West Lafayette fisherman tells a whopper of a fish story
LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI) – When West Lafayette resident Ben North hit one of his favorite fishing holes on the Wabash River near downtown Lafayette Sunday he had no idea his night would end with the fish of a lifetime.
North hooked and landed a 65 pound blue catfish with the help of two fellow catfishermen and a reportedly "undersized" net.
North said, "Well we put in here (Mascouten Park) at this ramp, and we went downstream and caught some bait then we set up over a hole in the river actually just down from the Pedestrian Bridge.
We sat there for a couple hours and caught a few small fish, and we were just sitting there kind of hanging out and all of the sudden ‘Fish on!,’ and it took about 20 to 25 minutes to get it up to the boat and finally get it in the net.
We took several pictures, did a lot of celebrating, and let her go to swim another day. It’s been pretty exciting the response has been a little overwhelming. I think a lot of people are surprised they drive over the river everyday and not realize that there’s fish that big in there that you see locally."
North said he has been fishing for catfish in the Wabash River for the past 6 or 7 years.
He said he hits the river almost 75 times a year in pursuit of a trophy channel or flathead catfish.
In case you are wondering why he didn’t keep his trophy catch, the 25 year old North said a catfish that size is probably older than he is, and since it was more than likely a female, he released it to make more memories for the next angler.
Catfish Angling For Channel Catfish
Catfish angling for Channel catfish is easy and fun. They are North America’s most numerous catfish species. They are among the three most common fish stocked in lakes and ponds along with bass and sunfish and can be found in every river and stream. They will eat just about anything and put up a great fight when hooked.
Channel catfish closely resemble blue catfish. Both have deeply forked tails. However, channels have a rounded anal fin with 24-29 rays and scattered black spots along their back and sides. They have a small, narrow head. The back is blue-gray with light blue to silvery-gray sides and a white belly. Larger channels lose the black spots and also take on a blue-black coloration on the back which shades to white on the belly. Males also become very dark during spawning season and develop a thickened pad on their head.
Channel catfish have a top-end size of approximately 40-50 pounds. The world record is 58 pounds, caught in the Santee-Cooper Reservoir, South Carolina, in 1964. Realistically, a channel catfish over 20 pounds is a spectacular specimen, and most catfish anglers view a 10 pound fish as a very admirable catch. Furthermore the average size channel catfish an angler could expect to find in most waterways would be between 2 and 4 pounds.
Channel catfish can be caught on a variety of natural and prepared baits. Catfish have even been known to take Ivory Soap as bait. Channel catfish possess very keen senses of smell and taste. At the pits of their nostrils are very sensitive odor sensing organs. In addition channel catfish have taste buds distributed over the surface of their entire body. These taste buds are especially concentrated on the channel catfish’s 4 pairs of barbels (whiskers) surrounding the mouth. This combination of exceptional senses of taste and smell allows the channel catfish to find food in dark, stained, or muddy water with relative ease.
Channel catfish can be caught at almost any time of day but the best times are from dusk to dawn. Because of there keen sense of smell they have no trouble finding their prey or your bait. I prefer to use cut baits because I have found that you are much more likely to catch the big one using them.
Cut bait is fish cut into chunks. Channel catfish just love cut baits. When you use cut baits the fluids from the bait seep into the water leaving a very enticing trail for the catfish. I am more concerned with the size of the catfish I catch than the size of the catch so I use a 4/0 hook with a good size piece of cut bait. If I am getting a lot of tugs at my bait but no bites I will gradually reduce the size of the hook and the bait. If I were going for a bigger catch of catfish I would start with a 1/0 hook and increase the size as my stringer filled up.
Get Started Fishing
Fishing is an activity the whole family can share or if you are like me it is the perfect get away. With your family or alone it is great feeling to be outdoors away from the hustle and bustle of our everyday lives. It can be a great time to bond with your family and friends or provide you with the solitude you need to relax and sort out what ever is bugging you. Besides fishing is fun. Just ask any of the millions of anglers who enjoy this sport today.
One of the great things about fishing is you don’t have to be an expert to have fun. All you need is basic tackle, bait and a little information. With all the information available through the internet today finding what you need should be easy.
Once you have decided that you want to try your hand at angling the first thing you will need to do is purchase a fishing license. At the bottom of this page is a link to my site. There you will find a page called “State and Local Resources”. Here you will find links to every state. Be sure to look up the license requirements and fishing laws for you state. Some states will allow you to purchase your fishing license online.
Next go to Wal-Mart and purchase your fishing tackle. You should be able to get everything you need for fewer than thirty dollars. Here is what you will need to fish for Crappie, Bluegill or any other pan fish:
-Get a spin casting rod and reel, 5 to 6 feet in length, with 4 to 6 lb test line already wound. This is the easiest rod and reel combination for a beginner to master. When you get it home put a small weight on the line and practice giving it a toss. You will figure it out very quickly.
-Some small split shots
-Number 6 hooks
-A small plastic or wood bobber
-Visit your local bait store and purchase a couple of dozen night crawlers
You are almost ready to go fishing. Tie your hook on the line using a Palomar knot. Attach the split sinker 8 to 12 inches above the hook and to start out with attach your bobber about 3 ft above the hook. Now that you are ready go to the nearest pond (best) or river. Put your worm on the hook and start fishing.
What I have given you here is very basic. I did so deliberately. It is more than enough to get you started. There was a time when fishing consisted of a cane pool with some line tied to the end of it. I promise you they enjoyed fishing just as much back then as I do now. My point is fishing doesn’t have to be complicated. It is supposed to be fun. As you learn and want to do more, that is great, but for now this is enough.
If you want to learn more about fishing you can get a free copy of “78 Fishing Discoveries Unleashed” on this website.