An angler hauled in a massive 50lb fish using only his bare hands after his rod snapped twice during a fishing competition in China.

The man was fishing by a river in Yinan, Shandong Province, as part of a friendly contest to see who could catch the biggest fish.

While waiting, he suddenly felt a strong tug when a large fish bit his hook.

He quickly pulled on the rod, but it snapped instantly under the strain. He then grabbed the front half of the broken bar and continued to pull, but it broke the second time.

Just as onlookers believed the fish had gotten away, the angler, holding only a short segment of the rod, managed to haul in the massive catch by pulling on the line with his bare hands. The fish weighed in at 48 lbs (22 kg).

The creature was later released, as the competition only required proof of the catch to qualify.

It remains unclear whether his impressive feat earned him the top spot on July 13, but the man said he felt a deep sense of accomplishment for landing the fish despite the broken gear.