Rare albino catfish caught in Manitoba's Red River

Wednesday, May 18, 2016, 11:28 AM - After 30 years of catfishing, Donovan Pearase hooks a rare albino catfish in Manitoba's Red River.

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"I may have seen 15 to 20,000 cats in my life and not one that looked anything like this," Pearase posted on his Facebook page. "Check it out, an Albino Master Angler Channel Cat."

Pearase is a Manitoba fishing guide and owner of Blackwater Cats Outfitter. He was out for hours with some clients on Sunday when his catch of the day broke the water.

Photo courtesy: Blackcats Outfitter Facebook

"Catfish are pretty dark in colour and this one was pure white. So, it was pretty easy to see," Pearase told the CBC. "At first I was taken aback for a second and then I got a good glimpse of its head and mouth and I knew it was a catfish. So instantly you kind of think the only thing it could be is an albino catfish, even though I've never heard of one before."

One of his clients was doing everything he could to make sure he got the fish in the boat, while the other happened to be filming at the perfect time.

The fish measure about 86 cm in size and even qualified for a Manitoba Master Angler award.

Because you can't keep anything over 60 cm from the Red River, the rare albino catch was released back into the water.

Photo courtesy: Blackcats Outfitter Facebook

Source: CBC