Outdoor Life - Catfish RSS

Take a Kid Fishing: Why Catfish are Perfect for First-Time Anglers

Alex Robinson — Thu, 16 May 2013 11:27:09 -0400

As spring fishing season has us all heading to our favorite fishing holes, consider two important points critical to the sport’s progression: 1) Host a kid, or any beginner, and you'll open the door to their personal angling development; 2) First-time lessons need a realistic starting point so hold the dock skipping and deep cranking stuff for down the road.

In many cases, catfish offer a user-friendly option with a good chance of catching something big enough to eat. From the smaller channel cats to the blue variety reaching hefty proportions, catfish are fairly indiscriminate eaters with respectable fights and tasty fillets. Other words, they're the ideal "beginner" fish.

No disrespect to those advanced catfishermen, but beginner level stuff can actually be quite simple. A Carolina rig or a 3-way swivel rig baited with chicken livers, hot dogs or any of the various "stink baits" will do. For a multi-level angling experience, use crickets or wiggler worms on light spinning gear to catch small panfish and bait catfish rigs with fresh filets. The benefit: Starting off with the typically fast action of panfishing balances the waiting common to catfish pursuits.

West Virginia's mid-May catfish stockings comes just in time to encourage youth and family participation in Kids to Parks Day, May 8 (kidstoparks.org) National Get Outdoors Day on June 8, and National Fishing and Boating week, June 1 -9. The latter includes Free Fishing days on June 8 and June 9 in West Virginia.

The state's Department of Natural Resources Wildlife Resources Section and West Virginia's state parks have partnered to make catfishing even more rewarding by releasing tagged channel catfish into lakes at these state parks: Cacapon (Morgan Co.), Cedar Creek (Gilmer Co.), Chief Logan (Logan Co.), Pipestem (Summers Co.), and Tomlinson Run (Hancock Co.). Anglers who catch a tagged fish are asked to return the tag or the tag number along with information on the date of capture, if the fish was kept or released, and the name and address of the angler to WVDNR, 2311 Ohio Ave, Parkersburg, WV 26101. Anglers also can call in the information (304-420-4550) or provide the information via e-mail dnrfishtags@wv.gov.

Anglers who report a tagged fish will receive the "tagged reward," park information, a letter of congratulations from the DNR and a certificate for either a train ride at Cass Scenic Railroad, a boat ride on the sternwheeler "Island Belle" to Blennerhassett Island or a Recreational Activity Pass at Pipestem resort. For a complete list of catfish stockings visit www.wvdnr.gov.

VIDEO: Wels Catfish Catch and Eat Unsuspecting Pigeons

Alex Robinson — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 12:16:16 -0500

There's a new population of Wels catfish in southern France, and these weird fish are anything but bottom-feeders.

A study published yesterday reveals the region's invasive catfish (Silurus glanis) are actually breaching along shorelines to capture pigeons.

Researchers observed a total of 54 attempts to catch a bird by up to nine different catfish. Of those attempts, 28 percent resulted in a successful capture. What's more, the catfish only pursue active pigeons. Motionless pigeons were never attacked, even if they were close to a fish.

According to PLOS.org, no one's really sure why the catfish are upending the food chain. These European catfish aren't native to that part of France, and researchers think the alien species is just adapting to the novel prey in its new environment.

Modify Your Crankbait to Catch More Fish

Alex Robinson — Fri, 02 Nov 2012 12:00:14 -0400

Fish aren’t always cooperative. Sometimes the smallest tweaks to your bait can mean the difference between loading the boat or stringer or going home empty-handed.

For example, the bite had dried up on a recent redfish trip. An over-abundance of storm minnows had put the redfish bite in check, as the fish were only interested in these bite-sized treats swimming on the surface.

So when fish turn finicky and start zeroing in on a specific bait, you’ve got to be willing to change up tactics. To accommodate the locals, we went into our tackle boxes and pulled out some shallow running crankbaits. After a few casts, we realized they were running too deep.

So we went to our toolbox. We trimmed the bait’s bill and sanded it down. Now the baits ran on top of the water. And when we presented them again to the redfish, they went nuts for our tweaked baits. Remember, let the fish tell you what they want; and tweak your baits to accommodate their mood. It can make a huge difference.

Fish Kills: Mother Nature's Plague

Alex Robinson — Fri, 24 Aug 2012 11:10:41 -0400

Fish kills are, in most cases, the result of reduced dissolved oxygen. However, fish kills can occur, with less frequency, from diseases and the occasional parasite infestation.

Any number of factors can diminish dissolved oxygen levels. Typically, these include drought, algae blooms, overpopulation, and elevated water temperature. In many cases, a combination of these factors can negatively affect the fragile ecosystem.

