Missisippi River Catten 6/6/2007

“This is a good one!” was the words that Ken said as he set the hook into his 40 pound and some change flathead. His partner Bob watched as Ken made slow progress moving the cat toward the boat. Since we were hardly fishing 15 minutes in my “practice” spot, Bob was wondering if this is practice, what is the real fishing going to be like!??

Within another 15 minutes, Bob had his 20 pounder taking out line and his fight was on. In the first hour, we had 60 pounds of fish in the boat to photograph and release. All before dark. Unfortunately, with two more moves, that was the last we would see the chomp of a flathead for the evening. But that’s fishin!

Catten’ on Pool 3 and 4 is heating up…but, the YAHOO days aren’t quite here yet. Still good fish are chomping on the bullheads…including some silly walleyes that don’t know live bullheads are for catfish. This photo is of IDA Staff Member Corey Waller (aka Wallerbass) with a confused 8+ pound walleye from last night.

It wasn’t very long and the slow pulsating sound of the line out alarm was cutting our conversation short. I love it when a customer sets the hook and the St Croix rod stops short at the 11 O’clock position! I believe his words were…”Ummph…this IS a big one!” Corey worked the fish the best he could but in the end the wise old cat knew that the wood structure was it’s friend. The 80 lb Power Pro leader broke and Corey’s personal best was not to be had that night.

Feeling the strength of this fish and losing “the big” one is one of the reasons people keep coming back cat fishing flatheads. Wondering if that fish was only a 40 pounder…or could it have been a new state record at 70 plus pounds? We’ll never know for certain, but the memory will last for years to come.

Corey wasn’t done for the night thou, we did land this little 10 pounder for a teaser. Corey is an accomplish Bass angler…and gave me a funny look when I told him to hold the flathead out in front of him…you know…like all the bass guys do. I have to admit, it’s fun to go out with fisherman that have a love for a certain fish. Words like “we can just bass him into the boat” always put a smile on everyone’s face…I think(?)

If your thinking of catching a fish of your lifetime and would like to have an adventure in night fishing the Mighty Mississippi, now is the time. The pre-spawn period is upon us, which is the time of year everyone with cat slime in there veins waits all year for.

Grab your cat rod or muskie rod, or stop in at one of our sponsors locations like Everts Fishing Resort near Redwing, Bob Moore’s Bait and Tackle in Mpls, Hooked of Fishing in Rochester or Jimmy’s Bait and Tackle in Stillwater and get out there! These experts can get you set up with the equipment you’ll need for these big boys. The nice thing about catten is a person can get started very inexpensively, then once you feel the whiskered disease set in, move up if you like into some very nice equipment.

I hope to see you on the water…in the dark!

Good Fishin!