Pb flathead catfish on the colorado river

[woodchucker]

Hey All,
This is a little late(caught in may),but heres the way it went down.Got set up on the hole about 30 mins before dark.My buddy boats a nice table fairing 13lber about 10pm.Then about 330 in the morning Im awakend by the clicker alarm clock,grab the rod,let her run for about 7 seconds,then let the rod load and slam the hook home(wasent using circles).The fight is on.Using 30lb test ande mono the fight lasted about 15-20minutes(very big headshakes).Got the fish to the boat but couldent pull her up off the bottom,she just wouldent come up.After about another 5 mins going from bow to stern to stern to bow,she blows up on the surface(Huge splash)......I just couldent believe it.Now Im talking to myself saying please dont come off,please dont come unhooked.Well I get her alongside the boat and there is noooo way she will fit into my net(I left the salmon net at thome cause Ive fished this spot for two years and the biggest has only been 16lbs).So the last 5ft of line I had to hand line her in to my hands,put a death grip on the lower jaw and brought her into the boat where she just about took up the whole floor.At that point Im sure you could have heard me yelling a mile down river,my buddy was shocked at the size of the fish but also at the way I was blabberin like a school girl,cause I am usually calm and conservative.Got a measurement(48x34)and a few trys on the digital scale that only goes up to 50lbs.The scale read 65.5lbs,the measurements equate to 69lbs.Either way my pb.The ca state record is 73lbs,soo close.I do beleive this fish was full of eggs,She was sooo fat. I let her go to reproduce and repopulate the majestic species that is the flathead catfish.Watching that fish swim away from me was very rewarding,and will remain close to my heart till the day I die.
Bill

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v370/woodchucker/IMG_530366lbflathead.jpg?t=1216679642

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v370/woodchucker/IMG_530666lbflatheadsidewyas.jpg?t=1216679671

[plumbertom1]

Great story and a grand fish. Thanks for returning it to the water for the next guy.
What part of the river were you fishing?
Yuma, Cibola, Blythe, Parker, Havasu or other?

[woodchucker]

She was caught around blythe.

[azcataholic]

That's what is all about, What a catch!

[shelbygt1979]

Congrats On The Huge Flathead There Billy, Its Never To Late To Post A Story About Your New PB Flat:cool2:. Thanks For Sharing The Story And The Pics.

[brother hilljack]

Hey All,
This is a little late(caught in may),but heres the way it went down.Got set up on the hole about 30 mins before dark.My buddy boats a nice table fairing 13lber about 10pm.Then about 330 in the morning Im awakend by the clicker alarm clock,grab the rod,let her run for about 7 seconds,then let the rod load and slam the hook home(wasent using circles).The fight is on.Using 30lb test ande mono the fight lasted about 15-20minutes(very big headshakes).Got the fish to the boat but couldent pull her up off the bottom,she just wouldent come up.After about another 5 mins going from bow to stern to stern to bow,she blows up on the surface(Huge splash)......I just couldent believe it.Now Im talking to myself saying please dont come off,please dont come unhooked.Well I get her alongside the boat and there is noooo way she will fit into my net(I left the salmon net at thome cause Ive fished this spot for two years and the biggest has only been 16lbs).So the last 5ft of line I had to hand line her in to my hands,put a death grip on the lower jaw and brought her into the boat where she just about took up the whole floor.At that point Im sure you could have heard me yelling a mile down river,my buddy was shocked at the size of the fish but also at the way I was blabberin like a school girl,cause I am usually calm and conservative.Got a measurement(48x34)and a few trys on the digital scale that only goes up to 50lbs.The scale read 65.5lbs,the measurements equate to 69lbs.Either way my pb.The ca state record is 73lbs,soo close.I do beleive this fish was full of eggs,She was sooo fat. I let her go to reproduce and repopulate the majestic species that is the flathead catfish.Watching that fish swim away from me was very rewarding,and will remain close to my heart till the day I die.
Bill

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v370/woodchucker/IMG_530366lbflathead.jpg?t=1216679642

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v370/woodchucker/IMG_530666lbflatheadsidewyas.jpg?t=1216679671

Sounds like a great fish, congrats and good luck in the future

[Capt Steve]

I wonder how old that fish would be?

[riverbud55]

Wow Bill good going heard about you getting the fish first time I saw any pics ,, congrats great fish, would that have been got around were I saw ya up there? , kinda thinkn the state record will be broken before long:wink::ooooh:, going out this weekend maybe we will see him cruzn:smile2:

[gilmafam]

Thanks for the post Billy, glad to see that you are getting out of town and trying for some of the River Flats.....

Great article.... Bayrunner Ray

[Guns & Cockpits]

Oh wow. That's a fantastic fish brother. I've never seen a cat so large from the Blythe area, that's really nice to see.

[big taz]

Man way to go on the PB that was a huge one.. Good going on letting it go to continue to throw those genetics..
BTaz:cool2:

[plumbertom1]

Man way to go on the PB that was a huge one.. Good going on letting it go to continue to throw those genetics..
BTaz:cool2:
Hey Corry, welcome back.
Where you been? Well, I hope.

[catfishcrazy256]

Congrats ,nice flathead !!!!!!!!!!!!