My Biggest Catfish Catch

by GT

Just a regular fishing day of hooking shell-crackers and good-sized brim; fishing with one of the oldest, most raggedy reels ever (taped up and everything ready to break), with a number 4 hook.

Felt a crazy tug on the line, (keep in mind this #4 hook) and from the weight of the pull, my son and I figured it had to be a carp, just a huge carp... It most certainly was not!

Thirty-five minutes it took us to wrestle with this bad boy before we actually got him to the bank. It fought hard, and went about three times out for deeper water and back in towards us, and at that point after seeing him, we knew it was a catfish.

So, I'm letting out the drag, and trying to hold my ground while my son walked out into the shallow water to pull him out, and there he was - my 37 1/2 inches, 32 lb catfish (weighed and measured afterwards)... the ride home was amazing, and I felt good.

My Biggest Channel Catfish Yet

Was fishing with a buddy out on the lake, in a shallow cove. We were using cut up shad and bluegill. I was using a new pole I had gotten and baited it with a bluegill head and I cast it out, tightened my line and let it sit.

Around the same time my buddy catches a yellow belly and asks me to take it off his hook. While taking it off the hook, it fins me in the knuckle.

That same time I get a monster hit and grab my pole in time to set the hook. While I'm reeling it in it takes off the opposite way and I hear a clank from my reel, and I start to reel in again, all I hear is clanking...

So I grab the line and by hand start slowly pulling the fish in to find out I've caught my biggest catfish on rod and reel. Not much for some people, but for me, a 7 pound catfish is a good catch.

My 10 Pounds, 27 Inch Catfish, Personal Record

by Mark Dillon
(Union City, IN, USA)

We got to our place we go fishing at about 6 p.m. At 6:45 p.m. I caught a 10 pound 27 inch Channel Catfish.

In my family, I came up with the "Big Fish Throne" in which I regained from my 8 year old son.

Though I am still very proud of him for his big catch and "dethroning" me, he was upset. And instead of hurrying back to my pole, I explained to him that his two months of holding down the throne was great. I told him not to be upset and to bait his hook and beat me again.

Jason's response:
Way to go Mark. A little family-friendly big fish competition is a real cool way to bring more excitement to fishing. I'm sure that once your son catches that big fish to regain the throne, he'll be sitting back up on cloud nine again.

More importantly, these are some great building blocks to help a child to learn about competitive sports and acquiring good sportsmanship skills. You're doing a nice job as a Father by taking your kid fishing and teaching him the ropes.

Thanks for sharing your catfish pictures and story. I'll be looking forward to hearing about when your boy takes back the biggest catfish title. ;-)

Good luck freshwater fishing for those big catfish,
Jason

Check out our catfish fishing section for a few cool tips and techniques on catching these whiskerfish.

The Intimadator of Catfish

by Mark Dillon
(Union City, IN, USA)

I was fishing at my local pond in the park one day, and all I had caught was a few fish here and there. But, I had watched an area where folks were catching fish left and right. I did not want to crowd anyone so I sat until they left.

After a few more hours the folks packed up and left so I made my move to the area, which is a spot where I have caught some decent size fish, including my personal best of a 10 pound 27 inch Channel Catfish. I sat down and about 45 minutes later I caught my personal best of a 8 pound 4 ounce, 26.5 inch Blue Catfish.

I was using sun baked chicken liver with garlic powder for bait. I caught the Blue Catfish on a Shakespeare Tiger series spinning combo rod and reel, spooled with 25 lb test Berkley Big Game Trilene fishing line, and an Eagle Claw Lazer sharp circle hook.

58 Pound Catfish

by Chris
(Cullman, AL)

Caught this 58 pound catfish on the Tennessee River.