2009 King of the Cats Contest

[MinnesnowtaWild]

Pics or it didn't happen!

[Shack]

Must be one happy Capt. I am sure!

On these type of weekends things are kept hush-hush until Monday Oh, I just looked. It is Monday

Nice fish though!

[Gordie]

Originally Posted By: elwood

no work the next two days I might have to try and regain some ground as get in the green again.

You know Elwood the big smallies are biting up on Mille Lacs, you should head that way on your 2 days

I would do that but the law says I cant use those for bait slowhand and from the the movie Highlander There can only be One

I like being in the green see ya there

[DTro]

Just like that we have a new leader.

Nice job Slowhand! Someone has to keep SteveD on his toes.

I got a few upgrade pts tonight inching my way to the 200pt club.

Some of you guys are on a tear...way to go.

[MinnesnowtaWild]

Roman you just need one more biggun and I fall out of the green.

[HotPocket]

Nice job Ted!

[SteveD]

The King is dead, long live the King. Well, we got a new King - Congratulations, Ted - that is a beautiful fish. 47" X 31" = 78 points WOW!!! 53.1 lbs on the weight conversion table. That is a true trophy.

I'm after you now. I was going to start chasing channel cats but now you have me thinking flatheads again. I need 4 points to tie and 5 to regain the lead. Hard to do at those numbers. Lot of season left - I guess I better go catch some bullheads.

[Gordie]

thats nise to see a change up on the leader end of the board,I gotta get back to the river and start working I miss being in the green

[DTro]

Me thinks that my 227 total from last year is in jeopardy. I thought that was a rock solid total.

[Slowhand]

Steve, you of all know; when your on top of the standings the only way to go is down. I was quite content drafting the leaders till the fall feedbag.

Dtro its gonna take a really good year to top that benchmark number; acouple 50's and a high 40. With predictions of climate change; if conditions are favorable with milder winters/longer growing seasons in the future, it makes you wonder what happens years from now with good stewardship of our waters. Are we going to get southern-style-sized flats up here?

[aanderud]

With predictions of climate change; if conditions are favorable with milder winters/longer growing seasons in the future,

Longer growing seasons? I was wearing winter coat and pac boots out cattin 2 weeks ago...

[Slowhand]

I knew someone was gonna crack me on that .....just ask Al Gore; cold is all in the mind.

[DTro]

Maybe it's my imagination, but it sure seems like more and more large fish are being caught. Either that, or just more attention. Hard to tell I guess.

Still would like to see a 60 or two here and there.

[Gordie]

dtro I'll voluntier to do one of those 60's

I think that the river doing as good as it is and the efforts by all the guys with the catch and release it will only get better and better as time goes on.

[hanson]

Maybe it's my imagination, but it sure seems like more and more large fish are being caught. Either that, or just more attention. Hard to tell I guess.

I think more people fishing = more fish caught.

I don't think everyone is catching and recatching the same fish from a given population, I think that population is A LOT bigger than we think.

Makes you wonder how many flatheads are really in our rivers, I'm sure its a staggering amount. Which really makes those slow nights painful when you know there are fish all over the place.

[Larry FlatCaster]

I think that a few if not more are being recaught.... I've already had fish that have broke someone else off and I've heard multiple stories from different people that have had similar catches with fish having one or more hooks in it.

[Lowblazah]

I think more people fishing = more fish caught.

I would agree 100%

[Roman_K]

Roman you just need one more biggun and I fall out of the green.

HAHA! Easier said than done

[CFHunter]

I agree that fish are being caught multiple times. I have caught a couple this year already that have already been caught. Last night I caught a big flat that had my kahle hook with line and knot on it hooked in its mouth. Lost a few setups in a snag close to the same hole so Im thinking it ate the bait, and hooked itself then ripped the setup out of the snag. It was a bit strange. I also have no idea what was wrong with a little flat I caught, looked like its belly couldnt bulge out anymore and its mouth wouldn't close and its gills were flaired out like its jaw was locked open or something? Tried to get it working again for him but put him back in the water and he kicked right away and swam off, mouth wide open. Has anyone ever seen anything like that?

[Laska]

I finally caught my first Flathead ever! Only 4lbs but its a start, then I caught an 8lber 15min later!! woohoo go cut sucker heads!!

[hanson]

We know fish are caught and recaught, that isn't a surprise.

But as more and more people start fishing the river, "good" spots are going to end up always having boats on them and secondary spots are going to get more fishing pressure, and then spots that aren't even spots are going to have boats on them.

I'm willing to bet everyone still catches fish, and some of these other spots are going to open peoples eyes.

When all the fisherman on this board start to experience catch rates cut in half or really finicky, weird, picky bites... we'll start to realize how much pressure the river can take.

I don't think we are there yet... I still think the population is much bigger than we can imagine.

[MinnesnowtaWild]

Well my KOTC spot is up for the taking...I will be very busy in the next month because I'm moving back up to the suburbs and will have to find all new spots and will definitely fall behind in the standings. My goal this year was to make the top 10 and I will be very happy if I can still do that (had little faith I could actually pull that off). I'm just fricken suprised I have been in the green most of the season being that I strictly shore fish (unfortunately) and I don't have a lot of Catfishing experience.

Good luck to everyone and I will enjoy watching the beasts roll in this fall.

[Gordie]

last night harvey lee hooked into a flat and lost it he pulled in his line and it was like the hook came untied not more than three minutes later I got a fish on and boated it it was a 26x13 flat when I went to take the hook out of his mouth I noticed Harveylees # 10 gamagotsu untied hook in his mouth. took the hook out and gave it back to him. now I know thats not a big fish but I was trying to be a big one ate Toms bully then and I kid you not three minutes tried eat my bully

[aanderud]

Interesting how fast they're willing to eat again. I have heard of launches up on Mille Lacs catching the same fish in the protected slot like 3-4 times in a night bobber fishing!

Sounds like tom needs to tie better knots if 6 pounders are coming untied.

[Here-Kitty-Kitty]

44x30

same fish