Got my first!!!!!

[Leff]

Well, I've slowly but surely been delving into the world of flathead fishing and tonight it finally happened! I got my first, and it's by far the biggest fish I have ever caught.

I went out by myself and right at dark it happened... I saw my rod bounce and I watched the line tighten and move up river. I let out a little slack and once it tightened up, I slammed it home. After a nice little battle I got it in and put a tape on it. It went 40in x 25in, so that calculates to 31.4lbs. I think I set the bar pretty high for myself, huh? lol!

I really wish I had someone there to snap some pics, but I'll have to do with the ones I got with my phone.

Thanks everyone for the tips you post on the site!

Here she is!

Safely released!

[LOTWSvirgin]

Awesome good job on your first Flat and Great job on your biggest fish

[wall_eye_assasin]

Great job on your first flathead. That is going to be a good mark for you to beat. I have only caught two so they are rare lol. Great job and the pictures were good, thanks for sharing them......

[Flaco651]

Nice Flat. ...especially for your first!

[DTro]

Yep, that's how you get hooked. Good luck enjoying any other type of fishing now

Nice one!

I always love seeing fish caught at a boat launch, everyone else is buzzing up and down the river and there are fish right there

[Carp-fisher]

Now you're hooked!

[Gordie]

congrats on the first and it only gets more obsessive from here on out.

[Here-Kitty-Kitty]

it only gets more obsessive from here on out.

Understatement !!!!!!!!!!!

Awesome fish let there be many more to come

[Scott M]

Nice work Leff. Great to see her swim for another day.

[MinnesnowtaWild]

Glad to see a beginner Flathead fisherman understanding the importance of catch and release. That's a dandy first fish man!

[Leff]

Thanks all!

It was quite fun batteling with a fish of that caliber. They definitely have some shoulders on 'em!

I'm a steelhead/lake trout guy at heart, so that is where my true addiction/obsession lies. However, as long as I'm livin down is these parts, I might as well take up some catin'!

I also am no stranger to C'P'R. I know the importance of selective harvest and how it takes fish a long time to grow to maturity. And there is no way in h-e-double hockey sticks I would consider eating anything out of the MN River.

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I was out again last night and lost one! Grrrrrrrr, I HATE losing fish! But I at least found a good spot and it seems that right at dusk is the time to be there. Hmmmmm, guess I'll try it again tonight.

[Borch]

Congrats Leff on your first. It won't be you last.

[mrklean]

nice job on the first cat

[pushbutton]

how did you get her to smile like that?

[River Runner Z]

nice job thats a great first fish

[Leff]

I was out last night for a few hours and proceeded to lose not 1, but 2 nice fish! Bassturds are pretty smart..... one took me right into the debris on the bank and forced me to break off and the other got me tangled into a log or rock or something. A buddy I was with also lost 1 due to shaking the hook. Good night, yet disappointing!