Czech musician and angler Jakub Vagner loves fishing and a spirit of adventure. He has travelled the world in search of rare fish from the Amazon River basin in South America to remote stretches of the Indian subcontinent and the jungles of the Congo. He is currently working on Big Fish Man, that will showcase him making an attempt to catch the Amazon’s largest freshwater fish in Ecuador and the mighty Goliath Tiger Fish in Congo or catching a Northern pike in the Arctic. Talking about the show on phone, Jakub says, “It deals with discovering rare big fishes from across the world. However, it is also about discovering remote reaches of the planet and learning more about the lives and culture of the people that inhabit these areas. At a personal level, this is a dream come true. I have always wanted to spread my knowledge and travel the world in search of good fish.”
He adds, “The journey to get to these places was often arduous. I had to use all my experience gained over the years and was able to coax out secrets about the fishing culture. I had a lot of fun working for the show.”
Jakub contends that his job hardly offers any dull moments and he enjoys every bit of it. “I was always a black sheep in a family full of musicians. I always wanted to fish. I try and live every day to the fullest. One of my favourite moments has been catching a fish in the Congo about nine months after spotting it first. It was a rewarding experience.”
Anglers and fishermen should aim at ensuring that they do not damage the balance of nature. “I am not against people eating fish. I feel that it is very important to not more than you can give from nature. One should have a sense of responsibility towards nature.”
Jakub is fascinated by India and its people and is looking forward to coming to the country. “India has a huge collection of big fishes. I feel Indians are very lucky to be born in a country with diverse flora and fauna. I have enjoyed my expeditions in India. The only thing that scares me a little bit about the subcontinent is that the curries served are very spicy.”
Big Fish Man is airing on Animal Planet on weekdays at 10 p.m.
