[Flatheadmaniac]

Another post about moon phases got me thinking about this one..and since Flathunter is BORED out of his mind and wants to hit the ole river bank for flatheads with a bucket full of live gills, two rods and a chair(lol )..BUT cant because the water temps right now are just above freezin and those big old flatheads are snuggled up with each other and covered over with silt..we'll just TALK about it for now..ok Jack?
I'd say some of my best ever days fishing have been when a fishing partner Dave and I hit 17 flatheads 17-30 lbs.(small ones ) in one night..and lost some to the trees.
Other trips have been below a certain dam on the Ohio R. where we have caught over 100 fish a pcs. 12 species in one day..and did this for two to three days in a row during spring many years.
Another one comes to mind...a few years ago my other fishing partner Jake and i bought these 11ft light action Euro rods for throwing light jigs to skipjack herring..we hit a small feeder creek of the Ohio R. and the water level was high in the main river and in this creek, but the creek was crystal clear. It was spring and we had in front of us a school of whitebass that had to number in the 1000's? We were throwing a dbl. rig and catching two WB that would go from 1lb to 2 1/4 lbs..plus about every 15th cast would connect with a hybrid of 1-4 lbs that was running with the WB schools...we set on them for almost 6hrs..releasing ALL of them of course...Jake couldnt lift his arm over his head for 3 days...lol..great memories.
This past year, topped my best fishing days ever..thats because i took both my boys out and started them stream wadin...they both had a blast, learned how to to catch & release some great fish and hopefully sparked a desire to want to fish next year too(they both said..YES with ear to ear grins!!)
Lets hear your guys stories!!
Scott

 

[flathunter]

Well now let me think a bit.....OK


My Best Day Flathead fishing was this year, I fished a total of 5-minutes before I caught my 50-lber
I did not even have my second pole in the water when the big fish hit, and it was broad daylight at that!!!!

Numbers wise on Big Flatheads, it was many years ago. I caught 4-Flats over 20-bs, with Big Fish of 40-lb
My partner for the night also landed 2-flats over 15-lbs.

In years past most of my Flatheading was in a Creek, that just did not hold alot of Flats per hole, so a couple of decent fish per night was considered good.

I am concentrating on a medium size River now, so hopefully in the not to distant future, I can have one of those great nights
both on size and numbers of fish!

Channel Cats was a few years ago, I was fishing a small lake after a heavy rain in the spring, and I could not even fish two rods they were hitting so fast..Probably caught and released over 30-channels between 2 and 6-lbs, in just a few hrs.

In 2001 I caught around 20 channels, in one day on a creek in mid november

The most Flatheads I ever caught in one night was probably a dozen, but they were small nothing over 15-lbs


White bass my best day was appx 18 fish, "I just started fishing for them".

Carp I had a decent day a few years ago, when I caught 8 or 9 fish over 10-lbs, with big fish of 18-lb

99 percent of my fishing has been for Catfish, so I just dont have any good days for other species to report!

 

[Fish]

I caught a 5# smallie at Lake Cumberland and a 3# LM a couple years ago in Hinckley lake.

But the 2# Bluegill I caught at Gull Lake in Michigan has to be my favorite. I caught it on a topwater fishing for smallies. I loved that lil guy for the thrill he gave me.

The only other fish I caught that had any size was a 31" Pike out of the Kalamazoo River. It wasn't much of a fight though. I threw out a husky jerk alongside a rock pile and he hit it. I started reeling in and got him close to the boat and once he saw the boat he took off straight down to the bottom, which was about 15' deep. I gave him line and when he stopped taking it I started to reel in and he just came all the way back w/o a fight.

I caught about a 4# Catfish on a spinnerbait. I was casting to the shore and to the right of a pile of branches. The lure must have went down right in front of him because it didn't take 2 seconds before he was on. Now that was a fun fish to catch. If I wouldn't have seen him I would have sworn with the way he was fighting that I had Moby Dick on there! The only fish I've had that fought harder was a dogfish.



I know it's nothing like the big fish most catch here, but it was still fun.

Sorry, I know this was supposed to be one day or night, but I don't have the one day or night you guys do and it would have been too short to post.

 

[mrfish/OH]

Best day ?

