“IT’S A PIRANHA!” — 8-YEAR-OLD BOY’S ORDINARY FISHING TRIP TAKES A WILD TUR

He thought he had hooked a bass. His dad thought it might be a bluegill. Then 8-year-old Seamus Coffey looked at the fish and immediately knew what it was.

THE CATCH NOBODY EXPECTED

Seamus was fishing with his father, Michael, at Ridley Park Lake in Pennsylvania when something took the bait.

At first, the young fisherman thought he had caught a bass.

His father encouraged him to reel it in slowly.

But when the fish finally surfaced, Michael couldn’t identify it.

Then his son delivered the shocking answer:

“It’s a piranha!”

And somehow, the 8-year-old was right.

Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission biologists later confirmed that the fish was indeed a species of piranha native to South America.

HOW DID AN 8-YEAR-OLD KNOW?

When his father asked how he recognized the unusual fish, Seamus reportedly had a remarkably simple explanation:

“Because I watch YouTube!”

His interest in wildlife and fishing videos had apparently taught him enough to recognize the distinctive fish almost instantly.

His father’s reaction was very different.

He initially thought the creature might be a large bluegill or another familiar freshwater species.

Instead, the family had just pulled a tropical predator from a Pennsylvania lake.

A FISH THAT SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN THERE

Piranhas are not native to Pennsylvania.

State officials believe the most likely explanation is that someone previously kept the fish as an exotic pet and eventually released it into the lake.

Officials say releasing exotic species into Pennsylvania waterways is unlawful and can lead to fines or prosecution.

More importantly, introducing a non-native predator can disrupt local ecosystems and potentially spread diseases to native wildlife.

THE FISHING TRIP ENDED WITH A WARNING

The Coffey family did not release the piranha back into the lake.

Michael said the fish was ultimately disposed of humanely, which officials said was the appropriate response.

According to the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, the particular fish probably would not have survived the Pennsylvania winter anyway.

But the bigger concern remains the same:

How many other unwanted exotic pets could be ending up in local waterways?

AND SEAMUS ISN’T GIVING UP FISHING

Despite discovering a razor-toothed fish where a bass was supposed to be, Seamus apparently wasn’t frightened away from the hobby.

His verdict?

“Fishing is my favorite thing.”

After this catch, however, his definition of a “surprise fish” may be permanently changed.

Expected: bass

Actual catch: piranha

Fisherman: 8 years old

Location: Ridley Park Lake, Pennsylvania

Sometimes you don’t need a fishing story to be exaggerated. The fish really is that strange.

Independent commentary based on published reporting and statements from the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission.