not only that, they were attacking people.
After reading reports of flesh-eating eels in New Zealand, Jeremy Wade journeyed to a land which he always thought a safe place to swim. Captain James Cook's memoirs and Māori folklore's tell of man-eating snake-like creatures. He trekked into the Waitomo Caves and Lake Manapouri and discovered just how savage and dangerous these "devourers of men" can be. Armed with razor-sharp teeth which prevent escape, these eels spin and tear off bits of flesh like a crocodile. Although he already knows they have the ability to cause serious harm, Wade still had to determine if they have the attitude to attack a human in order to find out if they deserve their reputation. The only way to do this was to put himself on the menu.
On Argentina's Paraná River, a young girl was killed by a river stingray. Venturing to a country he's never been to before, to face a fish he's never heard of before, Jeremy traveled to this river in order to find the killer: the Shorttail River Stingray, which grows to 6 feet across. Unlike Thailand's Giant Freshwater Stingray, this fish isn't long or wide. Instead it's thick and heavy, with a short, clublike tail with which it delivers its venomous sting. After hearing many more reports of attacks, Jeremy became determined to face this beast, which can glue itself to the river bottom like a suction cup. Its strength was then proven as Jeremy hooked into this tank-like fish in what turned out to be his longest battle yet.
25 years ago, Jeremy Wade was in a hardware store in the Amazon when he came across a weapon more sinister than any he'd seen before. It was a yard long and studded on each side with 2 inch long teeth. This strange weapon was the snout of a Sawfish: a 20 foot relative of the rays which has been known to swim hundreds of miles upriver. Reports claim this shark-like fish hacks boats apart and saws people in half, feasting on their flesh. Wade traveled to the Fitzroy River in Australia in order to find out if this critically endangered creature deserves its reputation as a river monster and why it swims so far up rivers. After being plagued by crocodiles and sharks, (which, ironically, he had previously traveled to Australia to find, yet didn't catch one for weeks) Wade hooked into this bladed beast and reeled in a 7-foot monster.
Jeremy Wade returned to the Amazon to search for a mysterious and deadly killer with a reputation to match it's awesome ability. Hearing the stories of three cowboys in Pará dying at the same time without any bite marks on them, he rules out piranhas and stingrays. After hearing a witness's claim, he concludes that the killer was an Electric Eel: an 8-foot, snake-like fish that possesses the bizarre ability to produce up to 600 volts of electricity. Following stories of "invisible powers", he journeyed all over Brazil, searching for the elusive fish. Jeremy then came across a story that confirms the eel's ability to kill a man, but he still tried to find out if it can kill three as the story claims. After searching through the smallest of ponds he can find in the dry season, he finally finds a large eel in little more than a mud-puddle.
For the first time in his life, Jeremy Wade traveled to Japan to learn more about its legendary river monsters. In a Tokyo fish market, he interviewed many fisherman and uncovered two seemingly unbelievable stories: the Namazu, an enormous catfish that supposedly causes the numerous earthquakes in Japan whenever it wriggles its huge body; and the Kappa, a gremlin-like beast that drags children underwater. On Lake Biwa, Wade investigated the origin of the namazu legend as well as searches for a connection between catfish and earthquakes. After finding a reasonable explanation, he turned his attention to the Kappa. After visiting a shrine to the creature, he found an alleged mummified kappa and starts wondering if the kappa isn't a fish, but something else entirely. Wade speaks with a scientist about what other creatures live in Japanese rivers, and he learns of a creature known as the Hanzaki, which can grow to 6 feet. Diving into a swift-moving stream, Jeremy comes face-to-face with the strangest and most unexpected river monster he's ever met: the giant river salamandar.
Everyone knows the piranha is the deadliest fish in South America, but is there a little-known fish that is even more vicious and aggressive than the supposed "flesh-eating piranha"? After receiving a report of a diver being brutally attacked, Jeremy Wade went to Brokopondo Reservoir in the remote jungles of Suriname, where he interviews the victim and hears his idea of the culprit. The man claims the fish was the much-feared "anjumara", a Wolf Fish: a large, aggressive predator with razor-sharp teeth. Wade travels deep into the jungle in search of a monster fish and uncovered more reports of their savagery, attacking people and animals on both land and sea. After a "shocking" event and a plague of piranha and caiman, Jeremy comes face-to-face with what is perhaps South America's most vicious fish.
