Big Whiskers

(Above: Not too shabby catfish. Look at the whiskers on this fish!)



Once upon a blue moon or maybe once a year I leave my humble abode in search of catfish. So many of my fishing tendencies are not easily explained and my seldom yet random catfish quests are a good example of that.

My tactics are not traditional catfish methods either. Rather than stinky catfish baits I simply slow troll a skirted jig with a pork trailer. Sometimes I will spray the jig setup with scented spray but the bottle of “juice” got busted up on one of the last trips. (Yes, I am rough on gear). Not having the juice might have made the difference between one 7-pounder as opposed to maybe a few bigger ones. Hopefully the larger cats have not been removed and I will get another shot next year perhaps.

This fish bounced around a bit on the scale ranging from 7lbs 8oz to 7lbs 3 oz. Of course the camera shutter captures the lowest weight taking my shameless bragging down a skosh. Admittedly the scale is often a buzzkill for me as fish generally look a good deal better than they actually weigh. After so much time spent on the weighing I chose not to get a length.

(Above: The fish is hooked under the gill plate with the point resting safely away from the gills. The screen causes a great deal of reflection so these weigh in shots could be real hit and miss.)

Catfish can be good for a lake in many regards. They take organic matter from the bottom, which helps keep harmful bacteria from getting worse. They can also be population regulators and help other species from overcrowding. Catfish can also harm certain populations as they can scour eggs from a nest in minutes wiping out an entire clutch of brood fish. Catfish will also eat live prey as often as they do anything else making them truly omnivores of the sport fish world. They play an important role in the ecosystem and deserve a lot more respect than what they receive in Colorado by most sport-fishing enthusiasts. The sheer size potential of these whisker-fish is what makes me set aside at least a few days out of the year to battle with these big meows.

My name is Matt and I’m a fishaholic.