Courtesy of The Smithsonian Channel
Andy Coetzee hoists a Guinean Barracuda.
From remote Ugandan waterfalls to the murky waters off the coast of West Africa, ecologist and fisherman Andy Coetzee goes to extreme lengths to catch some of the rarest, most prized fish in the world.
Coetzee's efforts are the subject of a new three-part television series from the Smithsonian Channel, called "Fishing for Giants." Viewers can watch the fisherman dodge crocodiles and dive deep below the ocean's surface in the hunt for elusive creatures.
Each of the three episodes revolves around a single species. The first, which debuted April 25, features the Nile perch - the largest freshwater fish in Africa. The second episode airs on Wednesday, May 2 at 8 p.m. and follows Coetzee's pursuit of the aggressive dogtooth tuna. In the final installment on May 9, Coetzee will go after the Guinean barracuda, which boasts 3-inch fangs.
But Coetzee doesn't kill the fish for sport or even for food - the creatures he catches get released in places where they have the highest chances of survival.
Take a peek behind the scenes at some of Andy's most notorious catches: