INTERVIEW WITH THE FISH WARRIOR

Fish Warrior is one of National Geographic’s newest extreme fishing shows airing Monday nights. Jakub Vagner is the show’s endearing host and master angler. The extreme fishing host took some time to answer this Examiner's questions about his new fishing show. It seems being shocked by electric eels and encountering hostile tribes is all part of the catch.

1. It is quite obvious that you have a love and excitement for the fish you catch. What has helped develop your enjoyment of extreme sport fishing?

I have been fishing since I was five years old. I was always trying to catch more, and bigger, fish. My biggest passion as a young fisherman was fishing for Wels catfish, the biggest and strongest freshwater fish in Europe. I was fishing for Wels catfish more than 300 days a year as a fishing guide. I fished many different and exotic places, including Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, the delta of the River Danube in Romania and every other places you could find Wels catfish. This fueled my quest to pursue the largest freshwater fish on the planet. I made a list of 24 freshwater giants and set out to find them, catch them, and study them in their natural habitat.

2. How has fishing traditional freshwater species prepared you for the monsters you face on the show?

If you want to catch a big fish, you first have to learn how to catch a small fish. Choosing the diameter of the line and the size of the hook, choosing the right bait, casting the lines, feeling the fish on the other end; making all of these decisions and gaining experience with smaller fish all have prepared me to take my fishing to the next level and to go after the really large fish. It was really difficult to target these big fish when I started my project to catch the 24 freshwater giants, because I didn’t yet know where to go to find them, what their behavior would be, and how to successfully catch them. Since I couldn’t find information on how to catch them in books or online, I wound up spending much more time in the field doing my own research and teaching myself what I needed to know to catch these fish. For example, I spent more than 17 months in the Amazon in order to find and catch large specimens of arapaima and piraiba catfish. But every time I catch a fish, I learn about the behavior and it is easier to go on and catch the next.

3. Besides catching some of the world’s largest and most exotic fish species, what excites you most about hosting Fish Warrior?

I have always loved fishing and am so happy that my passion has turned into my life’s work. It was always my biggest dream to have a show on National Geographic Channel, and now through Fish Warrior I can show the world these fish. People will know they exist and will care more about them. Hopefully a new, young generation of fisherman will see my work and be inspired to study and save these amazing creatures.

4. Is it the thrill of the catch or something else that sustains you while you travel to remote areas and survive between catches?

l love travel, I love meeting the native people and experiencing their traditions. They know about survival better than any of us so I am learning survival techniques from them as well. They live in the most remote places on our planet, and that’s why they are the best teachers in these extreme environments. I love the thrill of the catch, holding the fish and experiencing these living dinosaurs up close. I am a firm believer in the catch-and-release method of fishing. I love when the fish is swimming away after I release it, because I know I may have a chance to see it again and other people may have that chance as well. The fish spawn new generations and the cycle of life will go on.

5. How do you feel that Fish Warrior contributes to the conservation of the fish species you target?

As I said, there are more than 24 freshwater giants that can grow over six feet long and way more than 220 lbs. We know a lot about ocean giants like whales and sharks, we know a lot about land giants like elephants, rhinos, and hippos. But these freshwater giants are for the most part unknown to the world, including experienced fisherman, and still at least half of these 24 species will disappear before the end of the century. Overfishing, climate change, deforestation and other issues jeopardize these fish populations and we have limited time to search for and study them, and try to save at least some of them before they are lost forever. Just because these fish are in far away places doesn’t mean their survival isn’t important to all of us. Fish Warrior shows these magnificent fish to the world and lets the audience know that we need to act now in order to save those fish that we can.

6. Can you share a fish encounter or have you faced a particular set of circumstances (while filming) that could have resulted in a serious injury?

We are in these situations all the time. When we started the show, my producer asked me if it would be possible to make a show with incredibly huge fish that were never filmed before. I said yes, but we have to push our limits and travel into the middle of nowhere to get the chance to find the “Last of the Mohicans” of these species. We camp all the time, we eat and drink with locals. We don’t sleep in hotels, or lodges. For the most part we are days and days from hospitals and towns. If you have a toothache or stomach pains out in the wild, it can be a much bigger deal than if you were close to civilization. The crew and I battled malaria in Kenya; I was bitten by poisonous snakes in the Amazon and in Congo; I have been shocked by electric eels and I have dealt with numerous parasites and infections along the way. I have also encountered hostile tribes in some of the locations we have traveled to, who were not always happy to see us in their country. For all the dangers though, this is what must be done to catch and film these very special fish.

7. Have you ever found the “Holy Grails” of artificial lures? Do you know of a lure that will catch any fish species?

The short answer is…no. If we were able to find such a lure, fishing would be too easy and would be boring. A few times, I thought I found a secret technique or lure that could catch any fish, but there is always that next fish that shows you you are wrong. If you want to catch a fish, your bait has to be in the water. If you are always trying to find a reason to stay home…the moon is too full or the water is too high…you will never catch a fish. That’s why I fish all the time. The time I spend fishing doesn’t count as time off of my life, so that is why I am going to live and fish forever.

You can catch Jakub on Monday nights on the National Geographic Channel at 9 PM Eastern.