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PB Channel Cat
#13565983
05/21/20 10:58 AM
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Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 2,629
Jim Ford
OP
Extreme Angler
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OP
Extreme Angler
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 2,629 |
Tuesday I was at a 5 1/2 acre pond looking for a safe that had possibly been dumped by burglars. Since it was my day off I grabbed some heavy Clousers and the six weight. There are supposed to be some big cats in there. After probing for the safe (too much vegetation for sonar) I started dredging with the fly. Caught a few bass and 1 - 2 pound cats, then got slammed. It ran me way down into the backing and kept wadding me up in grass. I figured that it’d shake the barbless hook in the grass. After about twenty minutes of dragging my kayak around I began getting glimpses of it. It took over 35 minutes, but I landed a 36 1/2” channel cat; a fat slob of a fish. It was hooked deep in the throat, but the barbless hook came out easily. I had no scale, but it was easily over 25 pounds. Swam off fat and sassy, ready to entertain me again another day. Best channel cat I’ve caught on a fly.
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Re: PB Channel Cat
[Re: Jim Ford]
#13566137
05/21/20 01:22 PM
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Joined: Sep 2017
Posts: 3,839
Osbornfishing
TFF Team Angler
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TFF Team Angler
Joined: Sep 2017
Posts: 3,839 |
That is a nice fish. In fact, it would have been the catch and release state record if you had the right documentation.
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Re: PB Channel Cat
[Re: Jim Ford]
#13566444
05/21/20 05:43 PM
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Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 4,562
J-Moe
TFF Team Angler
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TFF Team Angler
Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 4,562 |
Tuesday I was at a 5 1/2 acre pond looking for a safe that had possibly been dumped by burglars. Since it was my day off I grabbed some heavy Clousers and the six weight. There are supposed to be some big cats in there. After probing for the safe (too much vegetation for sonar) I started dredging with the fly. Caught a few bass and 1 - 2 pound cats, then got slammed. It ran me way down into the backing and kept wadding me up in grass. I figured that it’d shake the barbless hook in the grass. After about twenty minutes of dragging my kayak around I began getting glimpses of it. It took over 35 minutes, but I landed a 36 1/2” channel cat; a fat slob of a fish. It was hooked deep in the throat, but the barbless hook came out easily. I had no scale, but it was easily over 25 pounds. Swam off fat and sassy, ready to entertain me again another day. Best channel cat I’ve caught on a fly. Awesome!!! Well done fighting him out of that vegetation.
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Re: PB Channel Cat
[Re: Osbornfishing]
#13566449
05/21/20 05:44 PM
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Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 4,562
J-Moe
TFF Team Angler
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TFF Team Angler
Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 4,562 |
That is a nice fish. In fact, it would have been the catch and release state record if you had the right documentation. I thought catch and release records only applied to public water bodies.
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Re: PB Channel Cat
[Re: J-Moe]
#13566616
05/21/20 07:50 PM
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Joined: Sep 2017
Posts: 3,839
Osbornfishing
TFF Team Angler
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TFF Team Angler
Joined: Sep 2017
Posts: 3,839 |
That is a nice fish. In fact, it would have been the catch and release state record if you had the right documentation. I thought catch and release records only applied to public water bodies. You are correct. I thought maybe it was a public pond. If it was a private waterbody, then there is not a catch and release category. There is a private waterbody record by weight and it probably would have exceeded the current fly fishing record of 11.96 pound (28.0 inches).
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Re: PB Channel Cat
[Re: Jim Ford]
#13566638
05/21/20 08:07 PM
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Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 2,629
Jim Ford
OP
Extreme Angler
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OP
Extreme Angler
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 2,629 |
I have caught several fish over the years that would have been records. All were released. I'm not really interested in the recognition; I'd rather see the fish released (and not have to go through the bother). Nothing against folks who seek it; it's just not me. I got the fight. That's all I wanted. That and the memory.
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Re: PB Channel Cat
[Re: Jim Ford]
#13566726
05/21/20 09:14 PM
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Joined: Sep 2017
Posts: 3,839
Osbornfishing
TFF Team Angler
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TFF Team Angler
Joined: Sep 2017
Posts: 3,839 |
I have caught several fish over the years that would have been records. All were released. I'm not really interested in the recognition; I'd rather see the fish released (and not have to go through the bother). Nothing against folks who seek it; it's just not me. I got the fight. That's all I wanted. That and the memory. Excellent post. I would have love to have seen that fish. And it is great that you let it go. Thirty-five minutes pulling hard on a fly rod is a long time.
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Re: PB Channel Cat
[Re: Jim Ford]
#13566836
05/21/20 10:55 PM
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Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 2,629
Jim Ford
OP
Extreme Angler
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OP
Extreme Angler
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 2,629 |
Thank you, sir. Kind of you to say that.
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Re: PB Channel Cat
[Re: Jim Ford]
#13576813
05/30/20 11:16 PM
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Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 111
Canoeman1947
Outdoorsman
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Outdoorsman
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 111 |
Hey Jim, can you show us how you tied that stinkbait fly?
Larry
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Re: PB Channel Cat
[Re: Jim Ford]
#13576873
05/31/20 12:50 AM
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Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 2,629
Jim Ford
OP
Extreme Angler
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OP
Extreme Angler
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 2,629 |
Larry, the secret is to put your marabou in a bucket, cover it with water, and leave it in the sun for a week before tying a fly with it. Have a fan blowing on your bench and stay upwind of the vise.
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Re: PB Channel Cat
[Re: Jim Ford]
#13577911
06/01/20 02:44 AM
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Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 111
Canoeman1947
Outdoorsman
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Outdoorsman
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 111 |
Thanks for the tying information. I will have to try that the next time I've had too many beers. Do you think wearing a medical mask coated in Vicks Vaporub would help with the tying? Oh, and by the way, you have been torturing me with pics of Rios for several years; don't start sending me pics of whisker fish now.
Larry
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Re: PB Channel Cat
[Re: Jim Ford]
#13577984
06/01/20 04:55 AM
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Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 75,727
banker-always fishing
Pumpkin Head
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Pumpkin Head
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 75,727 |
Awesome post. "FIGHT of a LIFETIME" Side Note: Congratulations on the PB!
IGFA World Record Rio Grande Cichlid. Lake Dunlap. John 3:16 Sinner's Prayer. God forgive me a sinner. I accept Jesus Christ as my Savior !
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