A BIG One

**GUEST BLOGGER**

 ~ Eric Hendrickson ~

I love to fish for big catfish, specifically Flathead.  Typically, I seek to catch these monster fish in the river by setting limb lines and trot lines.  On July 18th, my buddy, Damian, and I decided to have a night of catfishing.  I thought we were going to go to the Ninescah River, but Damian had another place in mind.  He has been catching some Flathead in Chase County lake, and persuaded me, reluctantly, to go there.  We had very few baits (we typically use small bluegill/perch for bait) because we thought we could catch all we needed at the Lake.  That did not work so well.  We only caught a few perch.  I was able to catch a 1 pound drum fish that I thought would work.  And work it did.  About dark, I put on a big circle hook with 5 ounces of weight on my biggest pole, hooked the drum very shallow through the back, and casted it out only about 40' into the cove.  Around midnight, the clicker started on my pole.  Since the bait was so large, I knew whatever was running with the bait also had to be large.  I set the hook and the battle began.  At first, I knew whatever was on the end of the line was heavy, but it came in rather easily.  Then, I sensed the fish turning so I loosened the drag some and it took off, stripping more line than I had gained.  We did this 4 times where I would get him within 25' of shore, he would strip line, get tired, and let me reel him back in.  Then, on the 4th time he got stuck somehow.  I think he wedged his head against a rock.  I kept the line tight for a few minutes not knowing what to do.  Finally, I decided to ease up on the line tension and guide him to the left, which he did.  Then he made a run toward some buoys.  I knew if he got wrapped up in those he would be a goner, so I had to slightly horse him further left.  Finally, we had him close to the shore and about to surface.  Wow! We saw him, a giant.  I told Damian to net him.  The first net attempt was a miss and I fought the giant for another 5 minutes.  The next attempt Damian made look simple.  I liked how once the fish was in the net, Damian stuck his hand in the fishes mouth and man handled it to shore.  The battle was over and I had won.

When first catching it, we thought the fish was 50+.  I weighed this fish the next morning when we got back to Wichita, and the fish weighed in at 45 pounds.  I have caught large Flathead before on limb lines and trot lines, but none quite as big as this one and nothing near this big on a rod and reel.

Damian, thanks for convincing me that lake fishing was the right place to go that night.  This was an experience I will never forget (and never shut up about).