A Californian angler has become the first person in the world to catch 1,000 different species of fish.

Californian Steve Wozniak, 47, who broke the ultimate fishing record, has spent 10 years pursuing the astonishing quest that has seen him fish in 63 different countries.

He has spent 20,000 hours on riverbanks, piers, beaches and boats waiting for a nibble from fish ranging from a tiny minnow to a 900lb shark.teve has forked out more than 50,000 pounds and racked up over one million air miles criss-crossing the globe with his rod and tackle over the last decade.

Steve has also broken 12 International Game Fishing Association records along the way and has another five pending.

His mammoth efforts finally paid off when he snared a 2lb coalfish in a Norwegian fjord to net the record, which is being dubbed the Cast of a Thousand.It is very humbling to be the only person in the world to catch 1,000 different species of fish," the Daily Mail quoted Steve as saying.

"It has been an almighty challenge and one where there have been many highs and many lows, like trying to catch a tench fish which seemed to elude me for seven years.

"When I caught the coalfish I think I expected it to be this big fanfare event but I was sat in a boat in a peaceful fjord an hour below the Arctic circle.

"I just sort of sat there with a glow of accomplishment," he added. (ANI)