The Schuylkill River Trail extension just opened and people are already reeling in catfish the size of 1st graders

The new Schuylkill River Trail extension just opened and we already have fishermen pulling prehistoric monsters out of the water like it’s a Bass Pro Shop fever dream.

The average size of a catfish is what, 15 pounds? Check out this guy who yanked a 40-pound catfish out of the Schuylkill River like it was no big deal.

Schuylkill River Bridge: Fisherman are reeling in catfish the size of 1st graders

Someone caught a massive catfish off the new SRT bridge this morning
byu/Psychopath_7_and_1 inphiladelphia

Summer BBQ’s in the city will never be the same.

Look at the size of that thing. I would have had that catfish filleted and grilled up by dinner…I think?

Question: Can you even eat Schuylkill River catfish?

Answer: Technically yes, but whether you should is a whole different story. It’s probably fine in moderation — assuming your idea of moderation includes a fish that’s been snacking on god-knows-what at the bottom of Philly’s most questionable waterway for decades.

Still, if we’re being honest, it can’t be that much worse than half the junk people eat daily. Are we really going to pretend a McDonald’s Filet-O-Fish is somehow a cleaner option? At least this thing is real fish — and pound for pound, there’s more of it.

That said, it’s hard not to imagine what this monster’s been feasting on down there. Centuries of trash, runoff, and yeah, probably a body or two. It’s basically the catfish version of a junkyard dog — gritty, massive, and probably radioactive.

Odds are, whatever that catfish has been snacking on at the bottom of the Schuylkill isn’t FDA-approved.

Shoutout to the Schuylkill River becoming increasingly healthy:

“While the Schuylkill River is increasingly healthy and some fish are edible, advisories exist for specific species due to potential contamination. It’s recommended to limit consumption of some fish, like catfish, and to eat smaller, younger fish and avoid fatty species.”

This one looks smaller and younger, fry that fish up and let’s party

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According to the first post from Reddit, the first fisherman released that beast back into the water, meaning the Big Schuylkill Catfish is still out there, waiting.

If you’re not a seafood person, that’s totally fine. Just head down to Center City where deer have been lurking in parking garages. Personally, I wouldn’t mind a little venison with a catfish but to each their own.

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With the new trail open, we’re bound to see more freakish river monsters surface soon. Every cast could be a catfish… or a mob victim from 1984 – it’s basically Philly’s version of Russian roulette.

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