There is nothing like bending a Berkley seven foot catfish pole with a Penn reel on it and breaking 30 pound Spider Wire more than four times a week. Better things happened when I changed over to Fire Line.
I have pictures that I don't show to many people, I don't want to give up my spot down in the woods. After recently reading the Catfish In-Sider magazine I didn't realize so many people were in to catfish like me. My biggest fish last year got away after a 45 minute fight but two hours later I brought in a 40 pound Yellow Cat (flathead) at 10 minutes till 12. I decided it was time to go home last but I had four night crawlers on my hook decided to throw in one more time.
My lantern was sputtering out with me having a long way out of the woods with just a Mag light. Too many rocks tp walk sfely. So finally I was sitting there with just the flash light on my pole. No bites. I stood up twisted my pole to the left and was getting ready to reel in when my pole bent over to the handle.
Full of excitement I fought him into the shallow waters and walked out in the water waist deep while he was bumping into my ankles. Following the line down with my right hand I reached in the water up to my shoulder trying to put my palm on the top of his head
To my surprise I realized he was BIGGER than 30 pounds! Sticking my pole under my left arm pit I put a masons wool glove on my right hand. I heard a story on a job site from and old plumber who told me the next time I catch a big fish to make a fist and tap the catfish on the lower lip. As I did the catfish snapped on my fist like a turtle.
Jerking and splashing I started walking back up to the bank Standing there in the dark with a two foot Mag light hanging out of my mouth and the fish let go as soon as I reached the rocks. There he was! Came home that night wanting to weigh him. Tired from the fight, I stuck him in the bath tub. Next day pictures were taken at a bait shop.
As I returned to my fishing spot two days later I ran into a man who said he caught my fish. With a smiling face I asked him what did he mean for he is the only one that I see in my spot in the summer. The man looked at me and asked if I saw the picture of the fish under mine at the bait store? The day after I lost the fish he pulled in a 58 pounder, still had my hook and a foot long piece of the fluorescent yellow 50 pound Fire Line that I had used. He said to me "You're the only one I've ever seen with that on a reel."
So here's the one that didn't get away.