Dissolved oxygen levels drop during summer months when water temperatures rise. The algae living in a particular body of water require oxygen to survive. While algae produces oxygen during the day through photosynthesis, they consume oxygen without replacing it during the night. If enough algae is present, they can lower oxygen levels below the tolerance of fish (as they need less to survive than fish). Once that happens, the fish suffocate and die. And contrary to popular belief, most fish kills occur during the night.

Algal blooms, as they are referred to, occur both naturally and with the help of man — most commonly, the addition of nutrients into the water such as nitrogen and/or phosphorus are the problem.

Nutrients can come from several sources. Runoff from farming fertilizing operations is the common culprit. However, nutrients can also be introduced from something as simple as residents washing their cars with liquid soaps and detergents — they can make their way into ecosystems via storm water runoffs.

When these detrimental nutrients are introduced into the water shed, the growth of algae is accelerated, producing the “bloom.” Fish are typically the most susceptible residents of an ecosystem to these lowered dissolved oxygen levels — so they die first. For ecologists, a fish kill sends up a red flag that an ecosystem is unhealthy and in need of attention before any more damage is inflicted on the fragile eco-balance.

4 Reasons Why You Miss Fish

Alex Robinson — Tue, 14 Aug 2012 11:05:50 -0400

Anglers whiff on fish for any number of reasons. In most instances, these miscues can be pared down to four common culprits. Master these and you’ll be less likely to be caught telling stories about the one that got away.

#1 - Incorrect Line
Each and every rod is designed and built to handle a specific weight (poundage) range of fishing lines and lures. This range is determined by mathematical modeling using guide type, guide placement, guide count, guide diameter, blank length, blank wall thickness, flexure, reel placement on the seat, butt length and style.

Each blank is graded and stamped with the correct line and lure weight for that individual rod. These guidelines are provided to help the angler get the most performance out of the rod. Throwing the wrong line or lure weight results in shorter casts and considerably increased line fouling (backlashes and rat-nests) as line does not feed off the reel at the correct pace. Always match your line and lure to the recommended weight for the individual rod.

# 2 - Improperly Sized Hook
Fishing the wrong size hook will reduce hook-up ratios by a minimum of 75 percent. Hooks come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Each is designed for a specific fishing application. The most common mistake made by fishermen is using the wrong size hook for their line weight and rod action.

Remember when choosing a hook, if you’re using light line, you must use a light wire gauge hook. Light line is incapable of exerting much pressure on the hook so light-gauge wire is required to drive the barb home.

Heavier lines require heavier gauge hooks. If you are using light gauge hooks with heavy line, the hook shank will bend and flex under the hook set pressure, pulling free from the fish’s mouth.

#3 - Poor Drag Selection
More fish have been lost, or worse yet, never hooked, due to the drag being set incorrectly. While it is a bit of voodoo science, anyone can learn to set a drag correctly with a bit of practice. The simple rule of thumb is this: set the drag looser for light line applications and heavier for heavy lines. In addition, when fishing braids, keep in mind that there is next to no stretch. Set your drag looser than you would for mono or fluorocarbon lines.

#4 - Poor Hook Sets
Bungling a hook set is common. I’ve seen folks wind-up and jerk their rod so hard they almost come out of their shoes and shirt. Remember, light lines and small wire diameter hooks require gentler hook sets, while heavier lines and heavy gauge hooks require more stout hook sets. However, given today’s chemically sharpened hooks, you never need to over-muscle a hook set.

Have you got any other common miscues? If so, we’d like to hear about them in the comments section below.

South Dakota Angler Catches Potential State Record Blue Catfish

Alex Robinson — Thu, 02 Aug 2012 12:17:57 -0400

That big old cat pictured on the left might be the new South Dakota state record blue catfish. Corky Lemon (middle) was fishing in the Big Sioux Catfish League event within buddy Terry Matheny when he hooked the 99-pound fish.

"That fish just about pulled me out of the boat," Lemon told the Sioux City Journal. "I've never had a fish pull that hard in all my life."

The catfish was weighed on a certified scale and then released at the Sioux City boat ramp.

The current South Dakota record stands at 97 pounds and was caught in 1969 by Edward Elliot in the Missouri River.

The world record? That belongs to Richard Nicholas Anderson, who landed a 143-pound blue catfish in 2011. Read more about the world record blue catfish here.

Great Lakes Fishing Guide: The 26 Best Places to Fish

Alex Robinson — Tue, 26 Jun 2012 17:15:38 -0400

The Great Lakes are still home to some of the best fishing in North America. We put together a guide listing the spots and tactics you need to to keep your lines tight on the Big Five all year.

It's Official: 49-Pound Catfish Breaks 69-Year-Old Michigan Record

OL Editor — Mon, 04 Jun 2012 11:12:32 -0400

It’s official. The monster catfish Rodney Akey successfully battled on May 22 has shattered the 69-year-old Michigan state record set back in 1943. Akey caught the 45.7-inch, 49.8 pound cat on the St. Joseph River in Berrien County shortly after 8:00 p.m.

The Niles native told MLive.com, “I’ve been fishing catfish on the St. Joseph River for the last 20 years, but it never crossed my mind that I would catch a state record. And beating a nearly 70-year record – that’s a feat in itself!”

Akey was fishing from the shore utilizing an alewife for bait.

The previous record was set by Elmer Rayner on Aug. 6, 1943. His fish weighed 47.5 pounds and measured 44 inches in length.

OL's Best Reader Fish Photos

Alex Robinson — Tue, 15 May 2012 11:05:33 -0400

Our bragging board is filling up as the weather warms and we roll into fishing season. Check out the best fish photos and biggest catches from outdoorlife.com readers.

All Star Rod's New Micro Series Casting Rods

Alex Robinson — Fri, 11 May 2012 16:02:09 -0400

Over the last few years, micro-guides have become a fixture in the fishing rod market. They are advertized as helping anglers cast farther and manage line better than conventional guides. Most rods equipped with micro-guides are high-end offerings that come with a hefty price tag.

All Star, a perennial leader in the prosumer rod category (professional series rods built specifically for consumers), just introduced their Academy Sports Micro Series of casting rods.

The ASM Series consists of 12 freshwater baitcasting models — each one is marked according to their intended application. For example, 6’6” topwater, 6’6” worm, 6’7” jerk bait, 6’9” spinnerbait and 6’10” whacky worm models. These one-piece rods are built for the long haul with quality components like micro titanium-framed guides, a Fuji skeleton reel seat that lashes reels firmly and a split-grip that affords two-handed casting to reach out and touch them. A multi-modulus, 100 percent graphite blank anchors the new rods.

This new series of micro-guide rods will be available through Academy Sports retail outlets and their online store. MSRP: $129.99

Tackle Test: Sufix 832 Ghost Superline

Alex Robinson — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 10:53:25 -0400

I recall a time, years ago, when braided line was making a comeback. I was fishing tournaments in Florida and my partner showed up to one with the hideous stuff spooled up on one of his rods. Being the purist I am, I pitched a fit until he promised not to use that rod. You see, for me, braids were way too visible to the fish. Nothing but the most desperate fish suffering from hyperopia (far-sightedness) were going to bite if they could see that god-awful “rope.”

I’m no stranger to braided lines. I was introduced to them long ago as a youngster. My first baitcaster was an old Pflueger Akron level wind, with a thick-leather thumbing pad. That ugly duckling was spooled with the most heinous jet-black Dacron I’d ever seen.

That line looked like a really long black shoestring to me. Needless to say, I stripped it off and replaced it as fast as you can say “monofilament.” So I winced when these new “superlines” were introduced. I thought they were just another ploy by manufacturers to sell naïve fishermen something that wouldn’t work. Hey, put it in a pretty package, garnish it with a flashy foil label and have some big name endorse it and you’ve got a winner, right?

Well, much has changed since those days. Now I’m a firm believer and user of braids. The one drawback is that these lines sink too slowly for certain techniques. Enter Sufix 832. This superline is suited perfectly for techniques that require deep-water presentations or the use of fluorocarbon. The combination of Dyneema fibers and proprietary GORE fibers makes for a braid that sinks plenty fast.

The Sufix 832 ties nicely to clear lines (mono and fluoro leaders) and stays tied. I found the white color is bright and easy to see above the water, and it all but vanishes when under the water — a great combo for sure. While the line’s texture is smooth, I like using it best on a baitcaster. The UV protective coating promises to keep line supple even as it gets old. Being a superline, I really like the fact that you can feel subtle strikes down deep — a distinct advantage over clear lines.

Sufix 832 Ghost (white) is available in 150-yard and 300-yard spools, ranging from 6- to 80-lb. test. ($21.99-$39.99)

The 35 Best Hunting and Fishing Towns in the US

Alex Robinson — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 11:54:56 -0400

Now in its fifth year, our annual “Best Towns for Sportsmen” feature is an OL institution. Readers love to argue the merits of their burgs based on our rankings; local newspapers crow about the inclusion of their town; and realtors call to ask for extra copies of the issue.

This year we’re forgetting all the socio-economic data and focusing on what matters most: hunting and fishing. In the next few pages, you’ll find the 35 towns in the U.S. where we would live right now, based solely on the outdoor opportunities there. Some boast bass and deer, others elk and trout or ducks and redfish. Regardless, each of these towns is an outdoors mecca in its own right, and from sea to shining sea, they offer the best hunting and fishing in America.

