I am (the real) Jeremy Wade, host of RIVER MONSTERS. Ask me anything.

Hi Mr. Wade.

From your observations, what would you say is the biggest threat to biodiversity in our rivers, and what can folks do to preserve our native fish?

A very big problem is in many parts of the world people have to eat the fish out of the river, and the rivers can't really take the pressure with population growth. So, for example, in the Amazon, there is a lot of subsistence and commercial fishing, and it's had a real impact on fish numbers and sizes. But it's hard to tell people in places like that not to eat fish out of the river because they don't have many other sources of food. There's also pollution, and dams actually are a big issue. The good news is that with rivers, normally the jurisdiction is more clear cut than it is in the ocean, so maybe it's just one country or two countries that have to sort out some policy. And I think a good example of a river that has come back to life partially would be the Columbia River in the Pacific Northwest which used to have large numbers of big sturgeon which almost disappeared and which have now come back in the lower reaches thanks to a concerted policy.

Hi Jeremy,

I’m a big fan and I love River Monsters. I’ve never heard of the Tigerfish until watching your show. It is one of the most terrifying animals I’ve ever seen in my life.

Do you still consider the Tigerfish to be the ultimate River Monster? Also – out of all the dangerous fish you’ve caught over the years which one scared you the most?

I mean, the first thing to say is that you have Tigerfish, and then you have Goliath Tigerfish, which is the man-sized one that lives in the Congo. I think it probably is the ultimate river monster. In terms of the way it looks, it certainly is. Nobody forgets that once they've seen it. And it almost looks like something out of science fiction. It's almost a combination of biology and engineering. But the one that scares me the most is probably the electric eel. Because if you happen to bump into one, a big one can product 500 or 600 volts. That's enough to paralyze your muscles and if you fall face down in the water you can drown. And if someone comes to help you they can get zapped as well. And that's why when we were making the film about them, the crew had a very long wooden poll with a hook at the end in case anything happened to me, and a defibrillator.

Would you rather fight 100 goldfish-sized alligator gars, or 1 alligator gar-sized goldfish?

That's a no brainer. Of course an alligator-gar sized goldfish. Tell me where it is. Even better if it's a saber-toothed goldfish.

Have you seen those photoshopped pictures of you and a fish with your heads switched?

Yes I have, it's very disturbing.

Hi, Mr. Wade. Welcome to reddit!

I have been a huge fan of yours since I first saw you pull that monster Goonch out of the Kali River. Aside from the fishing, of course, my favorite part of the show is seeing how you interact with the indigenous people of whatever area you're in; getting firsthand accounts, new fishing tips, or just gaining their respect. Some of the most incredible shots of any season were where you and those two Mucushi gentlemen struggled to make your way up the Essequibo to finally catch that Arapaima.

Most people seem happy to speak to you, but I know you've come across a few spots where you didn't get a very warm welcome. Here's my question:

Have you ever been openly threatened by locals? Have you ever felt in danger of losing your life not because of an animal, or the terrain, but because of the people around you?

I was threatened by a drunken man with a gun in Brazil because I was talking to his ex-girlfriend. And that was a very tense situation for a few days. It was very tricky, I didn't want to back down in response to a threat, so I carried on talking to his ex-girlfriend but I took to carrying a pipe wrench around with me just in case. Which made my shorts sort of sag, in a very interesting manner. And I practiced (not that I'm saying you should hit somebody with a pipe wrench) throwing it short distances.

so I carried on talking to his ex-girlfriend but I took to carrying a pipe wrench around with me just in case.

Son of a bitch. You really are the Most Interesting Man in the World.

Really though, thanks for responding. I've hoped you would do an AMA for a long time. This is definitely worth the wait.

A pleasure!

Hey Jeremy. Your show has re-ignited my passion for fishing as I imagine it has for many other people as well. Problem is, many of us anglers are mostly weekend warriors, who don't have the luxury of fishing the Amazon, and are confined to local man-made lakes used for electricity or what not. What advice do you have for not so hardcore anglers like us, who just fish from shore or from small boats and such?

