In-Depth Outdoors member Mark Steffes breaks the slow start to the Upper Mississippi Flathead guiding season with a 50 pound flathead! But there’s more!!
I met Mark at Everts Resort and as promised he paid me up front. Well, his two daughters Christine and Ashley paid me with their award winning cookies…After I locked them up before SOMEONE else found them, we pointed the boat toward the cat fishing holes.
The evening started out pleasent with the temps in the low 70’s and the wind finally lightening up a little.
I noticed that with all the rain just lately the water was muddied up pretty good compared to my last time out. I said to myself…I hope that’s a good sign!
Mark and I set up on our first practice spot and went through the routine of what he and I would do if we were lucky enough to catch a fish. I couldn’t prepare for what was going to happen later.
Our first run was a miss. Mark said, What did I do wrong? I replied…nothing, this is our practice spot. It’s a good place to get the feel of the rod, the sinkers and the bullhead. If a person is going to miss a fish, this spot is the place to do it!
Just after sunset we moved into our first prime spot. It had 18 feet of deep fast water slamming into a snag. Then on the slower side of the currant seam there was deep water tapering up to less than a foot. This run ended in a downed tree snag.
Fast water, slow water, deep water and shallow, all ending in some type of wood. "This is the spot" well, I’ve been telling myself that for a couple weeks. Each night I would go home and say…"tomorrow night".
I was in the middle of one of my "stories" when we saw the hit of the flat. It wasn’t the aggressive chomp and run of warmer water, but the chomp and sit of the cool water fish.
I told Mark, it you feel more weight than the 4 oz no-roll sinker and the bullhead…set the hook! He did well and after 10 or so minutes of Mark doing his best imitation of a buck grunting, his 27 pound beauty was in the boat.
He was pretty happy with that one…although it wasn’t his personal best. He landed a slightly larger one while walleye fishing once. I was just happy we didn’t see any of his Pool 2 friends on the beach last night. (inside catfishing joke)
I was trying to finish up my story when a shallower, slack water rod went bump in the night. Bump and tight line. I love it when that happens!
Mark set the hook like an expert catter now and the fight was on. Since it started taking drag right away I was guessing 40ish in size. LOTS of grunting going on now…along with "I’ve never felt anything like this before!" Once the flatty was under the boat well, that’s when the real war of will power started.
Mark seemed to be slowly "grunting all the way" winning this tug of war…and then the St Croix rod made one heck of a noise and shattered in two pieces! I think Mark thought the game was over. But I remained optimistic as we had the fish tire out somewhat already.
Mark moved to the side of the boat and was fighting the fish directly off the reel! The drag was cinched down on the ABUGarcia 7000 and he was using his thumb to keep the fish from taking out more and more line.
I have to say, if it wasn’t for the strenght of the 80 pound PowerPro, this fish would have been gone. I think Mark would echo that statement!
Once the fish was close to the top…the St Croix rod behind us started singing the sound of line going out. I managed to get the tail of this guy in the net and told Mark to drop (what was left) of the broken rod and get the fish on the other rod. Turned out to be weeds on the hook, which was ok in my book…I still have the 50 pounder in the water on the other side of the boat!
Job WELL DONE Mark!!
I’m thinking that your fish might be the best catch of the year…but then the fish are just turning on…so we’ll have to see.
Mark had a good dose of what flathead fishing is all about. Big baits, big tackle, the peacefulness of a quarter moon lite night…and the electric rush of a monster fish.
A night to remember for sure!
Heck I hardly remember the down pour of rain we had on the way home!
PS My new email address is [email protected]
WooooHAH! Good to see things are FINALLY starting to get rolling for you BK. And congrats to Mark on one heck of a flattie.
NICE!!!!
Thanks James and Greg.
The good thing about the fish turning on late is that the season should last longer…and I’ve found some pretty awesome new spots.
All river fisherman know that the river is always changing. Some places that I’ve fished before are not going to produce anything this year, but there are other…new spots that I can’t wait to fish.
Does anyone know if Dean takes award winning cookies in trade for a new St Croix Premier 6’10” Med/Fast rod???
