Biggest channel cat of my life

[Ghosth]

I just hooked and landed the biggest channel cat of my life. I have been fishing the Red River of the North for just short of 50 years. I've hooked some 20 lbers, landed some 13 lb +. But this one was a monster.

It was as long as my leg. I spread my left hand wide over its head and there was an inch of head on each side of my hand.

I stalemate it conservitively at over 25 lbs. Probably close to 30. No witnesses, no scale, no net, no help. Thankfully there was some rip rap along the edge where I could slide down the bank and brace my feet. Even with a fish grips locked in its mouth it was more than I could lift clear. The tail drug its way up the rocks.

I took a few pictures, will try to get them from phone to computer, resize them, and post tommorow.

I am kinda wound up today.

That girl was big, black as sin, and a head shaker to bust all head shakers.

And I just had to tell someone who might believe me.

Take care and God Bless.

[Graybeard]

That would certainly have been my biggest as well. Since I no longer fish the rivers I'll never see one that big. In my pond I'm sure there are some in the 5+ pound range now and who knows how big the largest might be.

The biggest I ever saw was a yellow cat when I was a boy that we caught on a trotline. Dad claimed it was 11 pounds but I'm here to tell ya if that was only 11 pounds then I'm only around 120, hint, I'm more like 250.

We had no scales in those days to weigh that big catfish on and certainly no camera in those long ago days.

Dad used trotlines, baskets and telephone, yeah those last two weren't legal then anymore than they are now. Once he took 106 catfish out of one basket. It had gotten lost, push down stream by current and when he found it again it was loaded.

We sure at a lot of fish in those long ago days of the '50s.

[Ranger99]

Well dadgum
Fill in the details for us
What bait?
What hooks?
What this?
What that?

Inquiring minds want to know!

[Ranger99]

I have some fish scales, but
i cheaped out years back when
i bought them ( for whatever unknown
reason at the time) and got a
set that maxed out at 13 pounds.
I never thought too much about it
until I caught one of my biggest
redfish, and it easily bottomed out
the 13 pound scale. 
I guesstimated around 17 plus to
jerk it down so easy

Lesson- don't cheap out on scales if
you're expecting larger fish or game

[Lloyd Smale]

pictures!!!!

[oldandslow]

My largest was only eight pounds. I caught it out of Elephant Butte lake when it was nearly full and the lower lake was clear water. I was using a really light weight casting rig chunking a hellbender lure for white bass when he grabbed it. It was a pretty good tussle to get him in the boat.  Wife and I and two other had him for supper that night.

[Ghosth]

She bit on a homemade strawberry cornmeal doughball. Light spinning tackle with el cheapo chinese 20 lb braided spectra. Hook was a red #2 Matsua sickle hook.

[Ghosth]

Rod was a Shakespeare Wicked stick, reel was a 4Ix rear drag with quickfire. I like the rear drag, and the 4000 size holds a buttload of cheap chinese 20lb knockoff braided line. Lets me keep my cool and keep in control.

[Ghosth]

Yes that fish was as long as my leg and I wear 36" inseam pants.
His lips were right by my hip and his tail was closer to the river than my foot.

[powderman]

WOW, what a fish. CHARLIE. 

[Lloyd Smale]

impressive. are big cats as good eating as the smaller ones. Honestly being a yankee the only cat fish ive ate are farm raised.

[Ghosth]

I never eat the big fish. I always release them to let them go make babies. Species matters not, bass, walleye, bluegill, catfish.

And no IMO they would not eat as well. Hard to beat a 1-2 lb fish for eating.

A fish that size is possibly near as old as I am. After the first year or 2 half a pound a year would be a substantial rate of growth for most freshwater fish.

I am lucky enough to have a world class river to fish, for not one but two species. Catfish and Carp. We grow them big up here.

But that one in my opinion is a once in a lifetime fish. A true trophy. And I'd rather have her swimming the river than on my wall.

[Ranger99]

We used to have access to a lot
of good lake and river fishing around
here, and always had great
success with catfish and crappie.
At one point, a couple of us had
productive trotlines and kept everybody
stocked up with fillets. 
Too many people now that burn gas
all weekend roaring from one end
to the other, and poachers robbing
lines and cutting and stealing any
trotlines or jug lines.  People on
PWC's will cut right in front of you
just to be seen

[BUGEYE]

It's not a flathead and it don't look like a blue, so I'm guessing that it's an exceptionally large channel.
The catch of a lifetime.