I got switched over to midnight shift last week and it is about to kill me! I got home Sat morning and grabbed 3 hrs sleep, and hit the shop! Around 5:00pm dad, my brother in law, uncle, and a couple friends show up at the house. Get your gear we are going cat fishing! We got bait, food, beer, and everything lets go!
I grabbed my catfish rods threw them in the truck and down the road we went! Very good night and a well needed break for me. Not much like some big Flatheads and cold beer, warm fire and cool night fresh air!
Action started slow but picked up around 9:00pm. I ended up with a couple nice Flatheads, 24 pounds, 12 pounds, 18 pounds, and 45 pounds. We cough several nice fish between all of us.
Here is Payton with a 6 pound flat.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v70/keekee/Fishing/paytonfish.jpg?t=1182712991)
Josh with a nice 31 pound flat.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v70/keekee/Fishing/Josh31.jpg?t=1182713062)
Uncle Bob with a 18 pound flat.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v70/keekee/Fishing/bobflathead.jpg?t=1182713179)
We had a good night all and all. We had a couple visitors stop by to see us as well.
Mom and my nephew Blane.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v70/keekee/Fishing/blane.jpg?t=1182713239)
And this little feller! I just got threw talking to the guy that owns this land we use to get to the water here and he ask me if I would take out some of the Muskrats and Beaver in the area and I told him I would be glad to! This little feller will be seeing a stretcher later this fall! They have flooded the road into here several times this spring. Looks like I maybe seeing some good trapping this fall!
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v70/keekee/Fishing/beaver.jpg?t=1182713406)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v70/keekee/Fishing/beaver1.jpg?t=1182713448)
It was a good night and a well needed break from all the work!
Brent
Now that's what I would call a fun family gathering......sweet!! :congrats: :congrats:
Yeah looks like fun. I'm glad ya got out and away for a bit, maybe you'll get off my back for a day or so :biggrin: :laf:
Nice cats daaaaaaang!
That sounded like pure fun. Nice cats :highclap:
Sounds like fun. Nice cats makes me wont to get out and fish some at night. Never caught any that big. :yoyo:
Come on up Rich! I will put you right on them! I got all the gear and the beer! :biggrin:
Hey Jim,
Did you get all that stuff done yet? I seen you were partying with Rick all weekend!
Brent
Brent,
Glad to hear (and see) that you had a good time. We have some night cat fishermen around here, but I have never given it a try. Maybe this summer I will have to load up on mosquito repellent and head out.
Jerry
Its a fun time Jerry! If you get in the big fish it can be a blast! We have had nights here when we hit it just right were we get 30 plus fish between 20 and 50 pounds! That's a good night! It is slowing down some now. Water is getting hot, but we get several about every trip!
Your welcome to head down here, we will get you out on the boat! A free place to stay, good food, and good fishing!
Brent
Looks like you had a good night. I went out Saturday night. We caught fish but nothing over 5lbs.
Do you use cut bait or live bait?
I like the cut bait for the big Blue cats but they are slow this time of year. The big flat heads seem to like the warmer water. If I use cut bait it is Skip Jack or Cut Shad.
For the big Flats I like BIG baits. Slab size Blue Gills, or 8-12 suckers or creak cubs. I will even use baby carp or bass if I can get them. I'm not a bit afraid to run a 12" bait.
I like the War mouth Blue gills or the big back ones better, but to me just as long as the swim hard and are very active and big I'm happy!
Brent
Every once in a while you need to take them relaxing breaks, looks like a good time was had !!! thats what its all about right there.
Do you guys eat the cats ?? The owner of a local watering hole here beer battered and deep fried up some catfish and
man was that ever tasty.
Muskrats are awesome little buggers, the fur on them little guys gotta be the softest out there. I dont understand why the prices on them are always low.. overflow of rats on the fur market ?
If I eat the cats it is the small ones. There the best for table fare. But that's not what I am after, I will set all night for one good run or hook up! Those small cats sure make good table fair though! Nothing better than beer batter Fried catfish!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
From what I under stand they started farming Muskrats, and that's what brought the fur price down. Just like the Mink and the Foxes. Truth is here Muskrats are hard to come by. When I was a kid 300 hundred rats was normal for me in a season. Being right on the Ohio river. But now the creaks and river don't have many rats.
I can remember getting 60 bucks for a Mink and good money out of a fox, red or grey. Now its just Penny's compared to the old days. And they are harder to trap now then ever just because we don't have as many here. A 300 hundred year here now would be awesome!
Brent
That looks like one heck of a "mess of fish" ya got there. :shck: Those are some nice looking cats. :congrats:
The catfish was just an added bonus to the great time with family and friends. :yoyo: :highclap: Glad you had a good time, Brent!
"The catfish was just an added bonus to the great time with family and friends."
That's a fact Semp!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :biggrin: Hard to beat the good times cat fishing with friends and family setting around a warm fire, with a cold beer! :yoyo:
Brent