KOTC Channel Cat Upgrades Keep getting tougher!!

[SteveD]

I just got in from a wild night on the St Croix. The St Croix is pretty much a north-south river so when that wind is strong out of the south it is usually trouble. I have some spots to get out of a strong south wind but you are pretty much stuck there and have to hope the fishing is good.

I set up early to catch the Twins game and hunker down out of the wind. I was tucked up tight against an island in a shallow stretch of water with a lot of down timber. I had hooks in the water about 1930 - 1 channel cat rod with cut bullhead and 1 flathead rod with a healthy 7" bullhead doing his dance.

River is about a foot above normal summer time pool elevation so the current flow is slowing down and the water is relatively clear with some floating grass. Pool elevation tonight was 676.5' and normal is 675.5'. The warm day had the water temp at a balmy 66 degrees amd that temp is starting to turn on the fish.

I like to use Driftmaster rod holders and I have some clamp on rod mounts so I can move the rod holders around the pontoon for flexibility in positioning rods. I set one clamp on holder on the starboard side on the aft deck but it wasn't in a good spot. They work best when the rod runs parallel with the clamp but I had the rod holder running 90 degrees across the clamp and that is not a good idea because the clamp can pivot on its axis. So guess what happened -

I'm cussing out the Twins as they are losing to Chicago and I hear a loud thump and I see the rod buckle over in the rod holder. This cat hit so hard it buckled the rod nearly in half and then the rod clamp pivoted down and the rod popped right out of the holder and into the river. I was only a few feet away but it happened so quick I didn't have any time to react.

It was my new Salt Striker Bait Feeder reel on one of my favorite rods. I grabbed my spare channel cat rod and started dragging for the rod hoping to catch it. After about 30 minutes of fruitless effort I was about to give up and then I hooked the reel. I felt it right away and knew I had the rod but guess what!! The fish was still on the rod - I gingerly pulled in the rod being careful not to horse the rod or the fish. I finally was able to grab the rod and this channel cat was still not done. He took me into some wood and I had to work my buttocks off to get him out of there and up to the boat. I finally boated him - a nice upgrade fish 30" X 16" for 46 points.

That was it for the night. When the Twins lost the game I packed it in. I still managed a channel cat upgrade even if it was a windy night for fishing.

[harvey lee]

Nice upgrade Steve.

[Flaco651]

Nice channel and good to hear you got your rod n reel back!

[Shack]

Wow, what a story

"Steve is the man, and if no one can do it, Steve sure can"

Awesome save on the rod, and yes the Twinkies did loose, but a nice channel came out of it .

If there is one thing you can bet on in life it is that Steve D will pull a monster flat out of the Croix in the next week or two. You know it. The proof is in the past

[DTro]

Way to stick with the lost rod, that would have been a bummer to lose.

Nice fish Steve. You are right, the next upgrade is going to be a tough one.

Now it's time to work on those Flattys

[Surreal Deal]

Nice save!

[The J-Man!]

Well done Steve, thanks for the report. Congratulations on getting that rod/reel back!

[hanson]

Awesome! Another member in the "Saved a Rod With a Fish on the Other End" Club!! Welcome!

Ask Tyler Holm about the rod I caught.

[Gordie]

Wow what a deal the rod back and the fish also. cool