#1 - Appleton, WI
More than 170 years ago, trappers and fur traders chased the promise of lucrative beaver pelts up the Fox River and settled the town of Appleton. Today, enormous whitetail deer draw outdoorsmen and -women to the Fox River Valley. The Boone and Crockett Club recently anointed Wisconsin the number-one trophy whitetail state in the country, with Cheesehead hunters logging 383 B&C entries in the last five years. In the last three seasons, three different bucks killed within 50 miles of downtown Appleton have either broken or threatened Badger State records. But there’s a lot more to do in Appleton than sit in a treestand.

Nearby Lake Winnebago and the Fox River, which runs through town, are premier walleye fisheries. Green Bay, 30 minutes to the north, offers some of the best smallmouth bass and muskie fishing in the country. Horicon Marsh State Wildlife Area sits 70 miles to the south and is the largest freshwater cattail marsh in the country. Hundreds of thousands of geese migrate through the region each fall. Sixty miles to the north, the 661,000-acre Nicolet National Forest, home to deer, bears, and grouse, is one of the last true wild places in the northwoods.

#2 - Salmon, ID

This town’s name should be your first clue as to why it attracts sportsmen the way a spawning run draws bears. Located right on the Salmon River—and bordering millions of acres of public hunting ground, including the largest wilderness area in the Lower 48 (the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness)—Salmon has, well, everything.

The Salmon and its tributaries offer world-class fishing for trout, steelhead, and other species year-round. On the crags and benches above the Salmon and other nearby rivers, wingshooters chase chukar and huns, while at higher elevations blue and spruce grouse predominate.

The big-game scene has changed in Salmon with the resurgence of wolves. But trophy elk, mule deer, and whitetails are still accessible, and the hunting for bears and mountain lions is second to none.

#3 - Venice, LA

If you like your saltwater rimmed by white sand beaches, palm trees, and tiki bars, this is not the place for you. However, if you live to hunt and fish, and yearn to do it 24/7/365, then this tiny community at the mouth of the Mississippi River beckons.

Despite its infamy as the epicenter of both Hurricane Katrina and the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, Venice remains arguably the greatest place in North America to fish and hunt waterfowl.

In 2011, Bassmaster Classic competitors ran down the Mississippi from New Orleans to Venice—more than two hours by boat—to fill their livewells with largemouths. However, it’s world-class redfish and speckled trout fishing that draw the recreational fishermen. You will catch fish here every day that you hit the water, and you can’t say that about very many other places in the country.

If you get bored in the marshes, big-game fishing opportunities—from marlin to tuna, sailfish to swords—are plentiful around the offshore gas and oil rigs.
September marks the beginning of teal season in this waterfowler’s paradise, with more than 14 percent of the country’s wetlands located in this region of southern Louisiana.

#4 - Rapid City, SD

This gateway to the ruggedly beautiful Black Hills region of western South Dakota offers its 67,000 residents a wide variety of hunting and fishing opportunities. Mountain lakes and coldwater streams to the west of town are home to brook, brown, and rainbow trout. In the surrounding prairie, a constellation of reservoirs and stock dams hold largemouths, pike, and panfish.

Hunting opportunities are available nearly year-round. Whitetails, mule deer, elk, and Merriam’s turkeys prowl the mountains. A short drive will put you into pheasants, sharptails, and prairie chickens. Pronghorns, coyotes, and prairie dogs are plentiful in the grasslands.

#5 - Centerville, IA

They got the name right. Centerville is in the middle of a sportsman’s paradise. Epic whitetails get the headlines (the 307-inch Lovstuen Buck was killed just north of here), but south-central Iowa has plenty of four-season opportunity: abundant turkeys and waterfowl, plus great crappies, walleyes, and channel cats on Rathbun Lake north of town.

But it’s the human dimension of this place—the classic Midwestern courthouse square, the easy friendliness of its residents—that makes this a great town to call home. Plus, Centerville has some bona fide hunting pedigree: It’s the original home of groundbreaking Knight muzzleloading rifles.

#6 - Grand Junction, CO
Magnificent mesas and endless elk—Grand Junction’s breathtaking scenery makes the perfect backdrop for chasing public-land bulls. Numerous alpine trout lakes keep local anglers busy.

#7 - Georgetown, SC
Several rivers converge at the Intercoastal Waterway in this city in the Carolina Lowcountry. Famed lakes Moultrie and Marion are a short drive to the west.

The Francis Marion National Forest provides more than a quarter million acres of public-land hunting for deer, turkeys, quail, and small game.

