A 12-year-old fisherman catches a 11-pound pike—and what he finds inside isn’t for the faint of heart

Avery, a 12-year-old boy, was fishing in the Ounasjoki River in northern Finland, as he had done many times before, when something big pulled hard on his fishing rod. With skill and some help from his grandfather, he managed to pull a 11-pound pike out of the water—his biggest catch yet. But the most impressive thing wasn’t the size of the fish, but what they found inside it.

“I was wondering why it was so fat,” Avery told the Finnish media outlet Ilta Sanomat. The answer came the moment they gutted it: the pike had swallowed a whole small duck. “I was a little horrified,” the boy admitted after seeing the decomposed animal inside the fish’s stomach.

Although uncommon, the finding didn’t completely surprise experts. According to Anna Kuparinen, professor of Aquatic Environmental Sciences at the University of Jyväskylä, consulted by the same outlet, the pike is a natural predator known for its varied diet and ability to ambush all kinds of prey. “Finding fish inside a pike is common, but birds not so much,” Kuparinen explained. “Still, if a young duck swims at the wrong time, it can end up like this.”

Natural behavior in an unnatural environment

These scenes, while biologically natural, cause significant imbalances when the predators are not native. Introduced species like pike or giant catfish often lack natural enemies, which allows them to spread rapidly and disrupt food chains.

Various organizations have been warning for years about the expansion of these fish and their effects on local wildlife. That is why in areas, releasing species like pike is prohibited, and fishing them is even encouraged to curb their spread.

Get your game on! Whether you’re into NFL touchdowns, NBA buzzer-beaters, world-class soccer goals, or MLB home runs, our app has it all.

Dive into live coverage, expert insights, breaking news, exclusive videos, and more – plus, stay updated on the latest in current affairs and entertainment. Download now for all-access coverage, right at your fingertips – anytime, anywhere.