Biggun from Wisconsin

[itchmesir]

I suppose since everything in this picture is legal that makes it ok too?

by the looks of them girls it makes it barely legal.. rawr

[Lowblazah]

Not to offend.. But I'm pretty sure your average catfisherman didn't just get his latest LL Bean pleated jeans and polo T to go fishing in the dark for big ol cats

Pretty sure Dtro wears Kahki's on most of his trips out.

[PartyWhine]

Eat it ?

30+ years in the river ?

No thanks.

I'll gooble up a nice small one.

I'd have taken a bunch of pics and released it.

But to each there own.

[nsnutter]

So do I. Khakis allow me to carry my .45 comfortably IWB

[kern]

Here is my two cents which doesn't mean anything! It almost is always about greed! People that want to keep big fish is so other people don't catch them and they think there freezer should be the only one full the of fish! I have heard fisherman say this numerous times "Well, if I don't keep them someone else will so why not me?" Its almost comical to hear a grown adult saying this cause I feel like I am talking to my 7 year old about sharing. Most of the people like this end of throwing a bunch out cause of freezer burn or what have you. I actually was exactly like this in my early 20 but now have realized that if there are fish in the freezer, I have no excuse to go catch supper.

[Scott K]

I just dont freeze fish, so unless I plan on cooking it the day I caught them, or the day after, I dont keep them. I sure wont keep any big flathead that has been eating god knows what for 30+ years.

[Pool_Eleven]

Well ill chirp in on this as well. Being from wisconsin and having to deal with bank poles and a river full of set lines and hoop nets, I would like to see some limitations on are catfishing regulations. For example, a guy in town runs these set lines and hoop nets for a living. Granted it is for his wages and he has to put food on the table for his family, but ive seen pictures of how many fish this guy catches in these nets and lines just in one day! And he catches some big ones. Now with the numbers that these guys can pull in a day on just the average sized fish itd be nice to have some sort of a slot limit to help save the bigger fish. I know it doesnt hurt to take a few big ones now and then and they have all the right to with the laws we have in place but IMO itd be nice to see. Not 100% sure but i think we have a slot limit when it comes to turtle trapping. Cant keep the small ones and cant keep the big ones. (I think). Something like that wouldnt be all to bad to have for catfishin either. Or any other fish species at that. BUT, i guess the mighty mississippi is a huge river and its been like this for as long as ive been alive, and they keep catching the big ones. And theres still plenty of average to big channels. So maybe its not making a huge impact. Who really knows i guess. My .02.

[aanderud]

Pool_Eleven -- I think this is precisely what is needed.

Minnesota has actually gone quite far in their catfish regulations, relative to just about everyone else. They allow only one over 24 inches in your possession, and ony 2 of the 5-catfish possession limit can be flatheads (the rest can be channels). This is a tremendous upgrade over the wisconsin regs that have something like a 25-fish limit with no size restrictions whatsoever.

[aanderud]

And as for the guys who think that just because something is legal, it is "ok" or "right" to do, think about how the sturgeon population in Minnesota was decimated to the point of near extinction years back, LEGALLY. Now, with heavy regulation and stocking efforts, they're coming back. Laws aren't always correct, and I can tell you one thing -- they don't get changed to better laws by people just sitting there holding their tongue because they don't want to offend anyone.

There's no reason a guy can't disagree with current laws or the actions of other people. I didn't think I ripped on them too badly in my original post anyway, just said I wouldn't condone keeping something like that. If that was the ONLY fish they caught, I guess I'd have to give him a break because it was so close to a record and he probably wanted to get his name in the books...but he keeps everything he catches -- not just the near-records.

[Pool_Eleven]

I wish we had regulations like that, or something relatively close to say the least.

The mississippi river boundry waters between Iowa and Wisconsin, (which would be my area) has no bag limit and no size restrictions on catfish. Flathead or channel. Everything else has at least a bag limit. A little something to help out the catfish wouldnt hurt.

[philly35]

I am from Iowa and I love setting ditty poles! It is a fun way to catch catfish. However, I rarely keep any of the cats I catch. And if I do, they are under 3 lbs. There are some really good flathead rivers around here and its a rush to come around the bend and see that pole bouncing. But if I want some good rod and reel action, I head to the Minnesota. I love catching cats and I personally would never keep a biggun, but to each his own

[goblueM]

Cant imagine them tasting very good unless you season the carp outta them.