Jeremy Wade has traveled all over the world looking for killer freshwater fish. He's been down the Amazon, deep in the heart of Africa, in the murkiest swamps, in the Alaskan subarctic, and everywhere in between. But are there dangerous killers lurking in the lakes and rivers of the United States? Travelling to Florida, Jeremy once again encountered the bull shark, a species known to swim in freshwater, which he has faced before in Australia and South Africa. Bull sharks are believed to have been responsible for the Jersey Shore Shark Attacks of 1916, which inspired the 1974 novel Jaws. Three of the five attacks that occurred took place in a freshwater river. Following reports of sharks prowling the freshwater canals of Florida, Jeremy once again reeled in a monster shark, as well as a little extra.
Next, Wade returned to Texas' Trinity River, for a rematch with the alligator gar. In season 1, he had caught a 7-foot female gar and concluded that the fish had no interest in attacking people. Now, reports have surfaced that gar in Texas are once again reaching lengths of up to 14 feet, the perfect size for a potential killer. Having already experienced their impenetrable armor and razor sharp teeth, Jeremy followed reports of giant gar all over the Trinity, only to find possible evidence of giant gar in a very unexpected place.
Then, Jeremy turned his attention to the Lake of the Ozarks, America's 3rd most dangerous lake, to investigate stories of catfish growing to man-eating proportions. Local divers have allegedly witnessed giant catfish and been too scared to dive in the lake again. Jeremy uncovered unbelievable stories of catfish eating already deceased humans, but he wonders if a catfish could ever be big enough or strong enough to kill a person. He finds his answer in Oklahoma, where people catch catfish in a very unusual, and dangerous, method: Noodling.
In the Okavango River delta in Botswana, a ferry tips over. All the passengers die, and their bodies are retrieved stripped of flesh. Authorities write it off as crocodiles, but Jeremy Wade isn't so sure. The corpse resemble those devoured by piranha and beggars the question if this was another case of an introduced species running amok. Traveling to the murky swamps of the delta, he is informed of a fish known locally as the ndweshi, which swarms in packs and is greatly feared. Described as long and muscular, with large teeth and horizontal black stripes, Jeremy goes hunting for a fish to match the description. Following a flock of birds, he finds a group of large predatory fish causing a commotion in the water. Casting out, he lands an African Tigerfish, a smaller cousin of the Goliath Tigerfish he caught before. Believing to have found the ndweshi, he tries to discover if they really are pack-hunting killers. Hearing of a rare event believed to attract large numbers of tigerfish, Wade sets out only to find himself in the middle of a feeding frenzy.
After hearing reports of fishermen disappearing in the Zambezi River in Zambia, Jeremy Wade journeyed there to uncover the truth behind their deaths. He hears tales of a man getting pulled in and drowning in the rapids after hooking into a monster fish. The natives believe it to be the work of a large, serpentine fish the size of a man. They also tell Wade of a snakelike river spirit called Nyaminyami, who is angry at the Kariba Dam for blocking its river. Believing Nyaminyami to be inspired from the killer fish, he travels to Lake Kariba to find the beast. After nearly being capsized in a storm, Jeremy hears reports of small toddlers and children being eaten by the fish, known locally as "Mazunda," as well as a fisherman being dragged to the depths beneath the dam. Interviewing a witness of the "Mazunda," Wade learns of the Vundu Catfish, southern Africa's largest fish. Travelling all over the Zambezi, Jeremy gains access to the prohibited waters directly beneath the dam, where he finally hooks into a monster.
Jeremy Wade's journey into extreme fishing started in India, where he caught large Mahseer, and where he later caught a massive Goonch that had been killing bathers. Now, he returns following reports of a new predator, capable of taking pets and small children. Looking around, he uncovers its identity: the Sareng Catfish, a streamlined predator with long jaws and sharp teeth. He also finds a problem: the sareng is sacred in India's Hindu religion and harming it is believed to curse you with bad luck. Almost immediately he encounters problems when the lake where he is fishing is closed and tries his luck in the wilderness of Corbett National Park, sharing the territory with man-eating tigers and wild elephants. The monsoon comes early and the fish are not biting, forcing him to leave the river. In order to escape what appears to be the wrath of the gods, he travels to Thailand to a lake inhabited by sareng, as well as countless other introduced river monsters. Despite not being a Hindu country, Thailand offers no protection from the gods as Jeremy seemingly catches every fish, especially Red-tailed catfish, in the lake but the sareng. Deciding to face his demons instead of running from them, he returns to India to take part in a Hindu blessing, in order to appease the gods and convince them he means the fish no harm.
