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The story… (4 pics)

Tyler Holm

By Tyler Holm
in Catfish

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Tyler Holm Veteran

Tyler Holm

Posted
Posted

9:45… I happened to be looking directly at my rod and I see it relax (previously the line was tight and the rod was flexed just a scrunt). Then the rod did a couple jibber jabbers, then Click, click, click (you get the idea). Lots of clicking. Not racing, but slow and steady. After about 30 seconds I was kinda getting nervous as the fish continued to pull steady clicker (I had the rod in my had at this point), but I remember being in a discussion with Kyle B and hanson and they said let’er run till she stops. Soooo. About 90 seconds later and 40ish yards of clicker the fish STOPS. (Oh and by the way I made darn sure my drag was dang tight at the beginning of the evening). Now its clicker off, reel about 1 crank and I was feeling the fish chomp, chomp, chomp.

Now I have never set the hook into a catfish of this caliper before, but I wasn’t expecting what happened next.

My monster hookset was ill-taken by this bruiser and she showed her appreciation by zipping down stream full-throttle. My drag was set way tight and this was evident as she drug me all the way to the transom of the boat. I braced myself within a few inches of going overboard and just then she let up enough for me to release a death gripped hand to ease the drag off about 15 notches.

Roughly a lifetime later I got my first glimpse shortly followed by a successful netting job. Good thing too, because I don’t think I could have held my breath another second.

A Personal Best by 25lbs

ty_cat1.jpg

41” long x 27” girth

ty_cat2.jpg

38lbs 14oz (man the scale kept bumping up into the 40.x getting me all kinds of stoked but I still excited beyond belief the weight that she held at)

ty_cat5.jpg

Bye Bye

ty_release4.jpg

PS… Props to the net-man and camera-man -> crazyice.

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Shack Grand Master

Shack

Posted
Posted

Still a very nice fish! Could be the last Flat of 2007 on FM!

I have had a couple good ones on this, but have not sealed the deal yet! I tell ya, the weekend or two after the end of KOTC, I will get a big one! I know it!

This summer sure has been fun though!

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hanson Grand Master

hanson

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Quote:

but I remember being in a discussion with Kyle B and hanson and they said let’er run till she stops.

Hmmmmm... I'm fairly certain I didn't say that.

If the fish is running, and I can apply some thumb pressure to the spool and feel the fish loading (pulsing) the rod, I give er the onion. grin.gif

It really is an instinct thing when you think is the right time.

So you either got really, really lucky.... or you did exactly the right thing. smile.gif I'm not going to decide. Fish in the boat and thats the bottom line!!!!

I don't have the patience to let them run too far. Alot of times, they'll swim right back for cover and thats when you'll lose them. They'll hang up before you set the hook.

Great fish man! Last photo is awesome!

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DTro Grand Master

DTro

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Posted

I KNOW it wasn't me, anyone that's fished with me knows my thoughts. A big flat isn't going to nibble a live bait. It expels out all the air, flare it's gills then creates a vacuum and engulfs the bait (thats the beautiful thump we all like to hear). After that it's just a matter of the hook point being in the right place.

I grab my pole, feel for the fish and whamo. I rarely let em run. I'm not saying that's bad, I just don't do it.

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katchaser Collaborator

katchaser

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Nice fish!

You guys were worrying me with "let em run till she stops"

I say if they are moving steadily they got the bait in their mouth (they ain't got pockets) and I cross their eyes.

I know they act a bit different in rivers but I have had big flats (usually females) take a bait-2 or 3 clicks and then sit still for hours. I'm not sure what they are doing but when they finally decide to move again they are on their way to my weigh sling grin.gif

If you catch the fish you must have done something right.

Quote:

Could be the last Flat of 2007 on FM!

I hope to prove you wrong grin.gif

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Kyle B Enthusiast

Kyle B

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Good Work! The leter run till she stops thing was pertaining to that time of year, at that time they were grabbing the bait running 5 ft and stopping to eat it! its usually always a good time to swing when the fish is moving with the bait. You got the fish thats what counts!

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Tyler Holm Veteran

Tyler Holm

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Posted

Quote:

Quote:

but I remember being in a discussion with Kyle B and hanson and they said let’er run till she stops.

Hmmmmm... I'm fairly certain I didn't say that.

If the fish is running, and I can apply some thumb pressure to the spool and feel the fish loading (pulsing) the rod, I give er the onion. grin.gif

It really is an instinct thing when you think is the right time.

So you either got really, really lucky.... or you did exactly the right thing. smile.gif I'm not going to decide. Fish in the boat and thats the bottom line!!!!

I don't have the patience to let them run too far. Alot of times, they'll swim right back for cover and thats when you'll lose them. They'll hang up before you set the hook.

Great fish man! Last photo is awesome!

She was running straight for the open river (well at least there were no visible snags). We've had some troubles hooking while they were running so I gave this option a try and it panned out (well this time at least). I agree it’s instinctual and you learn from previous mishaps (and read about others mishaps online)

My next run that evening resulted in a missed fish. It hit and took out clicker just as the first fish did, but then only ran about 15’ and stopped. As I was tightening the line I felt the faint sights on 1 head shake and that was it. It simply dropped the bait for whatever reason. I should have crosses it’s whiskers the second it stopped or while it was pulling clicker. Another mishap, another log stored in the long term memory bank.

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Tyler Holm Veteran

Tyler Holm

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Posted

Quote:

Good Work! The leter run till she stops thing was pertaining to that time of year, at that time they were grabbing the bait running 5 ft and stopping to eat it! its usually always a good time to swing when the fish is moving with the bait. You got the fish thats what counts!

I learned a lot that night of the GTG, both chatting and fishing. We had several rippin runs. I gathered a bunch of info that evening and this "leter run till she stops" tip was the first thing that popped into my mind on this particular bite/run.

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crazyice Experienced

crazyice

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Posted

I am already looking forward to next year for sure! It will be nice to have a little experience in from this year and be able to get in on the earlier spring time bite hopefully as I didn't get into the whole cattin' thing until later in the year. But it will definately be on like donky kong!! cool.gif

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