A big catch for five-year-old Wells Franz, who recently landed a 36-inch-long catfish and earned his spot in Manitoba’s Master Angler program. 

Fishing near Lockport alongside his dad, Ty, the pair had set out hoping for a big day, and they got it.  

“At first I thought it was going to be a giant blue catfish, cause there’s blue catfish and flathead catfish in that river too,” Wells said. “We even had a fish so big that [the line] ripped off. And I even caught a giant pike that day, 33 inches. Almost as big as my catfish.” 

A first-ever trophy 

Neither of them are strangers to fishing, but Ty mentioned that catfishing itself was more of a recent excursion for them.  

“We started this year,” said Ty. “It’s fun cause the fish are pretty big, and Welly wants to get on some big fish.” 

And big fish he did. With some help from his dad, Wells reeled in his monster catfish and earned his very first trophy. 

“It’s like a level one trophy. I never got a trophy before, my first ever trophy... It’s like, such a good start.” 

How it works 

Ty explained how Manitoba’s Master Angler and Li’l Angler programs recognize anglers, young and old, for their catches. 

“Basically, you send a picture in of the little guy and his first fish, and they’ll send you a little thing for that,” he said. “And then the Master Angler program, they’ll send you a file so you can print off the certificate, and then they’ll also send you a pin.” 

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What's next for this catfish-crusader?

Wells already has his eyes set on the next challenge. 

“I wanna catch a master pike.” As for his dream catch? “Bull shark, those are my favourite,” he said with a grin.  

When asked where they’d have to go to find one, Ty said, “Hawaii, Australia, hopefully not in Morden Lake.”  

Wells added, “Cause then if you try and swim in there, you’re done for,” the two laughed.  

Wells shared that he’s also excited to take on another challenge once the snow falls and the lakes start to freeze over... in ice fishing. 

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