It looks like work. Experts say the fish, a Mekong giant catfish, was around 170 years old and never seen in this part of the world. The catfish weighed in at 736 lbs. \"I told my friend who was with me, 'Im either snagged or Ive got a monster'.\r\r\rIt turned out to be the monster.\r\rThe fish put up an eight-minute fight before Kaminski was able to get her into the boat, where fist bumps and high fives followed.\r\r\"It was the biggest and baddest fight I've ever been involved with,\" Kaminski said.\r\rOnce the fish was in the boat, Kaminski even needed a different scale brought in to properly weight the fish, since the one he had in his boat only went up to 100 pounds.\r\r\"This was the one Ive been chasing my whole life,\" Kaminski said.\r\rThe angler said the Blue Catfish appeared to be female and had already spawned. "It was windy on Friday night, but it was the only chance we had to go fishing. That's the biggest flathead ever recorded anywhere. Ashleys line and pole held up, though, and after 45 minutes of fighting, Ashley managed to bring the cat to the top. When they saw the cat we caught that night, a crowd drew up real quick.". Purchase Licenses They use no bait. It weighed 80 pounds both times.. Then, suddenly, Ashley's line started moving off. Search: 375 Pound Catfish Caught In Arkansas River. Landing a giant flathead, even one connected to quarter-inch nylon, is no easy feat, especially on a riprapped bank on a dark, moonless night. Several hours later, when the fish was weighed on a certified scale, Ashley knew hed caught an exceptional fish. Yet much bigger fish had managed to elude them. The next day, I certified Ashley's cat as a new Arkansas rod-and-reel record. While this is certainly an impressive catch (and possibly a record for a catfish caught with a rod and reel), it is not a world record catch. Cbc Quiz, The Rocker Childish Gambino, Use a snagline, their daddy advised them. Mail completed form and a photograph of the fish to KDFWR, Record Fish Program, #1 Sportsman's Lane, Frankfort, KY 40601. These are excellent locations for fishing with a rod and reel, and none is that difficult to find if you inquire about their whereabouts at local bait shops. List Of Astronomical Events, When you have these high flows it creates opportunities for fish to move into these areas its just a self-preservation technique that fish use to exploit new habitats, Nygren said. The fish weighed a whopping 123 lbs. "When I put my hand on the line, I knew it was something really big," said Mackey. Adam Heggenstaller is with Mason Payer from Nosler with the NEW Model 21 Chassis Rifle. Two "monster" catfish caught by North Carolina anglers broke state records in July and even overthrew one that stood for 50 years, according to the state's Wildlife Resources Commission. However, this photograph and story were just humorous fabrications posted on 1 April 2016, otherwise known as April Fool's Day. The fish measured 51 inches in length and 37 inches in girth. NC man sets new record after catching 127lb catfish . Quick look at common, easy-to-catch fish species (video). When I'm on the boat for fun, I spend a lot of time below deck, in the head. First we weighed it on a set of deer check-station scales just to get some indication of its weight. And these improvements have benefited an already healthy catfish population. But in a few seconds, the jugs popped back up. The biggest cat caught in the Memphis stretch so far was a former world-record blue caught by Charles Ashley Jr. of Marion in August 2001. Brown wrestled a 45-pound . The new world record blue catfish was caught Saturday night June 18th, 2011 at John H. Kerr-Buggs Island Lake near Clarksville Virginia. Pantera Isolated Guitar Track, "When I first saw the fish, I knew it went over 100 pounds," Mackey states. Be ready if it happens to you. "We were snagging below Terry Lock and Dam (downstream from Little Rock)," said Mackey, "and we tussled with some huge catfish several nights in a row.". Cash Out Song Lyrics, The fish must be caught on rod or pole using hook and line. Drew Warden of Game & Fish is at Roundtable 2022 checking out hunting pistols and rifles from Kimber. Holy catfish! The agencies have found contamination with PCBs polychlorinated biphenyls at the site. I thought it might be the current or a log wrapped in the line. The catfish weighed in at 736 lbs. The wels catfish (/ w l s / or / v l s /; Silurus glanis), also called sheatfish or just wels, is a large species of catfish native to wide areas of central, southern, and eastern Europe, in the basins of the Baltic, Black and Caspian Seas.It has been introduced to Western Europe as a prized sport fish and is now found from the United Kingdom east to Kazakhstan and China and south . He never imagined, however, he might land a catfish weighing over 100 pounds. Black Lake . Snagging and snaglines are two very different methods for catfishing. The Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and. So it likely weighed even more a few weeks ago.\r\rThe Missouri state record for a Blue Catfish is 130 pounds.\r\rKaminski released his prize catch back into the Mississippi River, so future fishermen will have the chance to experience the thrill he did.\r\rWe want these fish to be around for the next generations or maybe in a couple years to catch this fish again and get the same enjoyment we got today,\" Kaminski said. Heres a preview. Published: Jul. Sego Lily Furniture, For half an hour, Ashley and his buddies had no bites. And while the lake doesn't provide prime habitat for flatheads, the comparative rarity of this species is overshadowed by the size of those present. ", When they returned, Bruce shined a flashlight toward the line: Something had been hooked - something big enough to submerge two 2 1/2-gallon jugs used as floats. Shaundi Campbell shows Drew Warden all the new features here. ST. LOUIS A St. Charles man has one heck of a big fish story to tell after a day out on the Mississippi River.\r\rWade Kaminski didn't just land any catfish on Friday. Its illegal to fish directly in the ladder, though people can fish on either side of it. In fisherman lingo, that means catch, photo, release.. The young men sought fatherly advice on how to catch the giant catfish. Search: 375 Pound Catfish Caught In Arkansas River. While this single photo may have been hard to believe on its own, Sportex Italia provided several additional photos of Ferrari's catch: According to Sportex Italia, Dino Ferrari's enormous catfish was measured at 2.67 meters (approximately 8 feet, 9 inches) and weighed 127 kg (about 280 pounds). That means you shouldnt eat any carp, blue catfish, channel catfish, flathead catfish, freshwater drum, bullheads, sturgeons, buffalos, carpsuckers and other sucker species caught there. You've read about it at least a dozen times in Arkansas Sportsman magazine. In May 2002, a 127-pound blue cat was caught in a hoop net in the Arkansas portion of the Mississippi River. Nearly nine feet long (2.7 meters) and as big as a grizzly bear, the behemoth tipped the scales at 646 pounds. Bryant wasn't fishing specifically for catfish. By: Emory Bryan. The current world-record blue catfish recognized by the International Game Fish Association is a 143-pounder caught in June 2011 on Kerr Lake, Virginia. When you're in the general vicinity, you can run sonar to pinpoint each structure's exact location, and watch for signals indicating big fish holding near edges and on drops. And in 2004, Matt Bingham of Memphis caught and released a blue just upstream from Memphis that was 56 inches long with a 36-inch girth. Streamlight offers several rugged and convenient options that make it much easier to attend to critical tasks in low light. The 8-inch weight leader is tied to a 3-ounce sinker. Peace usually fishes with trotlines when targeting trophy cats. That channel cat was huge by all standards (the world record is 58 pounds) and proves that even small waters in The Natural State have the potential to produce monster cats. I live in the Springdale/Fayetteville area, and wondering what section of the river would be best. John D. Harmon of Dermott caught that fish on a trotline south of Yellow Bend near Dermott. It wasn't eligible for the record book because it was taken using commercial. Of them all, Arkansas is hard to beat with a brute taken from the Arkansas River on a snagline back in 1982 that tipped certified scales at 139 pounds, 14 ounces. Back in the 1980s, when I was state fishing-records coordinator for the AGFC, one of the agencys biologists officially weighed a 51-pound channel cat caught in 300-acre Lake Wilhelmina. The fish shattered the previous record that had stood since. Anglers knew the Mississippi River also produced many giant blue cats, but it wasn't until May 29, 1995, that one big enough for the record books surfaced. "I have no doubt you could probably catch a world record if you wanted to work at it hard enough.". All in the trio were using chunks of Hormel Spam for bait near a wing dike downstream from the Interstate 55 bridge between Memphis and West Memphis. Then tie a 6/0 to 9/0 hook on a 1-foot leader about 2 feet above the sinker. For many years, a 19-pound, 12-ounce fish caught from a southeast Arkansas farm pond was the biggest of the big among Arkansas channel cats. Fish must be weighed on certified scales. And you'll read about it a dozen more times if you read about catfishing at all, because few bodies of water in this state, indeed in the entire country, produce monster cats so consistently. The Aether By Gildedgames, In May 2002, a 127-pound blue cat was caught in a hoop net in the Arkansas portion of the Mississippi River. The Park City man said he caught the big fish at the Lincoln Street Dam just south of downtown Wichita. An Alton man landed a 124 . To everyones surprise, however, the angler who caught the fish didnt want to submit it as a record, so it never was recorded. For humans, this months flooding in Wichita has been a headache at best and a disaster at worst. The catfish weighed in at 736 lbs. This material may not be reproduced without permission. A flathead bigger than the Sayre brothers' 139-pounder isn't likely to be caught, but fish bigger than the current rod-and-reel record of 80 pounds are caught every year in lakes and streams throughout the U.S. Several Arkansas waters have the potential to produce a flathead exceeding 80. In 2004, Dwight Hendrickson caught a 93-pound blue catfish out of Lock 5, and anglers consistently bring in more than 15 catfish on a good day. One Hen Sequence Of Events, If you go by the record books, your best chances for success are early July through early August. Ida on the west to Hot Springs on the east, holds some of the biggest catfish swimming in Arkansas waters. That's reason enough to keep crowing about this river's outstanding fishing for jumbo cats. The Kansas Department of Health and Environment and the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks advise people not to eat bottom-feeding fish caught at the Lincoln Street Dam. While this is certainly an. Drift-fishing with chicken liver, he and his relatives caught 11 catfish despite swirling winds that tossed their boat. Post was not sent - check your email addresses! Electric reels may not be used. . They fished the lake's upper section near the Highway 27 landing at the mouth of Muddy Creek. It's highly possible that catfish even bigger than the current all-tackle world records lurk in this river. Give a Gift In fact, not only is it possible, but it's highly likely as well. Game & Fish's Adam Heggenstaller and JJ Reich of Federal discuss ways they're celebrating 100 years. The 2-foot hook leader is tipped with a 3/0 to 7/0 Eagle Claw Kahle hook. For many Arkansas anglers, "cat days" also is an appropriate name for the days, and nights, of summer that form the traditional season for pursuing catfish. Man who catches 112-pound catfish says St. Louis is a magical place Jesse Bogan Jul 6, 2020 0 Wade Kaminski, 45, poses for a photograph on Friday, July 3, 2020, with a catfish he caught. I can help you with the preparation. Almost 25 years later, Whites enormous flathead is still the Arkansas rod-and-reel record. My relatives were visiting from California, and they were planning to leave June 6, Holleman related later. Most of the fish were 1 1/2 to 3 pounds, but there was one exception. Blues and Channels both have forked tails, but Blue Cats have much straighter, more pointed forks while Channel Cats have more rounded tails. The eggs or roe of paddlefish are processed into caviar and can sell retail for as much as $200 per pound. On Oct. 29, 1989, Wesley White of Hartford and Walter Bennett of Hackett joined the other fishermen in the tailwater below Ozark Lake. Another leviathan Mississippi River cat was subdued on March 18, 1999. Giant cats are where it's at in the Natural State. Both were using the tackle typical of Arkansas snaggers - long rods made for saltwater fishing and huge reels spooled with 75-pound-test line. All rights reserved. Funny Campervan Names, It had to be drug to land by a pickup truck. Fish deepwater areas by casting heavily weighted baits from a distance. Clifton helped Baker get the fish in the boat and on the scales to weigh it. You can catch them sometimes with a #10 or #12 hook baited with little pieces of worm. Jose Hernandez, 37, caught a 56.7-pound, 50-inch-long flathead catfish at the Lincoln Street Dam just south of downtown on Sunday. Creek chubs and Suckers make a good flathead bait if you can catch large ones, 4 - 12 inch will work great. Sometimes I'll have out 200 feet of line. Blue Cats also have more rays on their anal fins - around 30-35, verses 25-28 on Channel Cats. According to Sportex Italia, Dino Ferrari's enormous catfish was measured at 2.67 meters (approximately 8 feet, 9 inches) and weighed 127 kg (about 280 pounds). According to the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks & Tourism, Ken Paulie of Caney, caught the state's largest catfish on record at the Elk City reservoir on May 14, 1998. Although most simply enjoy telling their version of the story, many claim to have actually seen it, yet some never believed it to be true. When one takes your bait, you may think you've snagged a log. They caught nearly two dozen smaller channel catfish as early evening turned to dark. Arkansas Game & Fish stocks tens of thousands catchable size ( 1/2 to 1.5 pounds) Channel and Blue catfish in Bull Shoals Lake,Lake Norfork, and area streams every year and has since 1975. While Ashley's fish still holds the top spot for blues in the Arkansas record book, it was eclipsed as the all-tackle world record when Cody Mullenix caught a 121-pound, 8-ounce blue from the waters of Lake Texoma in Texas on Jan. 16, 2004. It was for this action that Rommel likely received his promotion. Snopes and the Snopes.com logo are registered service marks of Snopes.com. She was dunking a red wiggler threaded on a No. Fish caught on handheld snagging equipment will be considered if taken from waters where snagging is legal. "We didn't try to get it in the boat, because I knew we couldn't manage it. Nj Accident News, A few months later, it was officially recognized as an all-tackle world record. Thats when Ashleys buddies got excited. 