(probable) new state record CHANNEL cat from zumbro

[frydaddy]

Here is the story.......which is very poorly written. First they just say catfish (not channel or flathead) and they also use the term....SNAGGED! They SNAGGED the fish...HA........I do not think these guys snagged the fish....pretty poor choice of words by a writer, writing about something they don't understand. But....Congrats to these guys and congrats on letting the fish go!

Here is the world class rochester reporting:

http://www.kttc.com/News/index.php?ID=15305

[Dan Thiem]

Well although poorly reported, I still think it's cool!

I wonder if some of the monsters we had on ice fishing last year were channels of near that size. DzNuts had a huge one on a couples of times before they came unhooked. Sounds like the same area too. Congrats to the anglers if they are reading this.

[slipperybob]

Whatever happenned to journalistic prowess to ensure accurate information is accurate?

I fished zumbro lake once and I snagged...didn't catch, snagged rocks.

LOL's

[Tyler Holm]

Man, what a fish! That's totally sweet to know there are fish that big in the Zum. Congrats fellas and major kudos on the release.

[Crickschop04]

God I need a boat.

[Rugbyguy]

Crick, maybe someone higher on the senority list can lend us some money to buy a boat!! I just want to catch a few cats this year, something that size would obviously be far above my expectations.

[BigWadeS]

shoot me an email wks1974 at yahoo (Contact Us Please) com

[Crickschop04]

Rugby-Maybe we can share some shorline sometime soon on the Zum. I'm thinking the two of us might have some free time coming up soon so we won't be having to get up so early, and might be able to do some night fishing.

[hanson]

Dang I wish that video was a little better!

One thing I've learned over the years is that the stories surrounding monster or record fish are always sketchy. There's only one photo, video is bad, etc, etc. I just want more proof man!

What I do know is there is no doubt in my mind that the photo is of a huge channel cat. I can clearly see the rounded anal fin in the video. Coloring and body shape are indicative of a channel cat as well rather than a blue.

If the story is true, and I have no reason to doubt that it isn't, thats an amazing catch! And a big thumbs up to the anglers for letting that beauty go!

You just never know where a big cat will turn up at.

[hanson]

I've watched the newscast over and over and over again trying to get a feel for how big that fish really is. The part that troubles me is the video of the fish in the net when they are trying to pick it up. Thats not a 40lb fish in the net. My best guess giving them the benefit of the doubt is 25lbs and 38" which is still one heck of a channel cat anywhere. At one point, the gentleman trying to grab the fish could almost get his entire hand across the width of the fish.

I guess my opinion is its a really good fish, but not as good as we are led to believe.

So... I'm going to be a party pooper and wave the BS flag. Great story, great photoshop work, and really bad acting on camera. They looked really twitchy and nervous on camera, maybe they were just nervous, I don't know. But that is what makes me question it more than anything.

As more proof... I'd like to present Exhibit 'A'.

This is a length/weight chart from a fellow angler who goes by the handle 'RB'. (I hope he does not mind me posting this info but will gladly remove it if not). They measured and weighed 163 channel cats they caught from the Red River and compiled them into this table.

What is clearly obvious is the curve of length to weight. A 38" channel cat is going to be near 25-28lbs. But a 30" channel cat is going to weigh in that 12-15lb range. If you do the math, a 50" channel cat is going to be way, way, way over 40lbs.

How about Exhibit 'B'

This photo is from Stu up on the Red River at Selkirk.

Dimensions on this pig were 40" length x 26" girth, weight in the mid-thirties.

Oh well... enough of my rant. Ya'll can judge it for yourself. Criticize me if you wish.

[frydaddy]

Very interesting hanson......hmmmmm. Fishy.

[Catmaster1]

Like the poster on the X files, I want to believe. The problem is I just can't buy into fifty inches. I fish almost primarily the Zumbro upstream from the lake all the way to Oronoco and the biggest I have seen is a 34. Have one 31 already this year but 50?

The cats are definitely biting, ate kittys all last weekend.

I would really be interested in getting some boats out on a nightime friendly tourney sometime if anyone is interested.

[Tyler Holm]

Quote:

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I would really be interested in getting some boats out on a nightime friendly tourney sometime if anyone is interested.

---

Humm... That gets the wheels a turning upstairs...

Dano, whatchagot?

[Dan Thiem]

Yup!

[vern]

Huge channel, especially for the Zumbro! But I agree with Hanson that the measurements probably aren't correct on this one. Looks like a fat 37-38 incher to me.

[crazyice]

You know darn well you could count me in on something like that Tyler!

[rlhs76]

First Hogzilla and now this fish. It does a soul good to see a true sportsman return a big catch to the water. He can now continue to grow and populate the lake with more of his large offspring. Too bad this will probably spark a lot of interest for some fool to try and catch the monster so they can mount it on their wall.

[doesntgetoutmuch]

I try and fish Zumbro lake 5-6 times a year... like my username says... I don't get out much. BUT, I caught a cat fish (no details and I don't know what kind). I caught it on a jig head a twisty tail and 12 lb line... at first I thought I caught a ROCK. Didn't move, but didn't want to come in either. After about 20 minutes (I was afaid to break the line), I got the thing up to the boat. My guess, it was in the 20 lb range and about 30" in length. I tried to use my cheap net to hall it in, but the poll started to bend, so I reached into the mouth with my needle nose and unhooked it and turned the net over and let it go. Biggest thing I ever caught, but if I had a choice, I'ld catch sunnies instead... what a fight they put up :-)

[fishgetter]

Dan and Tyler I think it is a great Idea to get some guys for a little night fishing. Here kitty kitty. Tyler you have my e-mail I believe let me know. I think I could get a few boats lined up.