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. Will you catch a 100-pound catfish this year? Commercial anglers have reported netting flathead catfish as large as 100 pounds, and as recently as 2017 a flathead catfish in the 70- to 80-pound range was voluntarily released by an angler fishing in the St. Catfish are often found in muddy rivers, lakes, and on beaches in tropical, subtropical, and temperate waters. The Game and Fish Commission has been working for several years to improve sediment problems, stabilize shorelines and keep the water at optimum levels. Set the hook, and it will turn into a bulldog of a fighter. Flatheads weighing more than 50 pounds are taken more often than most folks realize. “We were concerned with keeping the fish alive”. If you go by the record books, your best chances for success are early July through early August. Big cats usually hit hard and quick, so rod holders are necessary if you fish more rods than you can hold.". No doubt you've heard about the great catfishing in the Arkansas River. It would seem that a bait tossed to the edge of one of these huge suckholes would swirl round and round. No fish are more thrilling to catch. For more information on state record fish visit: Tournament News & Results – Bass, Walleye, Crappie, Redfish and More, 100 Pound Tennessee Flathead Catfish Reeled In, Possible 100 Pound Tennessee Flathead Catfish Reeled In. But today, many aficionados have another goal: catching a monster blue or flathead exceeding 50 pounds, and preferably one pushing 100. The following contains information on several monster Arkansas catfish honeyholes — lakes and rivers with high potential for producing a catfish over the century mark. The 2-foot hook leader is tipped with a 3/0 to 7/0 Eagle Claw Kahle hook. All Game & Fish subscribers now have digital access to their magazine content. If you've been catching catfish with the same method for years, it's time to change it up and... A mock whitetail scrape is easier—and cheaper—than you might think. "The mouths of these streams are ideal places for catching big cats," Peace told me. Forget finicky flatheads and boorish blues. The number of monster flatheads produced by this central Arkansas impoundment is nothing short of astounding. The only reason it's not in the record book is because only pole catches were considered at the time it was caught. Hooking a true monster requires a different... Give a Gift
Males are mature from 16 cm (6.3 in) and 4 years of age, while females mature from 18 cm (7.1 in) and 5 years of age, but may mature as late as 10 years. But many anglers believe much larger blues lurks here, perhaps even a 150-pounder. Maybe you could catch the new boat record! 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. The outside bends of the river are among the most productive hotspots, especially where trees have toppled in and the river has gouged into the bank forming undercuts. ", Patterson relies on two primary baits. The 8-inch weight leader is tied to a 3-ounce sinker. "Cats move from the main river into smaller streams when feeding, and if a line is placed along their travel route, I'm likely to catch some dandy fish.". Southern-Style Fried Shellcrackers Recipe, Easton FMJ Arrows Offer Bowhunters More Penetration, Mud Hole MHX Rod Building Kits: Field-Tested, 6 Steps to the Perfect Trigger Pull on Your Compound Bow, Amazing Kayak Power and Control: Hobie's MirageDrive 360 Propulsion System, Destination Spotlight: Red River Channel Cats, How to Catch Suspended Catfish in Late Summer with Proven Tactics, Hunting Elk with the Ruger Hawkeye Long Range Hunter in 6.5 PRC, Understanding Reel Retrieve Ratios and How it Affects Lure Presentations, Hobie MirageDrive 360 Kayak Propulsion: Amazing Control and Power, Catch More Bass on a Jerkbait in the Cooler Months. Reposition your rig if necessary to achieve this end, then prepare for the rod-jarring strike that will soon follow if a giant cat is nearby. Big Flathead Catfish Fishing How To's. In August 2008, Brad Stout of Rosie caught and released a 116-pounder on the river near Helena. He added, “The catfish was older than me. He stretches each line from an anchor point on shore into deeper water, and then secures the line's other end to a burlap bag weighted with rocks. TWRA employees hope so. That's reason enough to keep crowing about this river's outstanding fishing for jumbo cats. The lines are baited with small carp or big goldfish purchased from bait dealers. It was the Sunday of Memorial Day weekend and Troy along with his father, Mike Powers and neighbor, Derrick Stafford decided to go Catfishing on Watts Bar Lake. Three state-record flathead catfish also came from the Arkansas. For more information on state record fish visit: tnwildlife.org. Try your luck at trophy cats on this excellent border water. That monster weighed 116 pounds, 12 ounces. TWRA Region III employees were excited to see the photos that were quickly spread through the office. Tim Trone of Havana, Florida, set a Georgia record for a blue catfish catch. Just about everyone knows the story, the crappie fisherman who battled a 50-pounder on a tiny jig and eight-lb. This lake is clear, deep and enormous.