Hi, I'm Jeremy Wade, host of River Monsters. AMA!

Hi Jeremy! Did you have a good birthday?

Very good, thank you! I had a surprise party, which was a total surprise. We went into a very crowded restaurant, thinking I was going to have a quiet meal, and then I realized I knew everyone in the room!

Pound for pound, what is the hardest fighting fish you have ever caught?

I would say Mekong Giant Catfish.

What's the scariest fish ?

Maybe the electric eel, because it has invisible powers. It can generate an electric shock underwater.

Has there ever been a place your filming at that you've thought your going to die without nature being the cause? Any militant groups or other humans come at you for trespassing?

In the Congo, we had an incident where we were staying in a village and the chief's brother disappeared while fishing. Some people there blamed us for his disappearance because we arrived right when he went missing. We heard later on that there were people thinking of killing us to avenge the situation. They thought we were responsible.

Hi Jeremy, my wife and I are huge fans and have been watching since day one. We just wanted to say thanks for creating something so awesome and ask you this:

Are there any monster sized fish left that you have not caught, but really want to?

I had a list of fish I wanted to catch way back in season 1 and I've actually caught most of them! But I'm not going to say which ones are left because that may spoil future programs.

Hey Jeremy! I'm A huge Fan! I have a couple questions:

1. Have you ever caught a Paddlefish? If not you should they are awesome.

2. What is your favorite North American Fish?

3. What is the scariest situation you've been in while filming?

4. What is the biggest thing we have to look forward to in the upcoming season of the show?

5. What is a fish you really want to catch but still haven't?

1. No because the only way to catch a Paddlefish is by snagging, where you hook the fish in the body. That's because Paddlefish feed on plankton, so you can't hook them with bait. I consider snagging to be unethical, really. I've seen them, though.
2. I'd say a toss up between alligator gar and muskie.
3. Let me see. I was filming, but it wasn't for River Monsters. I was in a light aircraft doing aerial filming in the Amazon and the plane crashed.
4. We have one moment in one of the episodes when we film something that hasn't been filmed before ever. I'll just leave it at that.

If you could only recommend one book that a fisherman should read about the sport, what book would that be? (Fiction, non fiction or informational)

Oh gosh. I think inspiration is the thing really. The Old Man and the Sea by Hemingway is a good one for that. It won't help you with your technique though, but the story will surely inspire you.

Hi Jeremy, My 4 boys and I love your show. We often wander if you eat anything you catch, if so what has been your favorite catch?

I sometimes eat small fish that I catch if there's plenty of them in the river. I've eaten piranhna, but they're not very good. I do it more for the role reversal. My favorite is a tambaqui, a relative of the pacu. The tambaqui has teeth a bit like a horse's teeth used for crushing nuts. When the river floods, they hang out under trees that are dropping nuts, so they have a very rich, organic diet. Their meat is delicious.

Given your job involving crazy/gross fish, do you still like fish sticks?

I don't know what fish sticks are. I probably wouldn't eat them because I don't know what they are.

Hi Jeremy, just watched your live Q&A on facebook last night and can't wait for the new season. I was wondering which location you've fished before are you most worried about being damaged beyond repair due to human development, pollution, overfishing, etc.?

It's all of it really. The ocean full stop. Although there's such a lot of water there, the damage is overfishing, pollution, the rubbish that ends up there and no one's doing anything to clear it up at the moment. The ocean is treated as a dumping group and no one is taking responsibility for doing anything about that.

What was the longest/hardest trip you have done in any episode?

We had a pretty hard time in New Zealand because we were on the move so much. We were moving every 1 to 2 days. We had to keep packing and unpacking. But even more than that was probably the Congo because there's no real accommodations there for travel. We had to be completely self-sufficient. It was exhausting before we even got there just with all the preparations.

So I asked this through Facebook but I'm dying to know the answer: the front tooth that you chipped, which your producer super glued back on, did you ever get it fixed by a dentist?