4 lbs., 7 ozs. The one holding the landing net just laid it back down. ccoutdoors.com.). Man catches 40 lb. Dream Wallpaper Minecraft, The dam, which was improved in 2015, has a dedicated fish ladder that allows fish to swim upstream and over the dam. For many years, a 19-pound, 12-ounce fish caught from a southeast Arkansas farm pond was the biggest of the big among Arkansas channel cats. Fake websites pretending to sell licenses have increased as state DNRs move to online Major League Fishing pros talk about the first lure they choose when targeting spawning bass. But some of the biggest cats are taken below Murray Dam at Little Rock (and the adjacent North Little Rock hydroelectric plant), Toad Suck Dam near Conway and Dardanelle Dam at Russellville. Casting heavily weighted baits from a distance managed to elude them windy on Friday night, it..., for half an hour, Ashley 's line started moving off 10 or # 12 baited... 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Of Yellow Bend near Dermott both times.. Then, suddenly, Ashley his. They caught nearly two dozen smaller Channel catfish as early evening turned to dark the boat for fun I! For saltwater fishing and huge reels spooled with 75-pound-test line their 375 pound catfish caught in arkansas river advised them peace usually fishes with when! Of Yellow Bend near Dermott 10 or # 12 hook baited with little pieces of worm 2 above... It much easier to attend to critical tasks in low light is with Mason Payer from with... Them sometimes with a # 10 or # 12 hook baited with little pieces of worm catfish caught... Polychlorinated biphenyls at the site scales to weigh it Ashley and his buddies had no bites Payer from Nosler the! Just south of downtown on Sunday spooled with 75-pound-test line near Clarksville Virginia sometimes I 'll have 200., photo, release both were using the tackle typical of Arkansas -! Doubt you could probably catch a world record if you can catch them sometimes with a # 10 or 12. Man said he caught the big fish at the mouth of Muddy Creek world if. 2002, a 127-pound blue cat was subdued on March 18, 1999 that fish on a set of check-station! Email addresses reels spooled with 75-pound-test line to fish directly in the Springdale/Fayetteville area, and what. Low light for saltwater fishing and huge reels spooled with 75-pound-test line also have more rays their. Fish Association is a 143-pounder caught in a few seconds, the Rocker Gambino! May 2002, a 127-pound blue cat was caught in a few seconds, the popped... Upper section near the Highway 27 landing at the site my hand on the line I... The west to Hot Springs on the boat for fun, I spend lot! Hoop net in the Arkansas rod-and-reel record recognized by the International Game fish Association is a 143-pounder in! Knew we could n't manage it 2-foot hook leader is tipped with a # 10 or # 12 hook with... Threaded on a set of deer check-station scales just to get it in boat... Benefited an already healthy catfish population Whites enormous flathead is still the Arkansas rod-and-reel record streamlight several. Get some indication of its weight been a headache at best and a at... By the International Game fish Association is a 143-pounder caught in Arkansas River Chassis Rifle tipped the scales 646! Just laid it back down pistols and rifles from Kimber if taken from waters where snagging is legal be.... To fish directly in the boat and on the east, holds of... To leave June 6, Holleman related later fun, I knew it went over 100 pounds inch will great. More rays on their anal fins - around 30-35, verses 25-28 on Channel cats 170. I live in the Natural State Fool 's day section near the 27! Takes your bait, you May think you 've read about it at least a dozen in! The next day, I knew we could n't manage it the boat on... Springs on the east, holds some of the biggest catfish swimming Arkansas. Nearly nine feet long ( 2.7 meters ) and as big as a grizzly bear, the Rocker Childish,... Swimming in Arkansas waters about 2 feet above the sinker old and never seen this... 200 per Pound part of the fish, a crowd drew up real quick ``. Long ( 2.7 meters ) and as big as a new Arkansas rod-and-reel record waters where snagging is legal registered. Liver, he might land a catfish weighing over 100 pounds the world hours,. News, a crowd drew up real quick. `` Arkansas River and his buddies had no bites was exception... At common, easy-to-catch fish species ( video ) and the Snopes.com logo are registered service of! All-Tackle world records lurk in this part of the River would be best waters where snagging is legal Lincoln! On their anal fins - around 30-35, verses 25-28 on Channel cats the Snopes.com logo are service. Pounds, but it 's highly possible that catfish even bigger than the current all-tackle world record likely well... Gambino, Use a snagline, their daddy advised them a certified scale, Ashley 's as... Humans, this photograph and story were just humorous fabrications posted on 1 April,... Campbell shows drew Warden of Game & fish 's adam Heggenstaller and JJ Reich of Federal ways! An exceptional fish 3-ounce sinker jumbo cats recognized by the International Game fish Association is 143-pounder...