Kevin's Watch

13.8 (fourteen) pound flathead catfish. Now I will be able to eat for another week.

It was freaking awesome. I was using live bluegill as bait. Those aggressive little fish were constantly tugging on the line, so I had to condition myself to stay relaxed every time the pole started bobbing. I knew that when one of those poles bent violently over that that was the only motion of the pole that mattered, no matter what kind of crazy shit the bait did. Oh my god, when the pole finally bowed violently that was the most awesome culmination of anticipation I ever experienced.

And that was just the start of it. Of all the poles that fish could have hit on, he went for the one pole for which the drag was broken. And he was so frikkin strong! Man, he pulled on that line so hard, I just knew he was going to break the line, I really needed to let out some drag but I couldn't. But I just pulled him in as easy as I could, trying my best to keep him under control so that he wouldn't break the line.

Oh yeah, to top it all off, I had intended to stop at Wal-Mart on my way to the river to buy a net, so that if I did hook something big, I would be able to flip him up and pick him out of the water (being as I went by myself). But I completely spaced WalMart and the net. Let me tell you, I never regretted being an air-brain more in my entire life, than I did trying to ease that cat over the big rocks that formed the bank. But I got him nestled in right against the bank in the shallowest part of the Missouri where I was. I stepped out, gently slid my hands up into his gills so as to not spook him, and the split second I had my hand in the postion, I snatched him out of the water and leaped onto the bank, getting him as far out and away from the water as fast as I could.

The feeling of success as I had him in my hands, in my possession on dry land, that was pure satisfaction. And he was so big and beautiful, I wanted badly to just let him go , but I really do need to eat, and had to be a man about it.

That was incredible. That was awesome. That makes my whole year.

Cool!

Excellent!

Only thing that sucks about fishing by yourself, living by yourself, and having no friends is that there is no one around to help take a decent picture of the fish you caught!

Far out.

I've only ever been fishing the once, when I was a kid.
My next door neighbour and I bought a couple of reels and hooks and went down to the end of the pier.
It was a cold and miserable day, the river was brown and choppy, and we were only pulling in flounders.
My friend accidently put his hook clean through his thumb and we had to go to the hospital to have it removed.

I've never seen the need to go fishing unless it's to bring home a catch for cooking. As Steve Wright once said: There's a thin line between fishing and insanity!

Krazy Kat wrote:As Steve Wright once said: There's a thin line between fishing and insanity!

That's awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wait!!! I just got him on youtube, because my son never saw him. He said, "There's a fine line between fishing and just standing on the shore like an idiot."

AND you don't even have a mattress on your bed! You lead a strange life pilgrim! (very cool catch!)

Fist and Faith wrote:Wait!!! I just got him on youtube, because my son never saw him. He said, "There's a fine line between fishing and just standing on the shore like an idiot."

Thanks for the correction.
If you'll excuse the pun, that sounds about right.

Krazy Kat wrote:I've never seen the need to go fishing unless it's to bring home a catch for cooking.

The thrill of reeling them in is what makes it worth it, for me, not necessarily whether or not it ends up in my stomach. I am incapable of describing how thrilling it is, reeling them in. Like yesterday, I went out a couple of hours before sundown and threw a worm out just see what I might pull up, because in the river, you never know what you might hook on to. I was hoping to catch a carp or two, not for eating (don't know how to eat/cook carp but some people do), but because those river carp are a blast to bring in. A five pounder feels like a ten pounder because they are so strong. But I only caught sturgeon, though. But that's ok, because those sturgeon are cool to look at! But yeah, you never know what you're going to get from the river, that's why I love it.

That's a HUGE flathead, well done! Personally, I only like to eat small catfish, say less than a couple of pounds or so. Beyond that and they're too fishy for me.

Used to catch catfish in a pond my mother's cousin owned and eat them when I was a kid. It was great! About the size you like, dlb. Been close to 30 years since then.

My favorite size to catch and eat is around the five pound range. Good meat, plenty of it, and fun to bring in.

I used to have that same futon.

My 4 favorite forms of recreation all start with a F: Food, fishing, football, and ....... Nice fish! I caught a 22lb saltwater striped bass a couple of weeks ago at my local lake. One fish fed four people with leftovers.

Sunbaneglasses wrote:My 4 favorite forms of recreation all start with a F: Food, fishing, football, and ....... Nice fish! I caught a 22lb saltwater striped bass a couple of weeks ago at my local lake. One fish fed four people with leftovers.

Nice catch!

I got a lot of meat off mine, but it is only feeding me. I need to get up to the store for freezer bags. Don't think I am going to get it all ate in time!

No pictures this time, but I just got back from another fishing adventure.

18 pound Blue Cat.

Boom shakalaka.