#8 - Bend, OR
Drive less than an hour from Bend and you can be fishing a stream in a desert canyon, a high alpine lake, or a spring creek.

#9 - Bismarck, ND
If you’ve got your eye on walleyes, set your sights on Bismarck, on the banks of the Missouri River. Grouse, pheasants, ducks, and geese abound in fall and winter.

#10 - Saratoga, WY
With the North Platte River running through downtown Saratoga, your next trout is never more than a cast away. Elk, deer, and pronghorns roam the mountains and prairies around town.

#11 - Traverse City, MI
Glacial inland lakes hold perch and smallies, and Traverse Bay offers big-water angling opportunities. But the area’s four blue-ribbon trout streams get top billing. The Boardman, which winds through downtown, is the birthplace of the Parachute Adams fly.

#12 - Lake Placid, NY
Fish for brown trout on the famed West Branch of the Ausable River, and catch lake and rainbow trout on Lake Placid. Whitetail deer and black bears roam the quarter-million acres of state lands surrounding this quaint Adirondack mountain town.

#13 - Cody, WY
Cody is heaven on earth for big-game backcountry mountain hunters. Mild weather means more opportunities to chase bighorns, elk, mule deer, and pronghorns.

#14 - Islamorada, FL
Watch the sunrise over the Atlantic Ocean, where offshore fishing for everything from grouper and snapper to dolphin and swords abounds. Cast to tarpon, permit, and bonefish on the flats as the sun sets over the waters of the Gulf of Mexico to the west of town.

#15 - Ely, MN
Just miles from the million-acre Boundary Waters Canoe Area, Ely is a pike and walleye fisherman’s paradise in the summer, and a whitetail mecca come fall.

#16 - Thompson Falls, MT
This secluded town west of the Rockies is surrounded by massive swaths of national forest. The two most accessible, the Kootenai and Lolo, hold elk, whitetails, ruffed grouse, and turkeys.

#17 - Show Low, AZ
You’ll find pronghorns to the north of town, and elk, deer, and lions to the south and east. The nearby White Mountains are the only place in the world to fish for Apache trout.

#18 - Russell, KS
Pheasants, quail, doves, turkeys, waterfowl, and deer provide hunters in the heart of the Smoky Hills a dizzying array of opportunities.

#19 - Toccoa, GA
Tucked into the southeastern corner of the Chattahoochee National Forest, Toccoa is 15 minutes from the Lake Russell Wildlife Management Area, home to deer, turkeys, bears, squirrels, rabbits, and wild hogs. Lake Russell is stocked with trout, and nearby Lake Hartwell has hybrid stripers, brown trout, and crappies.

#20 - Craig, CO
Craig offers access to a million acres of public land just 7 miles from town, and boasts two of the largest elk herds in North America.

#21 - Cadiz, KY
In less than 30 minutes, you’ll be into bass, crappies, and catfish on Kentucky Lake or Lake Barkley. Deer and duck hunting are vital threads in the local sporting fabric.

#22 - Logan, UT
Located in the Cache Valley, Logan is surrounded by marshland for waterfowl hunting and myriad blue-ribbon trout streams.

#23 - Homer, AK
Halibut, ling cod, salmon, and rockfish are plentiful in Kachemak Bay, while local rivers host spawning salmon runs, plus Dolly Vardens, grayling, and monster rainbows.

#24 - Wellsboro, PA
Nearby Pine Creek, which runs through Pine Creek Gorge—aka the Pennsylvania Grand Canyon—is a prime flyfishing destination. Surrounding that oasis is state land set aside for whitetails, black bears, rabbits, squirrels, and pheasants.

#25 - Rogers, AR
In the heart of the Ozark Mountains, Rogers is a short drive from 31,700-acre Beaver Lake and its epic striped and largemouth bass fisheries.

#26 - Montauk, NY
The Atlantic Ocean and the Long Island Sound meet at this home of world-class saltwater fishing. Hook up with bluefish and stripers faster than you can count them during the spring and fall blitzes.

#27 - Goldendale, WA
Salmon, steelhead, bass, walleyes, perch, crappies, and catfish live in nearby waters. Duck, goose, and deer hunting starts at the edge of town.

#28 - Los Alamos, NM
Stay close to home for walleyes, catfish, bass, and trout, in waters like Abiqui Lake, Rio Chama, and Rio Grande. The nearby Valles Caldera National Preserve runs a lottery program for monster elk.

#29 - Sebago, ME
Sebago hugs the northwestern shore of Maine’s deepest lake (and the town’s namesake). Locals troll for landlocked salmon around rocky points and shoals.

