Luck

[Benni3]

I got shunked and larry,,,,, marlo got 3cats 2hybirds and clay got 1hybird,,,,,,,

[Benni3]

I got 1cat 1hybird and marlo 1cat today,,,,,,,

[JoseCuervo]

That is a nice fish Bennie! Well done, and a nice start to a long weekend. I am always jealous of your daily outings.

Did he swim away, or fill your belly? I have never eaten catfish. Maybe some day I will.

[Rivverrat]

   Flathead in my opinion are the best of the Big Three. High fat & pound for pound have more meat on them than any other catfish in North America. Flathead are much smarter fish than most give them credit for. They travel the least of the Big three through out the summer. They can eat fish of a size that would in the very least seem problematic for them.

  The biggest reason some fail at catching big flathead while fishing in the right spot, big being over 65 lbs. is simply because they dont use big enough bait & when they think they are using big bait they could increase the size 2-3 times. Then once the bait is figured out the gear needs to be stepped up. A Big River flathead over 65 lbs. has no problem rolling the spool a few times with drag set at 20 lbs. The occasional rare one will come in as if lead by a leash. They will never take off stripping line like a tuna.

  Out in the open, any North American flathead of any size can be whooped with 40 - 50 line. However in close to structure, while fishing for the Biggest flathead in the area, I have chosen to use reels that surpass what I may really need. These reels never being held in hand long, but are spiked or in a holder & will never be cast with anything less than a 2 lb. pay load. So with this in mind weight & size of a reel aren't real important for this situation. 

   I have found the Penn Baja / US113  & the Avet HXJ Raptor to be the ultimate in durability & performance compared to any other reels I've used, while still being some what reasonable in size & castable (IS THAT A WORD) when it comes to tossing Heavy Weights & Big Baits for Big River use

   Is there any other reel of the same size as the US113 that cast as well ?

  With the HXJ Raptor I have total & complete confidence I will lose no fish for need of a better performing reel. They are expensive.

     I just got up after a long needed sleep I'm jabbering. Sorry Benni, I just love talking catfish. It never gets old... Jeff

[philaroman]

I have never eaten catfish. Maybe some day I will.   

I have eaten plenty catfish. Maybe some day they'll eat me

I just love talking catfish. It never gets old... Jeff

heard of walking, sailing & man-eating...   talking is new

[Rivverrat]

 

[Benni3]

Well my my friend,,,,, me and marlo got skunked and Adam we trout fish with got 1hybird,,,,, he did show us a "trick"  elastic strap to hold the chicken livers on,,,,, it was as thick as 10lb mono but did the trick wrapped around the live,,,,,,,,,,,

[Benni3]

Hit the river today and got 1 largemouth,,,,,,,,

[Benni3]

I got 4 smallmouths today,,,,,,, today was a good day  ,,,,,,,,,,

[Benni3]

I got 1cat 1yellow perch and marlo 1 yellow perch and 1 hybrid,,,,,,,,,,

[thorhammer]

Nice work That's a fat racoon you got there! I have them in my cove but not so big.

[Benni3]

Nice work That's a fat racoon you got there! I have them in my cove but not so big.

I'm going to get marlo a citation on that one,,,,, but I'm just got songs in my head right now "pancho and lefty" and "old man" it just happens trying to figure it out,,,,,,,,,

[Tiddlerbasher]

Perch taste pretty good - better than trout IMHO

[Rivverrat]

  I think most fish taste better than trout.
Its not terrible. White bass is terible... Jeff

[philaroman]

White bass is terible... Jeff

nothing in the striper family is terrible -- stop overcooking 'em