Big Catfish

[tarheel]

When hunting seasons are over we turn to setting hooks for cats. This is the fourth one over forty pounds caught by my cousin (hunting & fishing buddy too since we got our first BB guns). It was 48" long and weighed 55 lbs. The river is down now finally so it's time for conventional tackle and normal fishing.

 

[Big luke1981]

Holy Catfish.....Nice Catch

 

[Mudranger1]

you should that ther noodlin technique! very nice how do those taste?

 

[Oak]

Speaking of noodling...

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/otl/news/story?id=6584832

Who woulda thunk that it was illegal in Texas?

 

[highmountian]

Yikes that thing is big.

 

[Outdooraddict]

That's a monster. What do you catch something like that on?

 

[tarheel]

you should that ther noodlin technique! very nice how do those taste?

Not too bad; they're a bit fatty in some areas but tasty still. We cut them into nuggets then bread in a premixed fish breading produced by House Autry Milling in Eastern NC, then deep fry in peanut oil.

 

[tarheel]

Speaking of noodling...

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/otl/news/story?id=6584832

Who woulda thunk that it was illegal in Texas?

We don't noodle here, just use set hooks on a 350lb braided line tied off to overhanging tree branches.

 

[DRAFTSTUD]

Real nice Cat. I hope to do the same this weekend up at the Poteau River in Arkansas. Yes, the big ones take a little time to time out, nothing is as nasty as fried catfish fat! LOL John

 

[tarheel]

That's a monster. What do you catch something like that on?

We used to use squid, but that was expensive and as the river warmed enough for the turtles to come out, they'd strip the bait before the fish found it. Sometimes cut up hotdog links; again, turtles. Our bait of choice is now (and this is no BS), Ivory soap! We cut bars of Ivory soap into 1" cubes, drill a hole through it and pass the hook through the hole. The soap slowly melts and releases an oily scented trail into the slowly moving river & the cats just follow it to it's origin, and the best part is that the turtles don't bother the bait. So now our secret is out on the bait, you guys go get you some cats; just be sure to use strong line and hooks.

 

[putm2sleep]

River Monster! Real nice cat.

 

[noharleyyet]

A pig tarheel....hey, you landscaping the trailer?

 

[Mudranger1]

and just how do you come up with that one

 

[tarheel]

A pig tarheel....hey, you landscaping the trailer?

No, the camper got caught in a flood from Hurricane Floyd a few years back so it's been blocked up above normal high water and is now used for storage. the shelter is for boat and lawnmower storage, cleaning fish or skinning deer, whatever. There's a wood stove and seating for extended BS sessions. The main "camp" structure is the doublewide; sleeps eight in beds and more on the floor. Overhead fans, 6 rocking chairs and a large swing on the porch just for watching the river go by. Ducks, deer, bear, pigs, beaver, otter, turkey, coyote, coon, possum, squirrel all have been observed from that porch. A good place to hang out.

 

[tarheel]

and just how do you come up with that one

Assuming you mean the Ivory soap; I don't remember if we heard it from someone else or figured it out ourselves, probably the former. We're pretty smart, but not conniving, and that had to be dreamed up by a conniver. For you guys out in the RMW who fish for trout with salmon eggs, try squirting some WD-40 in your Green Labels and let it marinade for a couple of days before use. It's about 90% fish oil and the trout will pick up on the oily scent and find those eggs before the leaches do.

 

[DRAFTSTUD]

About 42 years ago I was told by some old Timers about using P&G Soap (Proctor & Gamble?). So I guess the soap trick has been around for a long time. John