#30 - Arnold, NE
With only 500 residents, tiny Arnold is home to more whitetails and mule deer than people. That game-rich environment has fostered a hunter-friendly culture in this north-central Nebraska town.

#31 - Mammoth Lakes, CA
Surrounded by dozens of fishable lakes and streams, this central California fishing hotbed is ringed by the stunning Sierra Nevada mountains.

#32 - Woodward, OK
Kansas’ big-buck cup runneth over the border into Woodward, in northwestern Oklahoma, where a number of 150- to 200-class bucks are tagged every fall.

#33 - Beckley, WV
The New River is a prime destination for smallmouths, walleyes, and muskies, and many of its tributaries teem with wild trout.

#34 - Harrisburg, IL
Though the nearby Shawnee National Forest is best known for its whitetail hunting, the area is also home to turkeys, waterfowl, upland birds, and small game.

#35 - Uvalde, TX
This beating heart of south-Texas deer country is also home to some of the best dove hunting in the nation. Lake Amistad sits on the Mexican border 70 miles to the west of town and offers excellent bass and catfish opportunities.

Worst Town - Camden, NJ

Little-known fact: The upper Delaware River’s fabled American shad run is caused in large part by the fish trying to get the hell away from downriver Camden as quickly as possible.

Who could blame them? Camden, a perennial favorite on any “Most Dangerous Cities” list, laid off half of its police force in January. Take a cue from the shad and stay far away from Camden.

Do you have any suggestions for other fishing and hunting towns not mentioned on this list? We'd love to hear from you, so enter your favorite town in the comments section below or click here to upload photos.

Outdoor Life Magazine's 35 Best Fishing Covers

Alex Robinson — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 17:12:07 -0400

To welcome in the 2012 fishing season, we put together a gallery of the 35 best fishing covers from Outdoor Life magazine.

How to Catch Bigger Muskies, Catfish, Bass, Lake Trout, Sturgeon, Stripers and More

Alex Robinson — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 12:18:14 -0400

We offer expert opinion on how to 10 species of the largest freshwater gamefish including muskies, bass, lake trout, catfish, alligator gar, and sturgeon.

Tackle Test 2012: The Best New Spinning and Baitcasting Rods and Reels

Alex Robinson — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 15:44:55 -0500

For years Outdoor Life has run the toughest tackle test in the industry. Here's a look at the best new spinning and baitcasting rods and reels from our 2012 test.

Help Us Pick The Prize for Our Next Caption Contest!

Alex Robinson — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 14:33:47 -0500

So Outdoor Life is part of a cool contest operated by Crown Royal, sponsor of Field & Stream’s Hook Shots show and maker of the whiskey that comes in a purple bag. The contest is called “Pass the Crown,” and it’s a variation on the Secret Santa gift exchange anyone who’s ever worked in an office is familiar with. Are you lucky enough to have never worked in an office? Then here’s how this works:

Each day from now until Dec. 15 Crown Royal is giving away a prize to a different web site to pass along to its readers. Today is Outdoor Life’s turn, but here’s the catch. Crown’s not telling us which prize they’re giving us right away. Instead, we get a clue, embroidered on one of their famous purple bags,* and we have to guess what prize the clue refers to. Based on that guess, we then get to decide whether to keep the prize in our bag or steal one of the prizes that have already been opened by a different site. Here’s a list of the prizes that have already been opened.

This is where we need your help. Do we keep our prize, or steal one from somebody else? You’ve got until 4 PM this afternoon to weigh in. Check out our clue (below), then post your best argument for keeping the prize in our bag or for stealing a specific prize from another site in the comments section here or on our Facebook post about the contest over at facebook.com/outdoorlife. If you can convince us your argument is best, we’ll go with your suggestion. If you’re not convincing enough, we’ll make the decision ourselves.

We’ll post an update here tomorrow telling you what prize was in our bag, and whether we decided to keep it or not. Keep in mind that any of the five sites who come after us can steal our gift, so don’t get too attached to whatever we end up with!

And last, of course; how will we determine which of our readers wins the prize we end up with at the end of the contest? It’ll be a caption contest, photo and date TBD. Stay tuned!

*Crown is running this contest is to get the word out about the custom-embroidered Crown bags ($9.95), and the free personalized Crown Royal bottle labels (21 and over, only) available at CrownRoyal.com. If you’ve got a Crown-lover in your family, this would make a great gift.

Fish of the Year 2011: Best Fishing Photos From OL Readers

OL Editor — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 15:59:49 -0500

World Record Albino Catfish Pulled from the River Ebro in Spain

Alex Robinson — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 14:21:07 -0400

Great Britain’s The Sun newspaper reports that last week Chris Grimmer (left) landed the largest albino catfish ever (the paper cleverly nicknamed the monster Fin Kong). He caught the freak fish on the River Ebro in Spain. Who knew there was such a category? Albino catfish? Really?