Edit: Can't wait for a new season! Netflix has been slacking on updating the episodes!

I would say the great thing 'bout fishing is that you can have adventures right on your doorstep. You can make discoveries, because underwater is another world, you don't have to go halfway round the earth. I still get a kick out of fishing small ponds near my home, although I don't get time to do it. But the feeling is sort of the same.

Hello Jeremy - if you could be any fish what would you be and why?

Oh! I quite like Arapaima. Although in Guyana, I think, because they are now protected there, in other places they tend to get netted and speared. But there, they are quite intelligent fish. They are able to breathe air, so if their home dries out and gets a bit stagnant, they live through that until the water comes back again.

Hey Jeremy. What's you favorite fish dish?

There is a fish, it's a relative of the pacu, which is a fish we have featured, and this fish is called the Tambaqui, it lives in the Amazon and lives on a diet of totally organic high protein nuts and seeds that fall from trees. The flesh is amazing. The best way is freshly caught over just cooked over embers, sizzling in its own fat, with a little bit of salt.

They are farming these fish, but farmed ones are not the same, the diet is not the same because they just feed them on normal fish food which isn't the same thing.

Hello Jeremy, thanks for swimming through reddit! Could we press you for any anecdotes about spiders you might have accumulated in your travels? Thanks!

I was once staying in a fisherman's hut in the Amazon, and he had a life-sized color poster of a politician nailed to one of his house posts. And while we were eating supper, a tarantula came down the post and stopped on this guy's face, or the picture of a face. And I had to take a photograph of that. And when I used to give slideshows, every time I showed that photograph it brought a scream from the audience because the face looked so lifelike.

Other than that, the other thing is that we made a program called River Monsters Goes Tribal which was shown, I think a couple of nights ago. This was in the Solomon Islands, and one of the fish I caught there was caught on a bait of spider's webs. One of the fishing methods used a kite and a bait of spider's web, and the spider's web was skipping across the surface, and this fish, which is a type of a needlefish, the fish got his teeth tangled in the spider's web.

Hi Jeremy, love your show, it's always so suspenseful.

Could you tell us about a time during the filming of River Monsters where you felt the greatest fear for your life?

Also, besides extreme angling, what is something that you enjoy doing that most people don't know about you?

Thanks!

Well, the time when our sound recordist was hit by lightning in Suriname, in South America. That was a very intense few seconds there. And for a few moments, we feared the worst. We saw a motionless body in the bottom of the boat, and it took a little while to establish that he was going to be okay.

I go scuba diving to look at fish, but it's maybe not a surprise? I do a little bit of yoga. And embroidery. Just joking.

Hi Jeremy! Love the show. Has there ever been a moment that we didn't see, off camera, where you honestly thought, "fuck this and everything about it, I am becoming a tax attorney"?

Occasionally - every shoot, some people think I am in charge on a shoot. But the person in charge is the director, and some directors are more creative and sadistic than others. However, doing crazy things, as long as they are not totally reckless, that is part of the deal. That is part of the price I pay to have a very cool lifestyle otherwise. One director in New Zealand, he told me to smear myself entirely with very smelly fish guts to attract some eels to me. But I trust these people and know they will make good television. As long as it's not fatal, I'll go on with it.

Mr. Wade, one of the things I love about your show is your seemingly innate ability for good interpersonal communication. What advice can you give for interacting with people?

Even if you're not a natural linguist, make some attempt to learn a bit of the language of where you are going. And the other thing is, it's luck really. I have discovered by accident that fishing is a universal language. So if you go to a place where fishing is central to people's lives, like the Amazon or Congo, once people get over their suspicion of you, they will open up and share things with you.

If you could recommend one brand of reel, what brand would it be? Shimano? Okuma? Penn?

Ooh very hard to answer. I do not have any sponsorship from anybody. I tend to choose my gear on the basis of what is best for any situation. I have used all those brands, but most frequently these days I use Shimano.

What's on the top of your list of fish you have yet to catch?

Ooh! I can't give too much away. BUT a number of the fish I've already caught I want to go and catch a bigger one. The problem with River Monsters is that for each program, we just need one fish. It has to be sizable, but once I've caught it, I know there's one down there that's even bigger, but the director never lets me carry on fishing for it. But in season 6, there's one fish I go after which I haven't caught really big before. So we revisit a particular Amazon species, and it's about me trying to get a bigger one.

Hello Jeremy, how long an episode do you spend fishing and traveling. Also I love your book I hope you publish another one soon

Normally we spend two and a half to three weeks filming. The time during that that I am fishing will normally be three or four days, which surprises some people as quite a short time. But if it's a hard fish to catch, sometimes it might be 10 or 11 days. And I certainly intend to write more books but the problem is time completely destroys your spare time, if you do that!

What has been the most mind blowing experience (both culturally and relating to your discoveries) while on your adventures that we might not have seen on TV?

Possibly the view from the camp toilet in Mongolia. Which was just incredible, it changed every day. Literally breath-taking landscapes. You'd almost forget to breathe in Mongolia. And I say the view from the toilet because our director everyday took a photograph from the throne.

FISH ON!!!!!

Jeremy since your in NY can we try to catch a river monster in either the East or Hudson river. Show me the way. Just keep up the amazing work I love the show

Unfortunately I won't have time! But I went Striper fishing in the East River a couple of years ago. I don't have time to do fun fishing, unfortunately. But maybe another time.

Will you ever come fish the Colombia River in SW Washington for an oversized sturgeon? We are catching them in the 9 to 10 foot range, but many people are catching larger.

Well, I have already been there. For season 2, I caught one about nearly 9 foot. But referring to an earlier question, I would love to go back and catch a bigger one. But I probably won't have time for the next couple years.

Hello Jeremy!

What’s the most dangerous river creature you have encountered? Also, is there a creature you have not yet encountered that you hope to find?

I've already said electric eel, but I think another one would be the candiru catfish. They're not big but they're dangerous. I would least like to be a victim of a candiru catfish, I imagine. And I think a lot of people will know what that is, but this is one that can penetrate the urethra of a human being and if it does, the only remedy is surgery. People have probably died. We spoke to somebody who eventually, he was operated on after a couple of days, he was in a very bad way.

Hi Mr. Wade, love your show

What would your number one tip be for any prospective anglers who want to catch a river monster?

Number one is remember that fish are wild animals. Too many people just make too much noise and move around too much and that will scare everything away. If you're quiet and stealthy you can find them very close to you.

Hi Jeremy! Thank you for sending my daughter, Cassidy, a birthday/Christmas card this past year! Do you want to come fish the Susquehanna river with us and look for monster Catfish? It would be her dream to meet you!

If I had a clone i would love to send him along! But the other price I pay for doing this job is that it is all-consuming. I have no time for fun fishing. Maybe after I retire.

Jeremy, what, in your opinion, is the scariest / coolest thing you have ever caught or seen in your travels?

As a side note I have two comments: first, the one episode where your journal note said a person thought you were Obama was one of the funniest things I'd seen on tv. Second, that you have one of the most captivating voices; your narration is flawless!

That's very nice. I suppose the scariest thing was crashing into the Amazon in a light plane. But it happened so quickly that there wasn't too much time to think about it at the time. But I spent a few weeks though going over it.

You've already replied to my comment so thank you!! but I do have one more question:

How many languages do you speak? I'd read online you speak English Portuguese and French but I recall an episode where you said something along the lines of "my Buntu is a little rusty" which really made my brother and I wonder how many you know

Only Portuguese fluently. And maybe about a dozen others in decreasing amounts of usefulness. But making the effort is important.

Hi Jeremy, I know you spend most of your time looking for crazy fish but do you ever just relax and fish for the smaller fish anymore?

Once, last year. That's all I had time for. But I do like to do that.

Hi Jeremy,

It seems like local culture plays a big role in many of your adventures.

Can you tell us about the time you felt least comfortable around or welcomed by the locals when on the hunt for a particular fish?

Conversely, which culture were you most pleasantly surprised about, or would like to revisit most?

