Swamp People star and popular YouTuber Zak Catchem had quite the battle on his hands this week as he seemingly went head-to-head with a massive, 50-pound piranha. But some fans say that it’s nothing more than a fishy tale.
Catchem, who stars in the History Channel reality series and its spinoff Swamp People: Serpent Invasion, lived up to his name as he shared the incredible moment on his Instagram page on Monday (March 3).
“Huge 50lb Piranha Species caught in City Park Pond!” Catchem captioned the video, which showed him and his friends reeling in the giant fish. At one point, the reality star is seen lifting the fish into his arms and showing off its sharp teeth.
Fans jumped into the comments to share their reactions, with one commenter writing of the fish, “He’s been eating good in that pond.”
“Ohhh man there ain’t no way I’d take that hook out the fishes mouth. did you see all them teeth!!!??” said another.
“Tank!!!!!!🙌 nice work brother,” another added.
However, many others pointed out the fish was more likely to be a Pacu rather than a piranha, and they doubted the weight.
“It’s a pacu,” wrote one commenter, while another added, “Pacu bro. Had many of em thru the years. It outgrew someone’s tank and it ended up on that pond. Not gonna lie, I’ve done that myself but not in a fishing pond.”
“He knows it’s not a piranha but it gets more clicks if he says it is,” another added, while one fan said, “NOT Pirahna but in a family called Characidae, which includes similar Pirahnas. These fish are actually primarily vegetarian and can even crack the hardest shells of nuts!”
Catchem later replied to the comments, writing, “Pacu Fish are closely related to piranhas as part of the Characidae family of freshwater fish. The biggest of its kind…Everyone following me for a while has seen the teeth!! As I’ve caught these giants and been beat up by them as I try to turn them into pets lol! All the new guys n gals welcome! We Catch em all! Pacu = Big Piranha and are NOT VEGETARIAN!! They will bite your 3—-D off TRUST ME.”
Others doubted the size of the catch, with one user responding, “No way that’s 50lbs maybe 25.”
“You wish was 50lbs. Lucky if it’s 20,” said another.
“50 lbs? Maybe 25 lbs if I am being generous! Still a cool catch!” another wrote.
Fans will be able to see Catchem on an upcoming episode of Swamp People Season 16. The synopsis for the March 20 episode states that “Zak will aid Daniel in taking down “The Professor,” a cunning alligator that has evaded capture for 30 years, making it a legendary moment for the crew.”
What do you think of Catchem’s catch? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.
Swamp People, Thursdays at 9/8c, History Channel