Grimmer’s spooky cat was 8 feet long and weighed 194 pounds. Grimmer told reporters that his 30-minute fight with the fish “was like trying to reel in a bus. I could hardly walk afterwards, but it was worth it."

I’m guessing he said “bus” because that catfish looks like a yellow school bus and not an albino. But then again, I didn’t know there was a category for pigment challenged fish in the first place, so what do I know?

North Carolina Man Lands Potential World Record Blue Catfish

Alex Robinson — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 12:14:23 -0400

Nick Anderson, a football coach from North Carolina, could be the new owner of the blue catfish world record.

Anderson landed a massive 143-pound blue with the help of his dad and brother while fishing on Buggs Island Lake along the Virginia-North Carolina border Saturday night. The fish measured 57 inches long with a girth of 43.5 inches. Anderson is now waiting for an official review to take the Virginia state and world record: 109 and 130 pounds, respectively. The current world record blue catfish was pulled from the Missouri River on July 20, 2010.

The three men were on their annual Father's Day fishing trip, a family competition for bragging rights and a plastic trophy, when the fish hit around 8 p.m. It took Anderson about 45 minutes to haul the brute in.

"My dad netted him by the head, my brother grabbed the tail and I grabbed his body," Anderson told the Newsobserver. "We were just shocked."

Anderson's potential record isn't the only monster cat the trio has recently hauled in. They were still pumped from a giant 95-pound fish Anderson's father caught three weeks ago. Anderson thought it was the last time he would see a fish that big.

"My dad caught that 95-pounder three weeks ago, and that was the biggest cat I've ever seen," Anderson told the Virginian-Pilot. "And I've been catfishing with my dad since I was a little kid. You gotta figure that's something you'll never see again."

Anderson did not reveal his choice of bait except for saying it was a secret family recipe that's been in use for many years. He told the Virginian-Pilot that he used an Ugly Stick and a Shimano reel spooled with 30-pound test.

Retired British Navy Captain Catches 260-Pound World Record Mekong Giant Catfish

Alex Robinson — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 16:37:08 -0400

David Kent is now the all-tackle record holder for the Mekong giant catfish, the largest freshwater fish in the world.

Welsh Angler Catches World Record Giant Mekong Catfish

Alex Robinson — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 13:42:14 -0400

David Kent, a 54-year-old Welsh angler, now holds the all-tackle record for the largest species of freshwater fish in the world. He earned his record by hauling in a 260-pound Giant Mekong catfish from a lake in Thailand last November.

His catch was made official by the IGFA this week, according to WalesOnline.

Kent (pictured left) is a retired Royal Navy Commander and was on vacation at a fishing resort with his wife when he hooked this monster fish using sweetcorn as bait. The battle lasted about an hour, and at one point Kent had to wade into the lake so the fish wouldn't spool him.

Even though Kent's catfish measures more than 7 feet long, it's by no means the largest member of its species. Mekong catfish have been estimated to grow up to 660 pounds and 9 feet long.

“I usually catch bass weighing four or five pounds off the Pembrokeshire coast so this [fish] was a bit bigger than I’m used to," Kent told WalesOnline.

Strange Brews

Alex Robinson — Fri, 11 Mar 2011 14:15:37 -0500

Catfish love stinkbaits, and every hardcore catfish angler has a top-secret stinkbait formula that whiskerfish just can’t seem to resist.

One old-timer told me, “There are more stinkbait recipes than there are food recipes, and not all of them have been invented yet. The fun part is experimenting. When you come up with a brand-new formula, you’re just as proud as if you’d made a delicious new barbecue sauce or a tasty marinade.”

After I swore on a bible that I wouldn’t reveal the ingredients, this aficionado allowed me to watch as he mixed up a batch of his cat-catcher secret formula. You’d have thought he was Emeril Lagasse preparing a sumptuous seafood bisque. He whisked together a cup of this, a dollop of that, a spoonful of some top-secret ingredient. Then, like a bon vivant sampling an expensive wine, he lifted a cupful to his nose. Tears streamed down his cheeks, his knees quaked and it appeared as though he might throw up.

“Holy Moses!” he proclaimed, quivering like a headless chicken. “One whiff of that would kill a skunk. But it needs to be stronger.” His “Putrid Pudding” was born.

Master Baits
Stinkbaits generally fall into one of three categories, each with a particular consistency that requires a specific method of bottom fishing. Each has unique ingredients, but some favorites include: decomposing fish (heads and guts allowed to ferment for several days) and Limburger cheese (normal humans can’t eat it without holding their nose). Nothing makes a catfish lick its whiskers quicker.