I didn't believe it til I tried it down south, but flatheads actually taste *better* as they get bigger. Flesh seems to get firmer as well. I have eaten a ton of large flatheads in the last coupla years, but they were being sacrificed for aging them so were going to die regardless. They make fine table fare.

I'm not sure where that picture came from... keep in mind that in some southeastern rivers, they are invasive and they have liberalized harvest regs to try to keep the population in check. Given the ridiculous biomass in that pic I wouldn't be surprised if it was a newly established, invasive population in an Atlantic Slope river in NC or GA, for example

[Gordie]

Cant imagine them tasting very good unless you season the carp outta them.

Yep they a terrible tasting don't ever try one you will regret it.

[DTro]

This picture I posted was from Texas and here is his quote:

"What you can do in 6 hrs once you have it figured out. 912 lbs on 5/1/12" He also claimed to release all the females and kept the males, but I have my doubts about that. He said that once they fill the freezer then they get enough for community fish frys and church functions.

He said not to worry about the mottled stress color of the fish, they turn yellow when out of the water and that is why they are called yellow cats.

The limit in Texas is 5 fish/person/day. No possession or size limit.

Texas just this year made noodling a legal activity. Good luck with that.

[Shack]

I had figured that picture was from the Croix tourney Steve D has strong feelings about. If I recall, there are images from that Croix contest similar. Not over 70 lbs but 20-40lb fish.

What makes me chuckle and is on the lines of a 19lb eye is, swap that 72lb flat out for a musky that comes that close to a state record, OH Boy!

The pitchforks and torches would literally come out and after the dust had settled, I assume the entire area within days would look similar to an overseas soccer event gone wrong. Dude! If that was a musky, even if released but out of the water and held in that fashion, not mentioning it being used for lunch and dinner, we're talking months and months of public outcry and thousands of people banning together online and in real life to protest and make sure it never happened again. I have no clue on what the total would be with the angered or threatening calls that picking shop would get. I would say a for sale sign hanging from the front window, no matter how old or established it may be, would be in its future.

But seriously, like that would ever happen? Everyone, and I mean everyone, from the shore fisherman down in Mpls, to the tournament guru upnorth, along with every angler in between, just knows that you do not treat a musky in any way like this flat had been treated. Heck, I doubt any paper would even run the story in fear of promoting improper handling and treatment of a near state record trophy game fish. Plus, knowing the attention is would draw could have further implications, publicly and politically, down the road.

LOL, I feel silly for posting the fairy-tale comparison above. If the tables were turned and it was a musky (in such close proximity to a state record), even Vegas wouldn't set odds on this actually ever occurring, let alone the angler publicly acknowledging they intend to feast on the beast.

Just would never happen.

[nsnutter]

Shack - I recall a certain non-MN fisherman who came close to catching a state record muskie (near Detroit Lakes if memory serves me right??) and kept the thing to throw on his wall. The uproar on this site, as well as others, was astounding. He claimed to have "tried to revive it for an hour" before it expired ... it seemed like everyone hopped on the bandwagon to ridicule him for his decision. Why? It was his "legal right" to keep that fish ... right??? I guess there's a catch-22 when it comes to catfish though ... it's a cardinal sin when someone harvests a trophy class muskie, or bass, or (fill in the blank) but when someone harvests one monster flathead (among many other trophy class flats I'd guess) noone cares? There is a big difference between what's legal, and what's ethical.

Apparently I, among the rest who don't agree with harvesting this fish, are in the wrong here ... I didn't realize we need to tiptoe around the tulips and congratulate this guy for killing yet another trophy flathead. Well, congratulations bud - enjoy the mercury!

I have seen the photo Darren posted, among many others exactly the same ... and it's ridiculous. Sure, big flats "taste good" and so on ... but imagine the uproar if, instead of a dockfull of 30-50# flatheads in that picture, it was 28-32" walleyes??? It's a safe bet that the softies that frequent the boards wouldn't be so cordial. I doubt anyone would congratulate the anglers involved, "legal" or not.

Brian, I have to tip my hat to you for the laker example ... well worded, and spot on!!

[harvey lee]

I will never understand why any group of fisherman for any specie wants to tell all the others how to fish and what they can keep or not.

I understand that what happened to some specie years ago was not good for them but today, it sure seems everyone has the answer to what should be done in regards to keeping a fish.

Don't keep this and don't keep that.

I keep what I feel is for me and if someone else disagrees with me and thinks otherwise that's fine. I could really care less if someone else does not like what I keep fishing that day.

