Catching Giant Mantis Shrimp Bare-Handed – [ Video]

Catching Massive Mantis Shrimp at Christmas Island

These shrimp are known to crack glass with their ferocious strikes.

While the general public may assume that fishing is a pretty laid-back and even boring sport, those of you who read our blog know better. We do our best to bring you the more, shall we say, extreme facets of the sport. But to keep from overloading the nerves of our more delicate readers, we’ve decided to showcase in this article a simpler, friendlier video.

Ladies and gentlemen, can I get a round of applause for the gentleman catching shrimp with his bare hands?

Those of you who didn’t click on the video (shame on you, BTW) are thinking, “What’s the big deal? I’ve stuck my hand into the bait bucket too, buddy!” Those of you who did watch, however, are thinking…

“That’s a scary looking shrimp.”

Yes. Yes it is.

A quick perusal of Wikipedia reveals some interesting facts about this very scary looking shrimp. First, its real name is the Mantis Shrimp. One of its more common nicknames is “thumb splitter,” and the larger specimens (like the ones our intrepid guide is handling) are infamous among aquarists for cracking glass with their ferocious strikes.

In other words, grabbing on of these guys by their wickedly spiny claws is nothing like sticking your hand in the bait bucket.

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