Also, so excited for this new season!

Yes, i did get a proper fix and my dentist sort of told me off for being so disrespectful of my teeth. He then did a very good job fixing my tooth.

What do you do during your time off from filming 'River Monsters'?

I am mostly preparing for the next trip! A certain amount of recovering time is needed as well.

what is the biggest muskie you have ever caught, and where?

Well this was last season on the show so this was in Ontario, Canada and it was pretty much bang-on 50 inches.

Do you have any plans to come back to Texas in search of even bigger alligator gar?

No plans of such, but in terms of vague hopes for the future YES. That is the global HQ of alligator gar and I've got a few over a hundred pounds. I would love to get back and have more time than I did to try and catch a bigger one!

Hey Jeremy!!! I've got a few things to say. One, you are my favorite TV related celebrity, you seem like a very down to earth guy who just loves to fish! Secondly, a question. If you were to put two of the most dangerous river monsters against each other, who would you choose ad contenders and who would win the fight?

Thanks for doing another AMA and keep up the good fishing!

Oh! Were you a Roman Emperor in a former life? They used to do that, put animals like bears against lions in the Colosseum. How about a Goliath Tiger Fish and an Electric Eel. Teeth vs. electricity. How will that pan out? I have no idea, but it will be cool! Thanks for the question and thanks for watching!

Hi Jeremy!

Thanks for doing this AMA! I was wondering, what is one of the funniest on-set moments that you have had over the years?

I was paddling a very small dugout canoe in Brazil when it sunk beneath me. The fishermen in Brazil are much smaller, so I had to sit very still in this canoe and I shuffled a little too much to one side. I was paddling past the camera for a shot and I just sunk out of the frame.

Hi Jeremy! Thanks for taking the time with us.

Question: How many languages are you conversational in?

On the show it seems as though you basically understand any sound uttered by another human.

Ha! Not quite as good as it comes across. I'm conversational in English and Portuguese and that's it. I can understand a certain amount and say a limited number of things, but not very well in other languages like Hindi, Russian, Thai, French, Spanish, Lingala in the Congo, and Pigeon. The thing with other languages if you make an effort, people really appreciate that and it goes a long way.

Hey Jeremy, younger fan here, what was one of your favorite/biggest fish you caught prior to starting River Monsters?

There's a fish in India called mahseer. It's like a huge golden-scaled carp, but it leaves in very deep, swift waters. In 1986, I spent 5 and a half months in India fishing for mahseer. The biggest one I caught was 92 pounds.

Hi Jeremy, you travel all over to remote parts of the world. What is the sickest you've been? Every time I watch the show all I can think is "parasites!"

I had malaria very badly in Africa, probably the worst kind of malaria. I was almost blind, I couldn't really see properly as a result of that and I was very, very weak. There were local people around me that didn't think I would make it out of there.

What is your favorite fishing spot?

This is a very difficult question! Fishing is not just about the fish, but the place itself. I've spent an awful lot of time in jungles, and while I'm not sick of jungles, they can get a bit repetitive. I love fishing in mountains. We did an episode in Mongolia and the scenery is so amazing you almost forget to breathe it's so breath-taking.

Ever fished in Ireland?

No I haven't. I have visited Ireland, but I didn't fish there.

Greetings from El Salvador. What is for you the most aggressive freshwater fish of all? And Have you ever had an Aquarium?

That's an interesting question. When we talk about being aggressive it's often not real aggression. The fish is either making a mistake or is acting in self defense. Arapaima will bash you with its head. I had that happen and felt that for a long time. In that case, it was defending either its nest or its babies. It's not REALLY aggression, it's just them protecting themselves.

Hi Jeremy! I'm a huge fan and have been watching you on River Monsters for years! Where are some of the most beautiful places you've traveled to fish? I have the travel bug so I'd love to hear about some of the amazing places you've been able to travel to! Thanks a lot!