But I will NEVER tell someone else what they can and cannot keep. That's none of my business.

I would not have kept that fish but it is a personal choice. I have seen guys keep some walleyes that I would never have kept but they were doing something that the lawe allowed. I have also seen guys keep some walleyes that are only 10" and wonder why but I would guess they eat well.

A few years ago I caught a rather large pike and released the fish thinking I would have a replica made. Now, I found out how much more that fish would cost to mount with a replica versus doing it myself. I can say this, the next one I catch that is over 20#'s will more than likely not be put back.

Now I will go back to my corner and listen to why some should not keep what others believe they should not.

[Alagnak]

Except for invasives all fish species are equally as important so to say this one should have a good regulations while the other one people can kill and eat all the large fish just doesn't make any sense. Cats are 25 years behind the times for no good reason other that education and popularity. If its so great to keep 5 of any size why did we go away from this with every other game fish then?

[Gordie]

I don't like the idea of these guys keeping this big cat but I have had to deal with this type of stuff for as long as I can remember.

I hear the same type of argument each and every year when it comes to the other passion I have which is winter spearing of pike.

I know that it is legal to spear catfish as well but I wouldn’t spear one and I can't tell you why and its not because I wouldn't eat it cause I think flatheads are better table fare than walleyes or any other fish for that matter.

Like I said earlier I will not tell anyone what to do but I will share my opinion with them as I have done in the past.

It is sad that catfish don't get the same respect as popular game fish except by a certain few but it is nice to know that Minnesota poses some of the strictest rules for them around and I am glad for that.

My only hope is that other states follow some of the rules

[CANOPY SAM]

Did the math in my head for a quick guess on the weight of the cats in that pic, and figured a bit over a 1000 lbs! Seems I was pretty close.

That is simply ridiculous. Considering time from catch to cleaning, amount of time required to clean that many big fish, packaging, and time to complete freeze, also considering they were caught in Texas (which is markedly hotter at any given time than MN or WS), one would have to seriously wonder about the quality of the meat once these fish even make it to the table, if they ever actually do?

Let's say we harvest three 300+ lb. bear all in the same night. How many people, and how much time is it going to take to get this much meat into the freezer? Now let's add in that it's 90 degrees during the day, and 75-85 at night!!!

Sorry, but it's just foolish to kill this many (giant) cats in one day. I simply can't, and won't believe these will ever be eaten, and if they are that they taste very good. I'd wager that more than half these fish were near rotten by the time this pic was shot! Nothing more than a "Glory" shot.

Additionally, I'd simply add that, although I do love the state of Wisconsin, it sounds like Sconie should take a close look at many of it's liberal fishing regulations.

[topcat3820]

I don't like the idea of these guys keeping this big cat but I have had to deal with this type of stuff for as long as I can remember.

I hear the same type of argument each and every year when it comes to the other passion I have which is winter spearing of pike.

I know that it is legal to spear catfish as well but I wouldn’t spear one and I can't tell you why and its not because I wouldn't eat it cause I think flatheads are better table fare than walleyes or any other fish for that matter.

Like I said earlier I will not tell anyone what to do but I will share my opinion with them as I have done in the past.

It is sad that catfish don't get the same respect as popular game fish except by a certain few but it is nice to know that Minnesota poses some of the strictest rules for them around and I am glad for that.

My only hope is that other states follow some of the rules

And this is one of the reasons that I'm glad that I live where I do and that we have the few rules that we do, Gordie . That, and the fact that we don't have "state records" that require guys to kill their catch, all for a piece of paper .

[Canuck]

Yep Terry, I agree. C & R Nice to see U on the river the other week. You wont recognize my boat with the new paint job. C U.

[Feathers Rainin]

Remember the days of seeing a big pile of dead trophy smallmouth bass with grinning anglers on the front of magazines? That was over 20 years ago and I think we are still at that point with catfish.

And Panfish.

I think most people just don't get it. Fisherman who do understand the importance of letting big fish go need to spread the word as much as we can or we are just as guilty.

[EBass]

Quote:

And Panfish.

I think most people just don't get it. Fisherman who do understand the importance of letting big fish go need to spread the word as much as we can or we are just as guilty.

Agreed - coworker was telling me all the huge sunnies she caught. I explained to put the bugguns back and keep the med size. She said that makes sense, but never thought of that before. I buy the conservation lic since I rarely keep anything. I'll keep an eater walleye in the winter once in a while, but that's it.