My brother and I were bass fishing today on Ray Hubbard. We were practicing for a tournament coming up. Caught a few bass, but ended up hooking the biggest fish I've ever caught. I set the hook and thought I was hung up then it started to pull the drag. It took 5 minutes before I was able to see him. My brother was super excited because he likes to cat fish. My brother threw his gloves on and went to grab the line and the liter snapped. We estimated he weighed 30lbs as my brother has caught plenty catfish that big and bigger. I was using a CAROLINA RIG. I asked him if it was common and he said that will likely never happen again. No joke, 15 minutes later I set the hook again. Thought I was hung up again....pulled the drag again and finally got him to the top of the water and this one we were able to net. He weighed 21 lbs, and I will put pictures up one I figure out how to do it. Just wanted to know if anyone has seen this before. I had a 3.5 foot liter on and was working it sort of slow. Thought I had the state record on with how hard it was pulling and the drag pulling. Never crossed my mine I would catch a catfish on a CAROLINA RIG.

Yes I have had it happen multiple times and my biggest was a 51.2lb flat head on lake lewisville on a spinning rod with 15lb power pro braid. Not as uncommon as u think.

I caught a 35 on Lake worth in a working man's a few years ago on 12 pound P-line CX. I have sworn by P-Line since then. I believe it was on an H20 express crank bait, but I am not 100% sure on the brand.

That's crazy. It was definitely fun reeling them in.i was using 20lb big game. Thanks for the responses.

Happens all the time on Hubbard!! Lots of cats out there!

If I had a dollar for everytime I heard that on Hubbard.

Yep! I wish I had a dollar everytime ive seen one caught while bass fishing! The lake is full of flatheads!! My brother caught a 63lber and my nephew caught a 44 lber in the same day in a tournament! Seems like everyweek there catching one out there! I grew up on that lake and have prolly caught 20+ on a plastic worm! My brothers still fish the lake at least three times a week and always talking about the flathead out there!

About a month ago I was pre fishing for a tournament on Hubbard and caught 2 flatheads.The first one around 20lbs on a Rapala DT-20 and the 2nd around 25lbs on a strike king 1/2oz red eye shad. It was the first time I ever fished Ray Hubbard and didn't catch one single bass! Oh yeah, I almost forgot about the 15lb logger head I snagged somehow with a chatter bait. Everything but bass but thats the way it goes sometimes.

I saw Terry Butcher catch one we estimated to be 25 pounds or better on a crankbait in Captains Cove during PAA last year. He said he normally would just cut the line, but he wanted his Lucky Craft back.

I guess some people dont realize that Flatheads are predators just like bass, they are not bottom feeders like Channels and Blues, and they generaly dont eat anything that is not alive or imatates something that is live, its really not that uncommon to catch them while bass fishing. Heck the Conroe Lake record was caught by a man bass fishing the old tram on a jigging spoon.

Fish Jigs and you'll catch ton's of em. They love jigs. If you want to target one with a jig, I'd suggest the I-30 bridge pillars. Really most lakes that works on. I've caught big ones of the bridge pilings on Cedar Creek and Tawakoni also.

I caught a tree stump on 12 lb P-line CX Premium yesterday. It must have weighed in at 50 lbs. I can say that P-line is my new lince of choice and Excalibur crank baits have the toughest hooks in the business!

I've caught several flatheads on Livingston on crankbaits with the biggest being 17lbs. Also have caught blues on spinnerbaits, worms and jigs, even saw my dad catch one on a zara puppy

How deep?

The base of the pilings, over the years all kinds of debri gets stuck at the base. Huge logs and lots of time people drop their brushpiles down there for crappie fishing. It makes a great hangout for big flatheads.