Maybe Papua New Guinea? The people there were quite monosyllabic to start with, and also they were just a generation ago or so headhunters. So I ended up very pleasantly surprised by how helpful and friendly they were.

What's an outlandish tactic you used to catch a rare fish?

Well there was the kite and the spider's web that I just mentioned. Actually most of my fish is quite simple and basic. I suppose grabbing a catfish in the mouth was quite outrageous. That was a 54 pound flathead catfish. Some people will know about that technique, it's called hand fishing or noodling. I was quite terrified, because I went into an underwater cave, but I went headfirst into an underwater cave past my hips with both my arms stretched ahead of me and someone holding my ankles to pull me out. I'm glad I did it, but at the time I was not enjoying it too much. The catfish does not have very big teeth but they have a very powerful bite, so what you must do in that situation, the normal reaction is to pull your hand away. You must override that reflex and grab it in the jaw. The force of its bite is SO violent that the cameraman who was standing on the riverbank felt the moment of vibration, the ground vibrating, when it bit me.

Love the show! One question for you, has there been any monster that made you sick to catch? Some of the stories make me a little squeemish but that could just be me.

Right, there are some scavenging catfish in the Amazon which we feature in the upcoming season - this is a bit confusing, but there are two catfish called candiru. There's the one that swims occasionally up a human urethra, and there's a bigger one, about the size of your finger, which takes circular bites of flesh, Candiru Asu. And that is - normally, I don't mind handling fish, but it just feels very disgusting to handle. It's very slimy, and wriggly, and just looks creepy. They have tiny luminous eyes. Photo.

They're not in America! They might be in Florida. In fact I was talking to someone who had caught them in Florida, I think? I can't remember but I think somebody might have told me that.

What keeps you going with the job? Is it the thrill of the catch? Or the scientific aspect of it?

Because I've done a lot of other jobs I never really want to do again. Seriously, I used to be a teacher, and I left that after a very short time - I was a thwarted teacher. And what is great now is having the platform to inform people about what lives in our lakes and rivers, which, until we started really was not on people's radar at all. And looking after our rivers is quite an urgent concern. But people need to know of the existence of these creatures before they can start caring about them.

Me and my son, Harrison, love to fish. He is 7 years old and is a gigantic fan of you and your show. Every time one of your books manage to be sold at one of the book fairs at school he has to have it. He then comes home and reads it cover to cover. We are looking forward to the new series.

I have a question. Who taught you how to fish?

My grandfather taught my father, my father, me and I show my son everything I know.

But the most important thing that was instilled in me was the art of conservation of our lakes and rivers. Besides our family policy of catch and release, We always end up cleaning up whatever garbage we find on the shore.

What would be the one thing you feel is the most important thing to teach the next generation of fishermen?

Nobody in my family fished. But I had one friend at primary school who showed me some of the basics, and then when I grew up, the local expert was the local cobbler, the shoe repairer. And what was interesting and maybe significant was that this guy, he was a deaf mute, he didn't speak and he couldn't hear. And maybe that was why he was particularly tuned into fish. So yes, catch and release is very important, along with proper handling of fish while they are out of the water. And as you say, keeping the environment clean. Fisherman who leave garbage around on the water are a disgrace, they should not do that because fishing is not just about the fish, it's about preserving the environment. Leaving garbage is anathema to true fishing.

Hi Jeremy

I am totally hooked on your show. I love watching it. You've got a lot of fans in Australia.

Have you been interested in the Marianas Trench fish? What would you say is the most dangerous or fascinating of them, in the Trench?

Also, while you were in the Amazon, I'd heard you'd had a few incidents where you nearly died, from a plain crash to guns pointed at you. What was the scariest incident you've ever come across not involving scary fish?

Thanks

I'm not so knowledgeable about the oceans. I think I will dip my toe further into the oceans in the future. But for the time being, there is still a lot of mileage in freshwater. And the reason for my fascination with freshwater is because it is unknown to many people. People take it for granted, they don't really know what's in it, versus the sea which has been quite well-documented, even the deep sea species. I think some of these most fascinating selfish, I think anglerfish are fascinating. They sort of lie on the bottom for weeks and months, and if they meet with anything they either mate with it or eat it, quite an interesting mindset (one of the secrets of my success is that I try to put myself in the mindset of the fish).

Just thought I would say hello and ask how your morning has been so far?

A VERY early start. An appearance on Morning Joe, which was fun, where I met David Miliband, who is an english politician in town. He's working on protecting the oceans, which I didn't know, but which is really good news, that somebody is going to have a good look at that.

Did you ever get to meet Steve Irwin before he passed?

I didn't, no. But I have been to the zoo that he set up in Australia, which was very impressive.

Hi Jeremy!

what do you keep in your shed? it just look like such cool place!

That is actually my brother's shed. but some of the stuff is mine. Although he would dispute that.

But when RIVER MONSTERS started, I was living in his spare room, and so that was the only place I had to keep stuff.

Hi jeremy, in the amazon which is the biggest fish by far you pulled out of those waters?

You will have to watch season 6 for that!

Is the lochness monster real ?

You'll have to watch that episode.

Yes, you have to watch the episode, but that program, our journey ended up with a Greenland shark. But I think a strong candidate is a sturgeon. In the past, individual sturgeons have swum up British rivers, so it's possible they might have found their way into Loch Ness. And some years ago, there were some large creatures detected by sonar. I think the most likely explanation is sturgeon. But that doesn't mean they're there now.

p.s. Sturgeon are normally on the bottom, but they will bask on the surface occasionally.

Mr. Wade, thank you for doing this AMA. I have marveled at your show since it first aired. My question is about human redistribution of fish species. With all types of aquarium fish being available to less than prepared pet owners, what type of human created evolution and redistribution of species to non native waters have you experienced? We all know about snakeheads, but what other fish worries you as far as threatening natural fisheries?

This is a very big subject. There have been introductions of non-native species that have gone horribly wrong, for example the Pacu being introduced to Papua New Guinea. Asian carp is a huge problem in the US. I think originally they were introduced into catfish farms to keep the water clean, and then they escape (you can never be sure that they won't escape) and they are such efficient filter feeders that they have eaten all the food that would otherwise support the native species. I think a lot of fish won't survive in the wild. Most fish probably won't breed. But if they do, the effects can be profound. Like snakeheads in Florida, and Asian Carp in the Midwest. And once they are established, it's impossible to turn the clock back. So people should think very responsibly if they are keeping fish and if those fish are growing and they don't know what to do with them.

Hello Jeremy, do you ever fish for catfish higher in the water column or is it always on the bottom?

Ah! Sometimes higher in the water column. The european wels catfish will actually take things from the surface, or near the surface. They have a slightly upturned mouth and eyes facing up. A lot of people think catfish are exclusively bottom feeding but they can be midwater or upwater feeding as well.

Hi Jeremy, massive fan here, sitting with a few friends who also love the show, and we all want to ask the same question.

When you go searching for these dangerous creatures, exactly what precautions are taken, are there constantly emergency services on standby waiting for something to happen, and what protective gear do you always carry?

We love the show, and we are planning to do something similar in a few years when we save enough money, just travel the world to a few different places fishing for the same type of monsters you typical search for.

Thank you so much for the inspiration as it is shaping up to be a grand adventure for us to remember!

Great, well good luck with your plans! A lot of the places we go have no emergency services so you can't just dial 911. We don't have space in our crew for a paramedic. So most members of the crew, including myself, have training to deal with emergencies. So we have very small trauma packs which will include dressings, nasopharyngeal tubes for airways, epipens, those kind of things, just basic simple stuff. We also have a satellite phone so we can get advice and inform our production company if anything happens, if we have reception. And the production company always asks 2 questions on the rare occasions we call them if there is an emergency: question 1 is everybody okay? question 2, immediately afterwards, did you film it? And a couple of times, in the early days, we didn't film stuff, and now we will always film it unless it interferes with dealing with the incident because this is a program that is about reality and you don't get more real than somebody being hit by lightning, for example.

What rod would you recommend for a starter on big game? And Where's the best place to buy rods/reels? Online or in person?

Ooh! I've no idea. Online is tricky because I think it's something you want to feel before you buy it. For big game, basically go and have a look and see what suits you. It's very hard to recommend a particular model because there's a whole spectrum of fishing.

If If Could have lunch with a dead celebrity who would it be and why?

Off the top of my head, Charles Darwin? I would hope some of his mental agility would rub off on me.

Hey Jeremy, My main hoppy is taking care of my tropical aquariums. I was curious if you had any aquariums and also what your dream fish tank would be?

I used to keep european cold water species, so carp and rudd and goldfish. I don't keep anything now because I am away from home so much, I would come back to find everything dead. I do fantasize about having a fish tank with large species in. Arapaima would be good because very large arapaima are comfortable in small spaces, and being air breathers as well normally dissolved oxygen is the space limiting factor. There was a place i saw in Brazil, that had 3 fish that were each about 200 pounds, in a space the size of an average kitchen. So I would quite like a tank I could get into, and I quite like the idea of having transparent tubes around the walls that the fish could swim into, a bit like ventilation ducts that they could travel around. It's unlikely to happen though.

Hi, Mr. Wade! Without being too much of a sycophant, I will say that you're a personal hero of mine, both as an angler and as a person.

I love reading about your adventures. I bought and enjoyed River Monsters: True Stories of the Ones That Didn't Get Away. Here's my question: Can you please talk to someone about reprinting Somewhere Down The Crazy River?

Like I said, I'm a huge fan, but I don't have $400 to spend on one book. I'm sure the book would be a hit if a new edition was released. Any chance?

Anway, Enjoy reddit! And good luck on your next expedition.

Right, that is not for me to say, that is for a publisher to take a punt on it. So if a publisher decides to do that, then that is possible! But I am aware of the crazy prices that are being asked for that book. There were not very many printed and it's become a bit of a cult book.

What's your favorite food? Similarly, what's your favorite fish to eat?

I am semi-vegetarian. D'you know what, I like fish but it is increasingly hard to eat fish with a clear conscience. I really like fish, but it's because if you don't know if this fish has been caught from a sustainable fishery. If it's farmed - farmed is one route, but farming is not always the answer and can bring its own problems. I realize I am starting to answer a different question from the one you asked, but this is quite important for me… favorite food, do I have one? Right, avocado milkshake. Try it. First tasted it in Brazil. Absolutely delicious.

Have you ever fished or thought about fishing in the Coosa River?

No, that was not on my radar, but I would imagine some interesting catfish in there perhaps? Too many rivers, not enough time!

Howdy Mr wade. I absolutely love your show. I have watched you bring in bull sharks from rivers around the world. Sigtings have been reported up the Mississippi river as far north as Illinois. Do you think it possible the sharks could make it into the great lakes and if so what is the time frame for this incursion?

Very unlikely. I think there are too many dams in the way now. So historically, they were found quite a long way up the Mississippi. But nowadays, if they are there, it would be very much in the lower reaches.

Hi Jeremy, long time fan of your show. I was hooked ever since the very first episode featuring Piranha. I was wondering if you were ever going to do another take on Piranha? Maybe specifically the larger species like P. Piraya, or even just a show showing how diverse piranha species really are, physically and geographically. Thanks for the informative and enjoyable show. Fish on!

Thank you! No, we have revisited piranhas last season. And they do feature in the upcoming season as well. But that is an interesting suggestion, a show that looks at the variety of piranhas. It doesn't really fit with the current idea of our RIVER MONSTERS program, but it could be something we look at in the future.

Hello! Just wanted to say I enjoy the show and to keep up the interesting and entertaining work! I especially liked the kappa episode, those salamanders were huge!

Most people saw it or didn't notice it was not a fish! It looks like a catfish with hands. And it was a great episode.

