I already blogged it so will take the lazy boy's out and link to it here

A grainy Loch Ness-style photo like that begs the question: how big was the catfish?

He was maybe 18", nice and fat off of all that bread that gets tossed in the pond by visitors. There are no ducks (thank God!) so it's the fish that get fed instead.

He sure put a pull on that little 4 weight bamboo pole.

Is there a point where you get concerned about breaking a bamboo rod on a fish? If so, what do you do, point the rod straight at him to take the stress off of it? I know next to nothing about bamboo.

Bamboo is tough stuff, very tough actually. I reference all the building that is done with it in the East. It's frailty is mainly the rot factor. I had to learn to wipe down my rod after using it each time to prevent rod rot from setting in.

A permanent set is the other bugbear I've heard about. But I'm told that if you do get a set in your rod, simlpy take it and waggle it around in all directions for a bit which will take the set right out of it. An old bamboo rodder's trick I'm told.

sweet, i bet that catfish did have you worried

I confess that he did. There was time to mull it over though, as I fought the fish for several minutes

man i like catchin cats, but not at night!!! i'm chicken of all that pokin stick they's got sewed into em!

I hear that. One of my high priority rules is stay away from that pointy part at all costs.

Catfish love lil' ole duckies...yum.
Nice fish there fellas!