Putin Catches '46-Pound Fish'

How's this for a fish story: In the latest episode of Vladimir Putin's ongoing rugged outdoorsman fantasy adventure series, the Russian president, clad in a camouflage jacket and hat, appears to catch a massive pike. "Vladimir Vladimirovich, be careful, she can bite," an aide warns, as Putin lifts the flopping fish from a net, according to the LA Times' translation. "I will bite her myself," Putin replies, before kissing the thing. "She's a beauty."

Russia's defense minister, who was on the trip, says the fish weighed between 26.4 and 33 pounds, but a Putin spokesman pegs the weight at 46.3 pounds. Russian bloggers are for some reason a tad skeptical. Several have posted images of bigger fish they've caught themselves that have weighed far less. "They must have forgotten to unfreeze the pike," one social network post quipped. Another wrote, "The Kremlin must have weighed the pike the way they count the votes." Come on guys. It's not like Putin would fake a spectacular exploit. (More Vladimir Putin stories.)