Hi Jeremy! Thanks for doing this and showing the world what lurks beneath the water. It seems a lot of the "monsters" on the show are mostly all misunderstood like the piranhas. What "monster" do you think is as deadly as it is perceived.

Also I think "Monster" energy drinks needs to sponsor you for the lolz.

Most monsters, thinking about it, there's nothing that willfully goes after people unless it's got a good reason. Most "attacks" are cases of mistaken identity or a reflex grab or a reflex defensive action, stingray would be a good example, which they only do if you tread on them. The fish that willfully go for people are normally doing that because they are protecting their nest or their young. So normally there is a good reason, which is not just mindless aggression. And that's what we try to show, and that's why every program I put the fish back. Which is a very powerful message, which most people understand. Normally if a fish "attacks" somebody, it's the person's fault for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. It's our responsibility to keep out of their way and live with them rather than try to kill them or whatever.

Hi Jeremy,

Love the show. If the Megladon was still around, could you catch one? Why, or why not?

First of all, we should say that the Megladon, according to the scientific consensus, became extinct 200 million years ago. But if it still existed, I would say a large fish bait - probably a large fish, possibly an entire cow as bait - and a lot of patience. You'd need a large luxury yacht. But more patience than I have would be a major requirement, along the lines of the Loch Ness Monster.

Do you play Pokemon

Right! No, I don't actually. Is that something to do with computers?

Which extinct fish would you love to catch?

Oooh. A Dunkleosteus.

There's another one but I'm going to keep it under wraps. It's possibly even more interesting.

Hey Jeremy,

Big follower from Brazil!

What was the situation you thought you would never get out alive?

Edit: Grammar

When the plane went down, that was in the Rio Purus area, which is one of the Amazon's southern tributaries.

What was the first fish you ever caught that you remember?

The memory is a little bit hazy but it was either a roach, which is a small sort of silvery fish with red fins that lives in english rivers, or it was a gudgeon, which is a little sort of brown fish with little whiskers on its mouth. And I remember being quite scared to handle the first few fish that I caught because it was this thing that came out of another world, and it was cold blooded and strange.

You'll probably never get to this question, but I was just wondering how much time is put forth catching these monsters? You spend so much time traveling and researching, then you go out and catch fantastically unique specimen in crazy areas, the show's editing of course makes it look like you take very little time. I spend a whole weekend fishing in a stocked pond and I can't catch a single frickin trout. About how much time does it take you to get a show-worthy catch?

Also, my wife wants to do what you do for a living. and so do I. you are living the dream mate.

Lovely! The actual shoot is normally 2.5 weeks, sometimes I'm only fishing for 3 or 4 days. But fishing a short time really concentrates the mind. And what's important is to think before you fish. It's not just about putting in the time. My approach is very much the right bait, in the right place, at the right time. And sometimes you will get your best chance really early. But if you blow that, you'll have to wait a long time for another chance, so you have to be prepared.

Hello Jeremy! Welcome to Reddit!

Living on the mighty mississippi, I naturally love your show. I have pulled some gar and catfish out of the river that are not too different than the exotic monsters you catch.

Have you ever heard the rumors of the Blue Catfish that live at the base of the dams around Quincy Il / Hannibal Missouri? Urban legends around these parts are always circulating, mentioning 6-9 foot monsters large enough to swallow an entire human whole.

So what do you say Jeremy? Come on over to the lock & dam here in Quincy IL and snag one of these beasts.

The question of giant catfish in the US never goes away. I think this is something I will return to at some point, giant catfish. Always interested to hear about possible locations! And yes, Mississippi seems to crop up quite frequently.

Mr. Wade, will your show spin off to the ocean once you've caught all or most of river monsters?

Also, what do you do other than the tv show? For work or leisure.

Possibly. RIVER MONSTERS is in the process of evolving. But quite where it is going, or mutating we could say, we don't know yet. We are thinking ahead.

I cook out of necessity. I don't do an awful lot outside the TV shows because making them takes nearly all of my time.

Mr. Wade! Me and my father always watch River Monsters together when I am in town. If you could acknowledge me, it would give me a great story to tell him!

Yes, hello Dpope!