pool 4 catfish league/derby/gathering????

I’m just running an idea through my head. I’m curious to know how many people would be interested in a weekly/bi-weekly/monthly catfish league or contest throughout the summer? We could have some sort of cumulative point system and have a “pool 4 catfish king” at the end of the summer. Are there many people interested in something like this. I’m open to suggestions/formats/ideas…..just brainstorming right now. Lets get an idea of how many people are interested.

To sweeten the pot, EFN would be willing to donate some goodies, maybe even some cash, to award to the winners if there was enough interest, to see this idea really get off the ground and grow.

And of course you’d have a really convenient place to post results, pics, and we could probably come up with a system to track points to keep the leaders straight if that’s what Steve wants to see happen.

Just thinking here too…

hi Steve, sounds like a good idea. I’d prefer it to be with partners or an obsever, take a picture of fish, use measured lengths so fish could be returned immediately back to water, If we had to drag them around in a livewell,bring them in into weigh them, then I wouldn’t be interested. I think the cats and flatheads in this fishery are too valuable and fragile to take much handling. Jack.

one other thought, some folks get too crazy when the thought of a cash prize is offered, then the resource gets pounded by a few good cat fisherman, and it’s never the same. I just don’t like that idea and think the fishery wouldn’t take it for long. I’d like to hear what CHRIS’ thoughts are on the subject. Jack.

You could have it an individual competion and draw names for your partner.You fish with a different guy at each event.This way you have a witness and can release fish immediatly.This is a fun way to learn new things.I have always believed that the more people you fish with the more you learn.Everyone fishes a little differently and you can pick up things from every one.Plus you get to know more fishin buddies.

Rather than having cash prizes give out gear.Good for your sponsors and good for the fisherman.Heck what about a bucket of sour suckers.every catman can use that.LOL

I am very interested in this, where do I sign up. When I was a muskies inc. member they ran a catch and release contest for the year. Point values were awarded to a fish depending on its length. At the end of the year the angler with the most points won their respective division. It was totaly on the honor system. You had to fill out a form with the signature of a witness. I dont know if we would need to go to these lengths, but a general set up like this could work I think. We could run two divisions too, one for flats and one for channels. The season could start may 1st and end sept. 1st.I would like to have a meeting or something so we could register all the participants before hand so people cant just jump in through out the year.You could run a board out of your resort posting the current standings. Maybe through out the season we could through in a tourney or two.As far as hurting the system, its not like there are goinf to be thousands or dollars at stake and there is hardly ever anyone out fishing cats on pool 4 through out the summer so I dont think the fish would be getting punded too bad. Just my two cents. I would love to see this go through.

Sounds fun and I’m willing to help organize and such also. Man….do I need a john boat!!!

Good idea – probably put a stop to the kids and I catching so many by accident

I think that this would be a great idea. I am in forsure. Bigtime might have a good idea with the points system. I think that we should have a meeting just to figure out some of the details if possible. I think that it would be a fun way to incorporate some competition for the fun of it. Cyclone

I agree with the measurement system vs bringing fish in to weigh and so on. I like the idea of having your partner verify the fish or another boat and so on. This wouldn’t be for thousands of dollars or maybe not for any cash at all, just prizes. It would just be a fun thing for the catfisherman to do, therefore eliminating the need to lie or cheat. I know Jack mentioned to me that his fishing club has something like this. You have the choice to fish one of two or three days for that week. That way, you would not have to save every tues/thurs/sat or whatever for fishing. You could choose your day to fish for that week or month or however often we would do it. I think we should get together and work something out sometime. Anymore suggestions/comments?

I am already the catfish king!!!! sorry, Dirk, Bigtime, catdad….. this is NO contest!!!!!!! just kidding …… sounds like a great time…… I wouldn’t suggest cash prizes….. whenever that happens you will have cheating, sounds like fun though…… when does the first one start!!!!

Mavzer, since you wont have time to fish can I use your John boat?? Don’t worry, I’ll take pictures!!

I will make time…… smarty.. and yes you can use it whenever I’m not…….

being that your a god in all, have you posted any of your big fish would like to see all your success. Catdad is on a in-fisherman video and bigtime is taking me out for free. I know your just kidding but still would enjoy seeing your pictures.

Ya Mavzer, lets see some of those pics!! I’ve got one of your winning flathead at the FTR tourney. Come to think of it though thats the only cat I’ve seen you catch!!! I’d post it but no scanner. Now I need a John and a scanner.