I mentioned Mongolia previously, but the south island of New Zealand is also incredible. Guyana is quite special, the rainforest there is much more intact then in upper parts of South America. Again, I like mountains. Parts of north India are spectacular for the mountains.

Hello Jeremy, love your show! If you could fish with one other person alive or dead, who would it be?

Gosh! Let's go with this: The Dalai Lama because I think the conversation would be wonderful.

Hi Jeremy! I'm a huge fan. What was the first fish you caught as a little boy?

I don't remember exactly. It was very small, only 5 to 6 inches long. I was actually afraid to touch it because it was wriggly and wet! Eventually, I started catching roach and gudgeon, but my first fish was probably a roach!

Jeremy, which game fish do you think is most underrated?

I think there are a lot of fish which are NOT considered game fish that are underrated. Something like bowfin or carp, they are really fun. Carp are often regarded as trash fish, but they are interesting to catch. You can catch them on a fly as well.

What's the most alien looking river creature you can remember catching? Don't really like fishing much but you make it look fun, thanks!

I think the lamprey. we need an episode a couple years ago in Lake Champlain. They don't have a proper mouth, just this sucker with teeth on it and a hole in the middle with teeth on it, too. It doesn't have a backbone. It does a cute little eye, which is quite disconcerting. If you give them a chance, they will latch onto you.

What was your most memorbale fishing story?

The muskie I caught last season, the fish of ten thousand casts. Sometimes when you're fishing it seems like nothing is working, which was the case in this episode. But then my fortune reversed in an amazing and unbelievable way.

Hi Jeremy! After you've had a busy day fishing, what do you enjoy doing to help you unwind? Or is it such a joy that you have no need to?

I do sometimes need to unwind. Just rest! For me, it's a really good experience to go to sleep when you are physically tired. It's not like going to bed on a normal day-- you've really earned it. Cleaning up is nice too. For example, in the Amazon when you head down to the water's edge, take some water and clean yourself off and cool yourself down. Cleaning off with river water and a good night sleep in a hammock under a mosquito net (so you don't get bit) is pretty luxurious.

Hey Jeremy! Any thoughts of deep sea exploration perhaps in your horizon? I've always been fascinated by the Mariana Trench and the potential there for discovering many new marine species. There is also another adventurer that has quite a similar level of passion (just for reptiles) and his name is Austin Stevens. Both of you are inspiring individuals! I'm going to be a medical school student and I am an avid backpacker, and mountaineer. I go to the higher altitudes but the common denominator is that we all get to go out there to do what we do. I had a bad experience in the water down in the Amazon but I hope to make it back and conquer my fear of the open water. Thanks for reading Jeremy and fighting for all the inhabitants of the rivers and oceans.

Of course this season we are in the oceans for this new season! But in regards to deep sea exploration, I'll have to be a bit evasive, but keep any eye out about this!

Hi Jeremy. I tried to ask you this question yesterday but unfortunaly it was just at the end of you q & a...so here is my question: How did it feel to fish in Chernobyl and do you believe there is a giant ,mutated Killercatfish down there ? 😊 Very good episode by the way 😀

No I don't think there's a giant mutated catfish there, but there are some pretty big ones. They will have mutations at the cellular level, so if you get some scientists to look at it, they'll find mutations. But, they'll look normal on the surface. It was fascinating because it's so different from where we normally film. When you're there you have to think very carefully about safety. You have radiation hotspots, and while most places are OK, you'll stumble upon small areas where there's a lot of radiation. You wear a meter to make sure you don't stand in one place too long.

Hi Jeremy, greetings for Virginia Beach!! I'm just curious does your brother ever tag along on any of your trips???

Not these days. He came on two trips with me, one to the Congo and my first to the Amazon. Both were really hard work and I didn't catch very much. I think it would be nice to take him on another trip that would be more fun and where we'd have more to show for it. He enjoyed it, but he hasn't shown any great desire to come back on another trip.

What is the worst local food you've had to eat?

