Posted on 08/24/2002 11:07:42 AM PDT by ATOMIC_PUNK
Edited on 04/13/2004 2:34:44 AM PDT by Jim Robinson. [history]
LANCASTER -- One-hundred pound flathead catfish could eventually take over the Susquehanna River and disrupt its ecosystem, according to the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission.
Last week, commission officials confirmed that the species recently entered the Susquehanna River. And officials are worried the predatory fish, which can reach more than 100 pounds, could cause problems for other species.
(Excerpt) Read more at post-gazette.com ...
I wouldn't doubt it. Back in 1972, hubby caught a 47 lb blue humpy out of Lake Travis around Smithwick on a trot line. Had a HECK of a time getting it in the boat and it wasn't that big. Was as big as our daughter (she was 3) He made the local paper with a picture (Marbls Falls)
That's a big fish. Kerry probably hit one of those with his swift boat, and mistook it for a second mine explosion.
IIRC, the record catch for a flathead is almost 5 feet in length and nearly 60 pounds. There have been photographs published from the late 1800s and early 1900s that showed catfish caught on trotlines estimated to be 8-10 feet in length and weighing in at around the century mark.
I'd chalk up all the catfish under the dam stories as embellishment if not for a couple of guys I heard it from. They aren't the kind of guys who stretch a story or tell tall tales.
Granted, deep in a muddy river with almost non-existant visibility, perceptions can be distorted. But, they swore to what they said that they saw. And one guy won't go back down there again. No matter how many times he's been asked.
Nice asain Cat's thier. I was gonna give you all a link to those but lsot the webpage and thank god some one else found it. Man think about having one of thsoe for dinner now. Also on the link to the other forum I gave a little bit ago you can see the biggest fish ever reeled in by a rod. Check him out. He's a big amazon Cat.
True.
The unrestricted division gives weights of the record blue at 118,flathead at 106 and alligator gar is 182.
The Oklahoma record 118 pound bluecat was caught in Lake Texoma,the same lake that gave Texas it's record 121 pound blue caught on R&R.The best catfish lake I know of for both numbers and size.
The Oklahoma record 118 pound bluecat was caught in Lake Texoma,the same lake that gave Texas it's record 121 pound blue caught on R&R.The best catfish lake I know of for both numbers and size.
I thought my numbers were probably on the conservative side. Point being, there's some big ol' cat down deep. Who knows how big they may get. I'm sure some are embellished and some are true.
I've done commercial diving in a number of States and catch catfish with about any legal method,according to where I am.Don't think there's a catfish out there that could scare me out of the water.
Plenty of guys I know are the same way and you couldn't keep us "out" of the water if we could believe some of the stories.
That's cool. Also come on guys psot more to keep the cool thread going.
See post 131 for Okie records.
The 98 pounder still isn't up to the 118 pound unrestricted fish but it raised the r and r record quite a bit,IIRC.
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I now spend most of my time on the Red and Washita along with Lake Texoma.There are more good fish caught out of the Lake because more people fish it than the Rivers.The Rivers are full of good fish but if you don't know them well it can be hard to get access.It's nice livin' in "hog" heaven.Spent a lot of time living and working on waters all over for different reasons but this area is the best catfishing for size and numbers that I know of.
Thought someone might post an article about the 98 pounder but hadn't seen anything so posted here to y'all.
Because Oklahoma sucks..........
;^)
I grew up in Vegas so I have not done much fishing. Last night on Hank Hill it showed them in a river. They put stink bait on their hands and reached into the river untill a big cat grabbed ahold of their hand. Now you mention noodling. Does this really work? Do the cats just bite your finger and then you "hook" them? Or will they try to swallow your fist? Do you actually catch many fish this way?
"I've even had a lot of fun with a rod and reel underwater with smaller fish because they can swim all around or over you."
Fun until the fish wraps 20# test line around your neck mulitple times and then pulls hard.
Never mind. I have read the rest of the thread. Thats crazy!!
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