Chasing reports of three fishermen disappearing without a trace, Jeremy Wade ventures to the far east of Russia to investigate the Amur River. There, he interviews some of the locals. They mention that there is some kind of large fish in the river, but they don't tell him anything else. Believing that they are keeping some sort of secret, he talks to a local biologist, who tells him of an encounter with the Kaluga: a predatory freshwater sturgeon species known to grow up to 18 feet long. Armed with an enormous mouth, this fish could easily drag people in the water when hooked. After the fall of the Soviet Union, a sudden surge of fishing nearly wiped them out, as they produce delicious caviar. Now, people keep up illegal fishing for them and tell nobody, explaining the locals' secretive behavior involving the fish. Journeying with a team of biologists who can legally catch the fish for research, Jeremy sets out to catch what may be the last of these monstrous fish.
Jeremy Wade had wanted to catch large fish since he was a child. One fish that interested him was the Taimen: a very large relative of the trouts and a very popular game fish with tourists. Due to heavy fishing for these trophies, their numbers have greatly declined. When new reports surface of violent attacks on people, Jeremy seizes the opportunity to reel in one of the last giant Taimen and travels to the wild frontiers of northern Mongolia, the Taimen's last stronghold. Upon his arrival he immediately runs into a big problem: Mongolians are not keen fishers and believe that killing fish brings ill fortune. Trekking deep into the wilderness to the Delger-Moron River, he braves venomous vipers, violent gangs of gold prospectors, and dangerous rapids. The legendary Taimen proves elusive and his Mongolian guide brings in a shaman in hopes of appeasing the river spirit.
Most people think sharks and rays are purely sea creatures, but Jeremy Wade knows different. He's caught large freshwater stingrays in Argentina and Thailand, and a Sawfish that could live in freshwater in Australia. He has also caught Bull Sharks in South Africa, Australia, and Florida. Bull Sharks are salt water fish that have an unusual ability to tolerate freshwater, but are there other sharks with this same ability? Not 10 years ago, scientists discovered a new genus of rare sharks known as Glyphis sharks who can not only tolerate freshwater, but are purely freshwater fish.
When a report of an unidentified attack on a person in Australia's Fitzroy River emerges, Jeremy wade journeys down under, wondering if the attacker was a Northern River Shark, a species of Glyphis Shark, and be one of the only people to catch one. Ruling out crocodiles and Bull Sharks, Jeremy determines that the little-known shark just might be the culprit. Joining a group of scientists, he sets out to a very dangerous body of water, only to make a discovery that could reveal the truth behind the attack. Then, battling both the odds and the tides, Jeremy hooks into a mysterious predator and becomes the first man to film it alive.
One of the most challenging expeditions of Jeremy Wade's life takes him to the isolated and untouched jungles of Guyana, South America, where early explorers wrote about a river system filled with mysterious giants. Armed with only old journals and his rod, Wade embarks on an epic journey where he'll tackle the Essequibo - South America's third largest and largely unconquered river. He immerses himself in the culture of the Mucushi and must earn the trust of these native people in order to gather their knowledge and hear their stories. Once again he'll set out to separate fact from fiction. His last and greatest catch turns out to be a species of Arapaima new to science.
The story of a Bolivian man's face being torn off leads Jeremy to believe that there is a new, ultra-aggressive species of piranha living in the Rio Yata River. He soon finds this not to be the case when a witness tells him that the attackers of the man are red-bellied piranhas. There is a reason for these piranhas in the area to be being more violent and aggressive than others. Also, Jeremy finds that black piranhas, which were always thought to be less aggressive and somewhat shy, are very destructive and violent. More so than scientists ever believed them to be. Changes in the environment brought changes in the fish behavior, turning usually non-dangerous fish to killers.
Wade arrives in Ukraine, searching in the river for a river monster that is said to attack a young man. He then gets a rumor about a giant deformed catfish lurking in the Pripyat River. However, the river is near Chernobyl, the infamous power plant that had destroyed itself and the city of Pripyat 30 years ago. After getting the government's permission to search for the monster in the radioactive river, he teams up with a Ukrainian scientist. With his help, he eventually discovers his nuclear monster.
After that Jeremy searches for a large species of tarpon that supposedly jumps out of the water and knocks fishermen out of their boats. He is confronted with one on the first day of fishing, but has no idea what it is. He soon finds these fish to be Atlantic tarpon living in the brackish waters of Nicaragua. He then has one of his longest battles yet in a foot powered raft using a fly rod in a remote river with a 500 pound tarpon.
Jeremy has also written books about his adventures, one called River Monsters, one called Jungle Hooks, and another called Somewhere Down the Crazy River.