Have to say 2 years ago when I landed 35 stripes- hybrids & stripers with the average fish being 6-8# Some were in the teens, some were about 4#. Those were landed fish, not the ones that got off near the bank, hits, breakoffs, ones that went deep into the ledges, etc. All landed & hooks removed.
Recently would be Oct 31, 3 flats & a nice bluecat along with a few smaller fish (6 fish total with 3 definitely over 30# and maybe one just under or maybe just over 30#) All caught from 12 Noon to 3:30 PM
Of course the one I'm holding in my avatar was a good day too. Nov 10, 2002

 

[Flatheadmaniac]

Fish

Buddy you aint got to have 1000 fish days..or catch a boat load of big blues like Jimmy to have a best day to talk about...its more about the experience ya had doing it, who you got to share it with and the memories you get to look back on!!
I personally look back to times that pop into my mind as being with anglers i dont get to fish with much anymore(cause of familys, work, ect) or the times one of us at least every darn trip fell and busted our butts(which most of the time it was me..lol). Heck probably the best times ive had are fishing with my boys and close friends . I still find myself wishing more and more i was my brothers age(hes 10 yrs older than me) so i could have spent more time on the river bank night fishing with my grandfather(past away a few yrs ago) and my father(has lived in Fl. for 12 yrs now) when they used to flathead hunt every weekend rain or shine! I was too young to go then, plus my mom said grandpa cussed too much along the river bank for me to go at that age ..lol

 

[mrfish/OH]

Most memorable ?

Those bring to mind 2 days in particular. Both a long time ago so my recollection of my are could be distorted. One was fishing in Churchhill Creek near Rochester, NY where I grew up. My mother had dropped of a buddy & myself there to fish. There was a nice park. The creek is big- more like a small river, has weedbeds. Anyway, my dad had a cartop boat he & I used to row out & fish it. This day we were fishing off the bank. You know how boys keep on about who's going to catch the big one. I had a Zebco combo- I guess a 202 maybe with the factory line. I was throwing a Mepps spinner(#5 or #7 ??) with a squirreltail. Anyway, I got bite, hard. After quite some time I landed a 28" Northern Pike. Next time was at St Lawrence Seaway at Thousand Islands. We stayed there a week. I caught a 16" smallmouth bass on a minnow under the boat. It was the biggest fish I had ever caught. I think I might even have a picture of me with it sent from my mother's estate a few years ago. It doesn't look so big now. But when you're little, they looked much bigger. There's a few great days fishing with either of my sons, and daughter too. She had a LM bass on & handed me the rod as it was "too big" for her. My youngest son & I got on some WB a few times & caught between 30-40 fish. Oldest son, when he was about 6 told me I had a hit. I was half napping, every time I looked, it was just the wind, etc. I told him not to worry....he said the rod was moving into the water !! I think this actually happened twice, once the 1st time we went & then this time too. Both times were channel cats.
Now he's 23 & he caught a 33# flathead 2 years ago.

 

[flathunter]

I really enjoy the memories of my Son catching fish also..He caught his first flat in 1999, just a small 5-lb...Next year he caught a 16-lb..Then he discovered girls and has not caught many since

 

[flathunter]

I forgot about this trip, late July 2000, my son caught most of these in a couple hrs, we released a few others stringer was full.
Agin this was before girls

 

[mrfish/OH]

Girls.......

Yup.......got that going on now with my 18 yr old. He's "blessed" if you catch my drift. The phone rings off the hook, must have 3-5 girls calling everyday !
He's been fishing once with me this fall in my new boat, spent the whole time texting his GF on his cell phone. We did manage a small flathead (4#?) and a few little channels too. Didn't get him excited at all. Guess not, some of his GF are real dolls !!
My oldest on the other hand, just got burnt a little with his gf, so he's found new interest in fishing. Always has liked it, but has a much more serious outlook after seeing some of my fish from this fall.

 

[BottomBouncer]

Everytime I think of the good trips.....I remember the trips that involved that one that got away...........
I had my best cattin' last March. Channels ranging from 18" to just under the 26" mark.
Another night on the Scioto produced action as fast as I could cast and engage the bait alarm! A front was moving through and fish were hammering whole shad and bluegill.
Days on Alum with a friend or sometimes by myself....I'd swear we caught every crappie in the lake!

I can't wait to get started this season! New carpet and seats for the boat as well as a home made PVC rod holder for cattin'......it's pretty cool! Also gonna add some storage for the necessity gear that should not leave the boat. I keep looking at weather.com for any sign of warm weather. And then I remember that it is just now January

 

[flathunter]

Just now January, you did have to remind me But just think two monthes till march

 

[BottomBouncer]

YES!!!!!!! And February is a short month!!!!!!! And the count down begins........59 days until March......58

It won't be too long before people are banging the rocks at Alum for some of those large saugeye. I know that may sound desperate........but work with me here! Hey, we always have the day in February that is like 65 degrees! I think last year it happened in January? Fisherman's opens up again tomorrow.....I think I'll go burn a gift certificate