Tennessee angler hooks catfish weighing over 100 pounds on fishing trip his frie

[Graybeard]

https://www.foxnews.com/great-outdoors/tennessee-fisher-catches-massive-catfish-friends-turned-down

By Michael Hollan | Fox News



A Tennessee man recently pulled in a 103-pound catfish on a fishing trip. Unfortunately, he was forced to celebrate alone because none of his friends accepted his invitation.


David Anderson went fishing late last Saturday, according to a post on the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency’s Facebook page. According to the post, he didn’t have work the following day and likes to go fishing after boating activity calms down. He asked several friends to come with him, but they all declined.

So, none of them were there when Anderson reeled in a 103-pound blue catfish.


Anderson says he first hooked the fish around 11:45 p.m., but it took him over an hour to bring the beast in. After getting the fish into shallow water, Anderson finally caught a glimpse of it.

“I saw it roll and I saw the tail fan,” he said. “I was in disbelief. I put the net under the fish, and it dropped its head and bent the net.”


He described the situation, “It was like I was walking a dog and then it would walk me!”

Anderson held onto the fish until a friend was able to bring out a certified scale for the TWRA. Weighing in at 103 pounds, the fish isn’t quite a state record (which is currently 112 pounds from a 1998 catch), but it’s still big enough for a fish tale.


It’s likely big enough for Anderson to convince his friends to join him at the water next time.

[Lloyd Smale]

These huge catfish are more of a southern thing. We don't get the big ones around here. Mostly just bullheads. Are those big ones good eating?

[Graybeard]

People disagree on that just like on are big hogs good eating. From my experience I say yes to both.

[Lloyd Smale]

Ive ate 300 lbs sows that were tender and tasty and 150 lb bores that smelled like piss so bad you couldn't cook them let alone eat them. Reason I ask is we have lake trout here in lake superior and any thing over about 4lbs usually has so much fat in the meat that its not fit to fry. some guys smoke them and that gets a lot of the fat out but there still greasy. Me? I toss them back or use them to feed the dog.

People disagree on that just like on are big hogs good eating. From my experience I say yes to both.

[Argent 88]

I was wondering that also, if it were good to eat or not. I've seen some big catfish before but nothing like that.
The big ones I saw lived around a dam in Texas. I don't know if that has anything to do with it or not.

[Lloyd Smale]

if there good eating theres sure a pile of filets on something like that. I think about that when I see them on tv catch those big halibut up in Alaska. More meat on one then on a good sized deer!

[Dee]

You hang the cat up by his head, and cut the tail to let it bleed out. The filets are laid out and the red meat is cut off, and thrown away, along with any fat. They are where the strong fishy taste comes from.
Same on the belly meat, but also on the belly meat, take a knife and scrape the shiny liner off.
Then cut the filets, and belly meat up in serving sizes.

[Lloyd Smale]

got to say the catfish I ate while down south was good. Closest thing we have are bullheads and suckers and there not good for much other then canning for a fake tuna. To many bones to try to filet and the meats kind of mushy when fried. Suprising cat fish tastes good. Most fresh water fish sucks if its caught in warmer water and im sure the water in the lakes down there is warmer even then up here in the summer.

[Bob Riebe]

I grew up catchiing, cleaning and eating bullheads, great eatingLike any catfish that sensory stripe down the side MUST be cutout.
The DNR around does lake fish surveys and there are a few near me where they have netting over 20 inches long, from all three types we have up here.I have been reading the surveys for a long time and those are the only lakes I have found where any bullheads that large show up.

Down in George they have  three types we do not have: if I ever got down there, I would get a license and fish for them.
As far as fish species and fishing goes, (especially pictures), the net has been a gift from God for information.