Brian thanks for the great trip
& sorry about the rod, but you kept telling me that we would catch walleyes but they never show up. 
I’ve got the girls trying to figure out a way to make a cookie rod for you. They also said that it was there lucky cookies that made the difference.
Great Report!!!
Nice way to launch the season.
Tip of the Hat for getting the fish with a broken Rod. Its always an adventure when that happens.
Great report BK!!!!!!!
Question, did Mark giggle like a little school girl?
GREAT fish Mark! I told you it is a hoot to fish with BK!
Well, I didn’t want to say that…but since you brought it up…YES!
I would have been doing the same!!
What a beauty Mark!
As usual Brian……YOU DA MAN
Great job!
Way to go Mark.
Glad to see there turning on BK. 
Great report and awesome fish BK!
Congratulations Mark! Must have been great feeling a big cat like that pulling on the other end of your line.
Boog
Joel it felt more like it was pulling me around & when that rod broke I thought we where done. But some how Brain was able to help me get through it. Right after we netted it a third rod went off & thankfully it was only weeds because I was spent.
Oh Mark, you had at least one more fish in you.
Sounds like storms tonight…so it’s off to take the Favorite Wife to the Bungalow for the BK special…grilled prime rib!
Hmm…. Where’s Walter? It is that time of year you know!? Nice Mudcats though!
Awsome fish! What were the dimensions on her?
Jake, there are some that try to place the flathead into the “other” fish catagory by using a tape measure… I give them kudos…
But flatheads are measured in pounds not inches. To answer your question….BIG!
50×26
nice flat
Fantastic fish guys!!!
WOW!!!!
Nice report! And too bad you didn’t get into any eyes!!! At least the size of the cat made up for that!
Awesome report and pictures Brian
Way cool on the catching Mark
I need to get my
out on the water after dark, the cat reports are killing me and I have not had the time 
those are some massive looking fish, great report and good read
Wow! Great fish Mark! And it sounds like you followed directions perfectly!! Brian tells you to “try and break the rod” when setting the hook.
No walleyes and a swing and a miss in the practice spot……hmmmm, coincidence?
I hate hook sets that make a person look like a sally.
With the grunt and groan Mark made, I didn’t even have to look at his hook set…it was perfect. The rod broke when the fish was below the boat.
Maybe I should lighten up the drag on the 7000’s. Naa…it’s the true sign of a happy customer!
PS Mark, I have your hook and leader at Everts for you…it’s being retired.
Thanks Brian, I’ll have the girls bake a really good batch of cookies for you now.
Way to go guys, she sure is a beauty.
I have had the bug real bad lately, but this stupid life has been getting in the way. I have a baptism for the new kid next Sunday, but think I may need to sneak out for at least one night on the water. Man it has been so long, I hope I remember how to do it
You should start measuring them Brian, its pretty interesting info to have. Dtro’s length/girth formula is pretty darn accurate to within 1-2lbs as well so you can double check your weight against the formula. A fish that big will bounce the scale 1-2lbs or more so the margin of error is about the same too.
Congrats on the catch!
Nice report BK. Way to go on the new PB Mark!
Hey it looks like the Minnesota bite is picking up!!! Well done. I might have to run up there soon to catch some cats- all of my favorite rivers here in Eastern Iowa have sandbags on them!!! Damn rain is killing me! Good job on the biggins’!!!
Holy Smokes that a big kitty. Great report Brian and congrats on the PB
Great read, Brian! That scenerio sounds very familiar. Makes my back hurt just reading the report!
You do have a way of helping others achieve their personal best whisker fish. Congrats to Mark on the catch and release of this beautiful beast! 
Wade, Mark had a slight handicap…
no rod.
Nice Report Brian and Mark,
Hope you have a great Spring and SUmmer….
Jack..
Great report BK and congrats Mark on some awesome cats!
Brian – You didn’t take him to MY spot did you?
I’m also glad to hear that I’m not the only one that swings and misses.
However, when I did that with Brian and asked what I did wrong, he was eager to say “you must of done everything wrong because you didn’t catch it!”. 
Brad, I’m always trying to help a newbie out.
Practice makes perfect!!