Catfishing for shotshells

Cat bite was pretty fair Saturday at my brother's place on Kiowa until about 4pm and then these pesky things started chomping on the hotdogs. Caught 4 of these with 2 being of the extra large size. First one is 12 to 14" (For size reference that concrete retaining wall is 12" thick.)and the second monster was 18 to 20". I thought for sure I had me a 20lb blue on the line the way this thing pulled and fought. It completely swallowed an 8/0 hook on the santee rig. Didn't have a dip net big enough to get the biggest one or I would be having me some turtle sauce piquante today.







I did manage to put another 2 gallons of catfish filets in the freezer.
Last nite we just crappie fished off the pontoon and released them all.

Well, dang it! Spell check didn't catch that one!
SOFTSHELLS

Haha I clicked thinking, how the hell is he using shotshells to catfish?

You really like turtle meat? I've heard a lot about it especially from my grandfather and father-in-law, but I've never tried it.

I caught a 40 pounder out of Red River when I was a kid fishing with my grandpa back in the 1950's. It was half buried in a sand bar laying eggs and I got a big stick and flip it over and whacked it on the head a few times. My grandpa took it home and opened it up and cleaned all the meat out and my grandma fried it up. Fed the whole fam damily aunts, uncles cousins, in all about 20 people. Best I can remember it was a lot like fried chicken and rabbit mixed. this thing had laid about 20 eggs and had another 20 or so still inside it when Pa cleaned it. Softshell eggs are round and hard shell whereas other turtle eggs are oval and soft shelled.