question?

[srfishin15]

just a question, we don't purposely target cats but in the river we occasionally catch a couple channels every trip that are between 20-25 inches. Are these nice fish? I mean we catch alot of others that are 8-15 inches but then we get the occasional one we think is "big" Am i correct saying a 20-25 inch 6 pounder is big or above avg for a channel cat?

[bchevycaprice]

sorry to say but no above 30 inch would be

[topcat3820]

Depends totally on where you're fishing. It might be huge where you are... here we'd call that "bait", or "poor little guy" .

[aanderud]

just a question, we don't purposely target cats but in the river we occasionally catch a couple channels every trip that are between 20-25 inches. Are these nice fish? I mean we catch alot of others that are 8-15 inches but then we get the occasional one we think is "big" Am i correct saying a 20-25 inch 6 pounder is big or above avg for a channel cat?

Bchevycaprice, if it takes a 30 inch channel cat to be "above avg" in your book, you must be fishing the red river, and more than likely north of the border.

A lot depends on what river you're fishing. If you're in the crow river around Hutchinson, a 6 pounder is a huge fish. If you're on the red river north of Grand Forks, those 6 pounders are probably below a surveyed average, so you'd have to say not big.

The range you have listed (20 to 25 inches) can be anywhere from 2.5 lbs to 6-7 lbs, depending on how much girth the fish has. I'd say a 6 pounder is approaching "big" on most minnesota lakes and rivers. A 2-3 pounder is rarely considered "big", but on the right body of water, who knows.

If you look at the DNR survey results for Kray's lake (stearns county on the horseshoe chain), you'll see average weights listed of 1.4 lbs for their gill nets, 2.95 lbs for trap nets. So, I would say yes, a 6 pounder is a big fish there, as it is more than twice as big as the average surveyed fish.

[Larry FlatCaster]

I'll Second what aanderud says....

[Brad B]

if your fishing the mississippi north of the coon rapids dam then those fish would be average. I fish the mississippi from monticello down to elk river and have only caught fish that where 20 to 24 inches. the area by monti had bigger ones but last februrary the nuclear plant shut down in feb for a week and the water went from 60 down to 30 in less then a day. to big of shock to the fish in the area and a bunch died(this is what I was told By another person that fishs this area). if you are going to eat a catfish this is the best size for that. all my fish have ran between 3 to 5 lbs.

[Brad B]

Depends totally on where you're fishing. It might be huge where you are... here we'd call that "bait", or "poor little guy" .

you guys are spoiled with those 10 to 20 LBS fish send some to the mississippi north region. One of these years I will come up to the red and try for these monsters.

[topcat3820]

Depends totally on where you're fishing. It might be huge where you are... here we'd call that "bait", or "poor little guy" .

[bchevycaprice]

ive only been fishing channels hard this year and 20-25 (in my boat and boats i fish) i feel is average now that i know its not im gratefull

[mrklean]

are there a lot of channels around Fargo or are the up river more? The gfs bro is getting married in fargo next year and i told her already were bringing the rods and are fishing before the wedding

[Ed Carlson]

Fish size will vary by system, so every system has it's big fish...be it a 6 lb cat or a 30 lb cat. It's all good.

First rule of catching "Big Fish", is fish "Big Fish Waters"....every region has a few. No big "Ah-Ha" moment there I admit, but it's proven very true for me none the less.

Polish up your skills on waters you can fish often, and expand your outings to include some new "Big Fish" spots as you can. The skills will produce them Big Fish on all waters, just supply yourself the opportunity as it arises.

The only tip I have is in general, during peak warm water periods, larger baits produce larger fish. They change forage preferences as they mature, and act more predatory they larger they get. Channel Catfish get highly predatory as they mature.

[srfishin15]

Ha nobody needs to be sorry for me. I think they're a blast to catch! But yes i do fish the upper mississippi up by sartell. So those fish are pretty average?