Big Channels

[Guest]

I was down on the MN today just for a boatride with my honey.We ran into some Indiana guys who said that they had caught 3 channels over 25lbs last night.WOW now that is good fishing.I get a few now and again that reach the teens,my biggest being 16lbs.But 3 over 25?They said they were using crawdads("crayfish to you" thats what he said)Which leads me to ask what are some of your guys biggest channels and what were you using?

[Guest]

New personal best this year for Eddy is a Sumo channel cat that went 34+ lbs, & yup it was on a frog. Sumo Sally and most of the big girls came from mid river snags or rock humps on the main channel, at night.

This year has been good to me, 8-30's so far. Between a client/friend and I we had 13 over 30 pounds in less then one week. Wee-Wee, that was a blast man!

It will take some v-e-r-y good ice fishing this winter to compete with this summers piggies.

I still hope to get a piggie flathead if the chance pops up yet this fall. (HINT)

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Ed "Backwater Eddy" Carlson
Backwater Guiding Service
10409 Co. Rd #17 S
Horace, ND. 58047

[email protected]

1-(701)-281-2300

[DARK30]

3 OVER 25? COULD HAPPEN. I DON'T THINK A FISHERMAN WOULD EVER STRETCH THE TRUTH A LITTLE. MAYBE THEY WERE FLATS? WITH THE STATE RECORD BEING 38lbs, MAYBE WE SHOULD START FINDING SOME OF THOSE! I THINK THE RED RIVER WOULD HAVE BETTER POTENTIAL FOR FINDING REALLY LARGE CHANNELS BUT.....COULD HAPPEN.
I HAVE A FEW POUNDS OF FRESH CUT SUCKER IN THE FREEZER SO MAYBE WE SHOULD SEE IF SOMETHING....COULD HAPPEN?
WET NETS!

PS ANYTIME ED!

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cast,cast,cast,cast......

[Guest]

Yes it sounds a little far fetched.I have been chasing channels in that river every summer for a while now and have never even seen or heard of one over 20 let alone 3 25s in one night.But then again I have never tried crayfish and do get distracted by walleyes in the fall when I think you can get a few bigger fish.I am going to give "crawdads" a try.
Now in Backwater Eddy's river I would believe it.WOW 8 over 30lbs in a year.I just might have to come visit you BE.

[vern]

I'm gonna start weighing some cats. I never really have. The few times I have I was surprised at how heavy they were. My biggest was probably close to 30. Never thought I'd catch a channel that big in my life. Of course that was on the Red River last year at the Lockport Dam. 20+ average up there. It's shocking the first time you see those fish. Locally I'd say mid teens on the Minnesota. Those guys are telling some stories. Vern

[Toad]

Hey Fellas,

Been fishing the Minnesota River for about fifteen years now; in that time the biggest channel cat I've ever seen from the river ran in the 18 to 22 pound range. And that's a super rare fish, at least where we often fish between Mankato and Granite Falls. Three around 25 in one day would be quite a story indeed. Did you see their fish?

Biggest for me was a mid twenties channel caught in the Des Moines River about ten years ago. Took a live leopard frog while fishing at night in August. 'Course I was fishing in Iowa at the time, so you might be inclined to think I'm a little bit goofy. Never can tell about those Iowegians, you know (just joshin).

-a friend called Toad

[Guest]

Hey Now Toad,
I am an Iowegian,born there and spent my diaper years chasing chubs and crawdads in the creek before moving here.(no offense taken)
No I did not see their fish.They said that the stringer broke from the weight of all the fish!!Should have been a clue right there huh!
Its good to see you on this forum.Stop in some more,actually I'm surprised your not here all the time!See ya at Leech this weekend.

[Toad]

Hi fishhead,

Iowa's a great catfish state-- fellas down there really know a handsome fish when they see one! Yessir, gotta love those old meandering prairie rivers in Iowa. Spent a good bit of time over the years chasing cats and turkeys around these oft forgotten rivers. The Raccoon, Little Sioux, Des Moines and Boone rivers-- lots of nice channel cats, with a fair mix of big flatheads and walleyes thrown in for good measure.

Got two big river trips planned over the next month. One, a long weekend jaunt down to the Minnesota next week. The other a quick run into Iowa on the Des Moines and Boone. For now, it's time to gather up a nice cache of bait-- big redhorse suckers and bullheads especially. And if a guy could find chubs big enough around here I'd definitely try them too. In Iowa, it'll be live green sunfish-- now that's a bait flatheads love. Pardon the rantings . . .

-a friend called Toad

[Guest]

Hey Toad!
You're dead on about the catfishing in Iowa...can't beat the green sunfish & bullheads for bait. I'm assuming you will be in the Fort Dodge area (Des Moines & Boone Rivers) - the low head dam at Lehigh can provide some very good smallie fishing for a break in the catfishing. There are some dynamite riffles between that dam and Dolliver State Park a few miles north. I'll be posting a ? on your forum middle of next week to get some feedback on the river conditions in your area, as I will be heading that direction 2 weeks from today.
Welcome to Iowa, friend.
Freckled Lady Bucket