Trot Line Fishing For Catfish

Join the Discussion "What is your biggest catfish?  How did you catch it?  What did it bite??" Ronnie  Related Resources • Catfishing for Fun and Food • Catching Catfish  Past "Fishtales" • One Year Ago - 4/23/01 - The Common Denominator Two Years Ago - 4/24/00 - Understanding Bass, Part 2 Three Years Ago - 04/26/99 - Cricket's Terrible Tournament Four Years Ago - 04/27/98 - Best Beer Battered Fish Ever

By Will Edmiston

I recently read your article on-line about trot lining for cats. My father raised me trot lining and boat fishing for cats in Texas at Amistad reservoir. I agree with you that big cats prefer one place quite often. 

When I was five my dad and his cousin set out a trot line that ran from an offshore tree to a bush growing out of a bluff. We caught a big yellow (flathead) catfish on the same hook each night the line was out. The fish ranged from 16 to 42 pounds. We caught five fish in five days. All on the exact same hook. That was one helluva fishing trip. We ate catfish for weeks! 

I've also seen him catch 20+ pounders out of that lake while boat fishing on rod and reel. 

Another article that I read on your website discussed record weights for blue and flathead cats. I do not know if you have looked into these records lately, but they have changed. The record blue cat is now around 112 lbs. I believe that it was caught out of the Tennessee river about three years ago. 

The world record for flatheads now stands at 123 lbs. It was caught in a Kansas reservior by an angler who was bank fishing for crappie in shallow water. He actually had to wade out to land the fish on his Zebco 303! 

Thanks for your time. I really enjoy your website.

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