PS – Maz grabbed MY rod for that winning fish when I was weeing. The truth is finally out!!!

I do not consider myself a “god” I have a good time ribbing some of my catfishing buddies on the board here (Dirk inparticular) so if I come of as arrogant or full of myself I apologize….. no I am not in any “in-fisherman” videos and I don’t take a camera with me unless I go with friends….. I don’t even think I own a picture of the cat that Dirk is talking about.. but I do have some pictures but 90% of them are of my girlfriend holding them or relatives and friends…… my biggest channel was 21/22 pds cought on the miss…. and my biggest flathead is ?? I usually never wiegh them …. This makes me FAR from a catfishing god, I offered to take you out fishing for free…… if you want some proof then tag along some time the biggest thrill there for me is not pictures of my catches or pounding my chest…. it’s giving others the opportunity to experience… when you do catch a couple nice cats…. your hooked and it becomes a lifelong passion…. when you fish with guys like Dirk, bigtime, etc….who are just as passionate about cattin it ads to the fun…. that’s why I metioned sharing a boat sometime… but if you do go… you will have to bring a camera because if you have seen my setup a camera is the last thing you would find…. I guess I never really thought it helped, plus I am to [censored] ugly for pictures.

Any news on a meeting or something to get this catfish tourney going? I would like to see this go through. We will definatley need someone to keep an eye on mavzer, he tends to cheat

Bigtime me and steve were in the process of putting something together out of the resort at Everett’s I will fill yo in with the Details/////// MAVZER

Sounds good. I will be back in the states weds. Time to get back to buisness, fishing

Sweet why don’t you just stay in Mexico because you love it so much!!! Ya thats right. Really though, I would love to see this happen so I am in for whatever. Just keep me informed. Cyclone

Would this include pool 3 as well? I have fished pool 4 but the only good spots I know of are in pool 3 side channels and backwaters. I am totally unfamiliar with pool 4 below the lock and dam area (I don’t even know where the resort is). My brother and I go fishing in pool 3 several times during the summer so we might like to be a part of it.

My friends and I had a contest last year where we kept a record of the biggest fish for each species, and biggest fish overall (which not surprisingly was a flathead that came from pool 3). Maybe we could do something like this, for example each person keeps track of their 3 largest channels and 3 largest flats then at the end the award is for the biggest 3 fish total for each and the overall largest cat. Just a thought.

By the way it is true that money prizes bring cheating, I’ve witnessed it in person and it is very discouraging when you are trying to play fair.

This would be a great opportunity to learn pool 4 a little bit carpchaser and get yourself familiar with some of the area including Everett’s resort and some of the guys that fish the area…. I think that pool 3 could be easily included in the catfishing league…. anyone one else have any suggestions throw them out there……

HEY STEVE,

I’M NEW TO THE AREA,AND WAS PRETTY HAPPY TO READ THAT THERE ARE ANGLERS IN THE AREA WHO HAVE SOME COMMON INTERESTS IN CATFISHING.I THINK A LEAGUE OR A GATHERING OF LOCAL ANGLERS WOULD BE GREAT.I’M IN FOR SURE.WE NEED TO PICK A PLACE AND A TIME,AND WE CAN ALL GATHER AND TALK CATFISHING AND GO FROM THERE.A POINT SYSTEM WITH CATCH AND RELEASE SOUNDS LIKE A GOOD IDEA,BUT DURING THE SEASON,A DERBY OR TWO INCLUDING WEIGH-INS SOUNDS COMPETETIVE ALSO.HOW DOES THAT SOUND TO EVERYONE?FINS-UP!

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It’s not that I don’t want to fish in pool 4, it’s that I’m not familiar with it as I said. Where are some good places to fish in pool 4? You don’t have to give away any secret spots, it’s just such a large area where do you start? I hear there’s some big cats there. Last year we tried to fish the main channel in pool 3 (big mistake), nearly got swamped by huge yachts and speed boats that created monster waves (not to mention barges). On a weekend in the summer you can forget about trying to fish the main channel, there are constantly 2-3 foot waves and if you have a small boat, your life could be in danger (that’s my experience anyways). We nearly tipped over out there and on shore we got flooded from waves crashing over the back of the boat. It would be nice to find an area just off the main river or any place with little boat traffic.

There is some good back channel …… areas in pool 4 that are easy to access with a small rig….and once the league is developed we can always have you go with someone that know the area a little better……