Girl, 4, reels in monster 33-pound fish with children's 'Frozen' fishing rod

A four-year-old angler from Illinois has made headlines after successfully landing a monster catfish with her Frozen-themed fishing rod.

As seen in a viral video documenting the tussle, Josie was fishing with her parents, Steve and Ashley, when she made the impressive haul, reeling in a fish that weighed more than she did. Anyone who witnessed the event can count themselves lucky that the catfish took the bait and didn’t let it go. 

The catch itself, which took place on August 28th in the Delavan area of the state, was made on a thin 50lb line and weighed a whopping 33lbs. The fact that Josie herself only tips the scales at 30lbs shows what a remarkable achievement landing the giant fish actually was. 

Watch the incredible video here:

Over the course of a two-minute video, which has been viewed over 1.3 million times on Facebook alone since Monday, Josie’s dad can be heard hollering encouragement as well as lending a helping hand where necessary. At one point, he yells “reel fast” as the fish almost gets away, while an onlooker shouts, “Go Josie, go!” in the background. 

These Fishermen were shocked when a huge crocodile stole their catch:

Eventually, the creature is hauled out onto the jetty with the help of a large net, where onlookers are able to fully appreciate its size. An excited Josie declared the fish to be “slimy”, before proudly reporting that she is “taller” than the animal.

“I cannot believe you caught that,” says one of the viewers in the periphery, to murmurs of agreement from the crowd of assembled family members. 

And this group of friends was stunned when a great white shark took their bait:

Even though Josie’s 33lb beast is certainly a remarkable discovery, flathead catfish can actually grow significantly bigger. Scientists estimate that the fish can reach a maximum weight of more than 120lbs, making them the second-largest catfish in North America, while adults can grow to more than 1.5m in length.

Maybe when Josie gets a little bigger, she can trade in her Frozen gear for something a little more heavyweight. Illinois’ catfish should feel very nervous.