Mississippi River Flathead Catfish Report

The flathead put up a good fight coming to the boat, then once under the boat, Kurt found out that she had water brakes! We had some good rod bending, drag pulling action!

We left the Everts dock at 7 pm with Kurt and his Father Gary. It was a beautiful evening to go flathead hunting. With the bait tank full we headed for our first anchor spot. It was a large snag on a bend that’s been looking so “catfishy” all year, but just wasn’t producing…so far.

Kurt was the man with the rod tonight and Gary was along to supervise and help out with moral support. We had a practice fish come in early that scaled under 10 pounds. Then as darkness fell and I was planning our next anchor location the line out alarm sounded “fish on!” Kurt set the hook and the rod stopped at 11 o’clock the sure sign of a good fish.

She was a spawned out female that looked like she was fresh from the nest by the looks of her privates. With a few pictures taken for the friends and relatives we said “thank you” and off she went to look for the rest of tonights dinner.

Sunday evening looked a bit sketchy with the thunderstorms popping up here and there. Because of the weather being so dicey, I elected to stay close to the main channel were we could flee in a hurry if needed.

My guests tonight were Mr. Jeff Jerry and his wife Sherry Jerry. Has a nice ring to it doesn’t it?

We set up shop just out of the main current on the edge of the fast water and slack water. The four baits were placed one in the faster water and the rest in the slower water with the closest one to shore in about 4 feet of water.

Sherry started off the night early with a 7 pounder out of the shallow side. Then Sherry made what I thought might have been the critical mistake of the evening. She said “Jerry, you catch the next one”. A person just never knows, the next fish just might be the “big one” of the night!

Out of the faster, deeper water came the next run. Jeff set the hook on a 23. Sorry Sherry, a 23 makes a 7 pounder look like shrimp!

Jeff’s fish was hooked right in the lips as were all but one of the six flathead catfish we brought in this night. One thing about the Team Catfish hooks we were using is that they are larger and easier to grab on to for removal.

It’s funny, when I looked at Sherry while Jeff was holding his fish I could see that she was rethinking her earlier statement. I made a bet with myself that this was the last cat Jeff was going to pull in this night. LOL!

We never did get a chance to change locations. The gar and the flatheads kept us just busy. Two or three lost baits to gar, then WHAM! another flathead!

Before the night was over The Catfish Queen would have a chance to gain top ranking again. On the deep water side the rod just bent and the line out alarm let everyone know the Team Catfish Tug O War 80 pound braid was leaving the reel!
Sherry set the hook HARD and the fight was on! I recall Jeff saying “Sherry, you’re not talking! Breath! Breath!!” as the flat came closer to the boat. Then the rod tip hit the water and the fish was pulling out drag. Sherry did a great job playing this brute and bringing her to my waiting net.

Someone has a bruise and it’s not just the catfish!!

It’s been a very good year for good fish and better smiles in my boat this year in between the thunderstorms. I’m looking for more smiles and less rain this coming weekend!

Catfisherman (and women), WE OWN THE NIGHT!