I was in town for the Houston Boat Show last weekend so dad and I decided to try the big cats again on Lake Livingston. We didn't catch as many big ones overall but had one heck of a double! There were two Lakemaster boats running up and down the lake all day so hopefully they are in the process of building a HD map for Livingston. Their original maps are a little sub par but the HD versions are great. I'm still searching for a true giant...

WTG Chris

nice fish guys!

Wtg Chris some nice fish for sure, gotta love this time of the year with out much boat traffic.
Are y�all catching your shad in the river channel or out on the flats?

It is a great time to be on the lake. The shad are pretty well stacked in deep holes up the creeks and in the slack water below the damn when the gates are open. I haven't had much luck throwing a net in the river channel for gizzards. When if warms up during the day you can usually catch them at the ramps in the evenings as well.

Thanks Chris , I will spend a little time looking around next time up since I finally replaced my heavy net.
Below the dam is a good choice if we gets some gates open .

And I�m home sick today. I worked two days straight running 102 degree fever and then completely shelled today. Can�t get out of bed, but I wanted to add something to this post Chris because you mentioned you are still looking for that monster which to me is flatout the coolest and funnest thing to do pardner. Yall are catching good fish and if you keep doing what yall are doing eventually yall will bag one, but Chris... there is a way to fast track it and time is not on your side, but you have to ask yourself do you really want one?!?! On some fisheries, depending on the layout, you can actually locate a pretty good bit of em and see em but there is also places you can�t... It�s finding the places that you can�t that can turn into true Gold Mines!!!!!!!! PRIME....

I'm sorry you're sick and I know what you're saying man and that's good advice. I figured that if I found the 30+ pound fish it was just a matter of time before ole big bowed me up. Of course I've only gone three times but up to this point I don't think I've broken 40. That's not to say I'm complaining because we've had some great days but I thought I would have happened by a 50+ with the numbers of pretty large fish we are landing. I guess if I'm being honest with myself the answer is no, I'm not willing to do what it takes to bag a monster.... yet. I have a limited number of days that I can be on the water chasing these things, and have a hard enough time fishing five hours for 10-15 fish as it is because I'm generally a numbers guy. I just don't have patience with water I'm not confident in and I build confidence with my graph and historical knowledge. Right now my historical knowledge for big cats is ZERO. It's just not something that will be mastered overnight and I'm ok with that because it'll make it that much more satisfying when it happens.

I'm using big bait and I have to believe that if it drags by a big one she'll hit it. So maybe it is a location thing. There are quite a few options on a 90,000 acre lake lol. I'm picking up a few subtle things that seem to be common to the larger fish we're catching so maybe I'll start by staying in that zone more. One problem is that we guide and its usually easier and more consistent to sell numbers.

However, if I don't catch some big ones this season I can assure you it will haunt me all year and I will do whatever it takes make it happen next year

Man that ain't no fun!!!!...Hope you get to feelin better snarf snarf!!!!

I am with you Chris we have been drifting Livingston for several years and have caught plenty of 20-40 lb. fish and only know of a couple that were in the 50 lb. class that have been caught. I am trying new things every year but getting to fish one day a week is tuff. I fish flats mostly because I hate getting hung up maybe I should change.
I know they got to be some and I am looking to break 60.
Last year we started using planer boards and they do change the game.
I have caught two Blues on lake Houston in the 50 lb. class and know of a 65 caught on Conroe this week.

Yeah, the biggest advantage in trophy fishing is spending time on water with lots of trophy fish. I know a few local commercial guys on Livingston and they claim to have caught 80 and 90 pound blues on Livingston years ago.
Conroe has a population of monsters for sure and is a much smaller lake, but we only guide for hybrids down there. It pains me to see those guys catching 30-50 pounders on jugs and throwing them on ice. The River channel is tricky. There are places you don't hang up much and there are some real tackle eaters.

Awesome fish! Congrats!

Nice fish. Good job.

Chris, you shared what day it was on your first experimental run. But I did not catch your 2nd run or this one, as to exact date. I was going to try & track your runs according to my Catfish Calendar. Your first one (run) was on a BC (BlueCat) day. Appreciate it!

Don't worry about that big one, as it will come when you least expect it. And be ready. My first big Op was on a throwline & took me across the seat & my arm in the water, until I made the split decision not to follow it out (in the water) & let go of the line. I forget if I had my LifeJacket on or not. I vowed to never be lulled in to that situation. Plus I knew two other guys, who lived to tell their encounter. Never underestimate the power of a big Cat. We have one really big Op in the RB fork of Lake Limestone that I have estimated to be over 100#. One of my prize Catfish Calendar students has actually seen its head & tail (as it waved goodbye). I nicknamed it "The Giant". I have actually had it on the line & taking the boat with it. It runs just like a tractor, slow, but steady, never waivering, then its gone.

Addendum-
1st run- 12-28-17 Thursday BC day [posted on 1st thread 12-29-17 11:27 AM]

2nd run- 1-?-18 ?-day ?? day [posted on 1st thread 1-2-18 8:44 AM]

3rd run- 1-??-18 ?-day ?? day [posted on 1-10-18 12:49 PM]