catfish derby....

[SPUD BAR]

Heard a rumor that the winning kitty at the derby was 55 lbs +. Can anyone confirm this?

[Ozzy169]

Is that the Derby in Franklin?

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Puff-Puff-Pass

[collegeoutdoorsman]

The winning catfish of the franklin derby was 48 lbs 8 oz. Second place was 43 lbs 10 oz, third place was 41 lbs 8 oz, and fourth was 41 lbs 2 oz. The largest channel cat was 15 lbs 6 oz. Women each won first place in the flathead and channel cat. There was a total of 224 people that registered.

[Wiskers]

Man I wish I could make that tournament one day.. Heck I lived in Walnut Grove for 4 years and never fished the river when I was there... sigh.. I even worked in Morton..

I did not even know what a cat was when I was living there..

I am gonna have to keep an eye out for next year..........

[collegeoutdoorsman]

The treatment of the cats was very good. The DNR said the water was in the tank for about two weeks prior and had to be almost the exact temperature of the river. There was a total of 29 catfish brought in and only one casualty that I know of. Otherwise I don't even think anyone took one home for the frying pan.

[Perch Jerker]

How were the cat's treated in general by the fisherman & by the weigh station personel?

I fished the one in Belle Plaine a few years back and the 'contestants' (loose term) were really tough on the fish but the weigh station was the worst. A stock tank with ICE COLD water from the hose that morning shocked the cats coming in to get weighed so badly that they were belly up in minuets. Myself and others (from FM.com) were trying to move water over the big cats gills and freezing our hands in the process. It disgusted me. I personally judge cat competetions by the way they treat the apex predators they are sponsoring the removal of from the system.

PJ