I believe him!

I started out early yesterday to try a few spots on P4…I’m glad I did because after chit chatting with my favorite resort manager…Dean at Evert’s…it was very close to 6 pm before I got into the water.

I was to meet Mr. “this monkey is getting heavy” Ralf Wiggams between 7:30 and 8…

Without much time…I was fishing at the dam until it was time to go pick up Ralf…not much happening…so I figured…I’ll run back to Evert’s to fish off the dock…as I yanked the line off the bottom to clear the rocks…my line pulled back!

With the currant there..I figured this fish was going to be in the high 30’s…turns out she was just shy of 22…but what a fight… I could tell she knew I was coming..because she was wearing lip stick

Couple pics and off to pick up Mr. TMiGH..Wiggums.

Once Ralf was in the boat..I noticed the boat seemed heavier than normal..checked the bilge pump…no..not taking on any water…

Went back to the daylight spot that always seems to produce a fish or 5..although smaller…this is when I had an inkling that we weren’t alone. Nota bite.

We moved to a spot that looked so fishy that I was thinking we would stay there all night and have action..

Well, to sum this trip up…that first cat..when I was alone was to be the only one to make it to the boat all night!javascript:void(0)

It wasn’t because we didn’t have a chance or FIVE. My first pickup resulted in a bh lunch for the cat..hook came back bare without a hook set…second one, I felt the bh slide out of the flatties mouth…and Ralf…well, he felt fish…just enough to tease him. His last run ended with the fish in the wood and ended up breaking off.

When Ralf says he has a monkey on his back…believe him! His once cute little fella has grown into a big, ugly monster!

The only positive I can see for Ralf is that the percentages are with him…when they fall in his favor…look out ’cause this catter is going to be HOT!

If anyone is interested in not catching fish, please PM and I’ll be glad to ruin a trip for you

Thanks for the trip, though, Brian. It’s always a pleasure. At least we got to see some interesting barges.

I think I would have preferred to lose my last fish.

Its just not right when your boat is beached on shore and you get a bite(not knowing it) and the fish comes and hides under the transom of your boat. I had just put the bullhead on a couple minutes before for a last cast.. well, a couple minutes were up and I had to reel in to head back for the launch. I thought I lost my rig as I reeled in all the way to the boat with no resistence.. Suddenly I felt my bullhead really shaking boat side and I reeled it up out of the water. My bullhead turned into a flathead around 2 pounds and fell off the hook onto the shoreline.

Don’t forget your beaver!

We’ll get them yet Ralf!

Dude! Go back to the basics. Find a riverbank somewhere with likely structure, light a fire, mix a drink or 10, and kick back and have a good time. The fish will come when you least expect it! That’s what cattin’ is all about anyway. Have to stop frettin’ and you’ll be back in the game before you know it.

‘Kato gathering would have given you a fish.

Oh yes, our little beaver friend who felt it necessary to slap it’s tail 3 feet from me after dark. That’ll wake you up more than a clicker!!!

BTW Ryan-

BP Cat League still has openings for non-boaters.

Yep….that sure can let you know your heart is working

Like Brian said, when that monkey falls off your back, hold on tight

Ralph: Maybe Brian can start a photo gallaery on his site of guys that just catch snags. No Fish Fellas I qualify with you.

Quote:

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BTW Ryan-

BP Cat League still has openings for non-boaters.

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Chris, I’d love to do the BP cat league, but I am out of town most weekends, so it doesn’t fit into my schedule. Most of my cattin’ takes place during the week.

Hey Does this guy look familiar. He was harrassing me the other night. We spotted him about 1/4 mile up stream then. He crossed the MN river to raise a ruccus with us, for about 1.5 hours. Slapping and Whacking and Splashing.
Sneaky devil. he would lye low till we forgot then…………….BAM>
thanks
Larry

Ours had a bigger tail!

You guys should be more greatful. They are clunking for you.

UMMMM. “do you mean Clonking???”
Not sure If I would agree. Though they probably scared everything of in a 100yd radius if that was his mission.
thanks
Larry

I knew it was wrong and then I couldn’t find anything when I Googled it. Thanks for the correction!!! Otherwise it’d still be bugging me.

LarryF…Pug just mis-spelled it the first time…it was Clucking…

aahhhh yes. Big Clucking, clunking, clonking beavers.

How nice of you to lie for me Brian. But I knew I was wrong when I was writing it, but couldn’t remember the proper term. I was close though, like horseshoes, it counts.

I saw a beaver when I was fishing Wednesday morning. He wasn’t very nice though, he never clonked for me.

I also saw something very unpleasant. A leopard frog (nice sign the Mississippi is getting cleaner) with a lesion on it’s head. Upon closer inspection it appeared maggots were in the leason. Now I have doubt they were maggots because I don’t think they eat live flesh. Not sure what kind of parasite they were and if they caused the wound or took advantage of it.

Saw a large beaver while shorefishing down at Blackdog this week. It was about 20 yards away on shore eating new growth plants. That sucker was FAT. Very friendly too, just hung out with the boys before leisurely swimming away.