Over a lot of the world, the main source of carbs is manioc. The way they prepare it in South America is not that bad. It becomes a gritty flour you mix with other things. The same root, prepared in Africa, is waxy and smells like unwashed socks. They soak it and mash it up and then wrap it in banana leaves. When I nibble it I do this sort of shiver squirm.

Actually, this just reminded me...

In Iceland, they sometimes catch Greenland shark. The meat is actually toxic when it's fresh. Traditionally, they bury it for several weeks and then hang it up. There is no polite way to describe it. It has a very strong ammonia taste to it. I luckily managed not to throw up when I sampled it.

Hello Jeremy, Big fan of your show! My question is: For somebody that has only fished for smaller lake fish (bass, crappie, bluegills), what is your advice for a rookie looking to start getting into catching bigger fish?

The first step is to find out where the bigger fish are and the best way to do that is ask other anglers. Some will deliberately tell you the wrong thing to put you off the scent. You have to get a feel for who is telling you good info and who isn't.

Here in the US people like catching bass and they're quite limited in terms of what they like to catch in freshwater. If you go for the less fashionable like carp and bowfin, that opens things up a bit more if you expand the range of species that you try for.

Hi Jeremy! I'm so excited for the new season tomorrow!

If you had to decide, which situation would you find more intimidating? Having to jump into the Amazon at night or the Gulf of Mexico at night?

In both cases it would depend on how far from the shore I am. I'd probably be happier with the Amazon!

You've gone to Oregon twice now - and you had the lamprey (taste like mackerel). Have you had the sturgeon? is it true that their flesh are toxic?

I've not tried sturgeon. I haven't heard about the flesh being toxic. The thing is I don't think people these days eat sturgeon. They're trying to help the population build up. One thing that affected the population was fishing them and killing them for their caviar.

If you could give your younger self a piece of advice, what would it be and why?

I think I would tell myself to keep persevering in terms of trying to do what I want to do rather than what everyone else wanted. I sort of did that anyway, but I would give myself more encouragement.

Does it ever bother you that people would rather watch you doing something outside on TV than actually going outside and doing something themselves?

A lot of the things I do would be hard for most people to do themselves. What I do like to hear is when the show inspires people to fish in their local waters. People who have given up and are giving it another try or from kids who are just starting. You don't have to go halfway around the world. You can go to the local pond or stream behind your house and have just as much excitement.

Hi Jeremy and happy Wednesday! I just would like to thank you for signing your book for me. My husband got it for me for Christmas and it has become one of my most prized possessions. What would you say is one of your most prized possessions?

I don't really have a lot of things and a lot of things I have have sentimental value rather than financial value. The other day, someone gave me the fossil tooth of a megalodon that's about 12 million years old which is very special.

Have you had any pets? Past or present?

My family when I was growing up had various dogs, cats, chickens, geese, pigs I believe at one time. I have kept fish, but they weren't very exotic... things like baby carp and goldfish. I don't keep them anymore because I'm never home to feed them and wouldn't want to come home with them belly up floating on the surface.

Hi Jeremy Do you get presents from fans for your birthday?

Not really, maybe one or two. I don't really have an address! I try to live a sort of minimalist existence, so I try not to accumulate things. Just the fact that people watch is enough of a present for me.

Well hello there Jeremy! Will you ever film something in the scandinavian countries. Or is it too cold for river monsters up here? Only ever heard about huge pikes, but you maybe have heard about something else?

I have actually filmed in Scandinavian a couple years ago in Norway. But I haven't fished in Finland, Sweden, or Denmark. I have heard of the pike. It might not make a River Monsters episode, but maybe a personal trip sometime!

Have you ever caught any Gummy Trout using Gummy Worms?

I think that's a trick question! I've never used Gummy Worms... I do use plastic soft baits that are around. They are very productive.

You ever watch Breaking Bad? If so, what do you like about it?

Ha! I don't yet have a television where I live, but that is on my list! I know a lot of people are big fans of that show. I have some serious catching up to do once I get a TV installed.