1. Doughbaits have a pizza-dough consistency. Many won’t stay hooked when cast, especially during hot weather. Cloth doughbait bags and spring-wound bait-holder treble hooks are helpful, but it’s best to stick with thick doughbait mixtures that can be molded around a regular hook. This firm ball won’t fly off when you’re casting.
Make your own doughbait by mixing flour and water to form a thick dough. Add a flavoring of your choosing—anise oil, blood and rancid cheese are favorites—then roll the dough into balls and store in a plastic butter tub or similar container. Cool it in an ice chest before you fish, to firm it up.

To properly fish doughbaits, move the bait very little. Give careful thought to finding prime catfishing areas, and after you cast, allow the bait to sit a half-hour or so. Doughbaits must melt to lay a scent trail. If there are no bites within 15 minutes or so, relocate.

2. Chunk baits are solid, grape-sized baits. They melt slowly, so a cat must be close to find your offering unless you have time to wait. This fact, however, makes chunk baits desirable for trotlines, limblines and set lines.

Make your own chunk baits by slicing inexpensive hot dogs into 1-inch pieces and putting them in a plastic tub. Add a package of strawberry Kool-Aid (unsweetened) and 2 tablespoons of minced garlic. Fill the tub with water and allow the wieners to marinate overnight. Hook. Cast. Fish. Catch.

3. Dip baits, like my friend’s Putrid Pudding, have the consistency of…well, dip—the kind you dunk potato chips in. (Be careful not to mistake one for the other!) They sometimes are called sponge baits because a sponge-covered treble hook is used to soak up the bait for fishing.

Dip the sponge hook in the bait, squish it with a stick until it’s saturated and then cast the weighted wand. Wait for Mr. Whiskers to home in on the scent.
Dip baits melt quickly, so dunk your lure frequently to keep it covered. Indeed, stinkbait chefs believe that the worse it smells, the more catfish it will catch. To make it so, they add some rank ingredients to their brews.

Super Stinker
When making a batch of his locally famous Putrid Pudding (that’s what he calls his rotten-fish stinkbait), one of my catfishing companions hides the container on top of his neighbor’s barn. This serves three primary purposes.
*It keeps the raccoons and neighborhood cats from getting into the bait (and possibly dying as a result).
*It allows the brew to ferment properly in the hot sun.
*It helps my chum avoid unnecessary exposure to the stinkbait’s toxic fumes. (The poor barn owner has searched unsuccessfully for years, trying to pinpoint the source of the horrific stench.)

To make Putrid Pudding, my friend puts 2 quarts of dead shad in a plastic bucket and allows it to decompose until only an oily residue remains. Then, on a camp stove outside, he boils the residue and stirs in 1 quart of soured milk, two packets of dry yeast and a half-pound of Limburger cheese. He heats this while adding flour and stirring until thick.

The mixture then is carefully funneled into a plastic jug plugged with cheesecloth. The jug sits on the neighbor’s barn for a week or two at least, bubbling like a witch’s cauldron. When my friend can detect the ghastly smell from home, he knows the stinkbait has properly aged and is ready to use.

Should the user get a drop of Putrid Pudding on his clothes, the garments must be burned. If it comes in contact with your skin, God knows what could happen. Great care must be taken to avoid exposure to the foul mix.

My buddy handles the mix as if it’s radioactive waste. He fishes it by pushing a hooked square of sponge into the goo with a long stick. The sponge absorbs the mess and stays on the hook when cast.

Does he catch catfish with it? Yes, indeedy. And when he goes catfishing, he has his favorite bank-fishing spot all to himself. No one can stand to fish near him.

As you can imagine, creating and fishing with stinkbaits is a smelly proposition. To be a true catfisherman, though, you must get creative and give it a whirl sooner or later. It’s one sure route to catfishing success.

Note: Keith Sutton is known to his fans as Mr. Catfish. Autographed copies of his books, Fishing for Catfish, Catching Catfish, Pro Tactics: Catfish and Catfishing: Beyond the Basics, are available at catfishsutton.com.

Secret Recipes Revealed
Secret recipes for proven stinkbaits often are passed down from generation to generation, with explicit instructions never to reveal the ingredients. I’ve discovered, however, that a little hooch shared by a campfire has a magical way of loosening tongues. Some recipes thus collected:

Blood & Oil Sponge Bait
Pour blood from a carton of fresh chicken livers into a plastic container. Add the oil from a can of sardines or tuna. Stir. Sponge. Fish.

Knock-Out Cheese Bait
Combine equal measures of pork or beef brains (or chicken liver) and Limburger cheese in a plastic butter tub, mash together, cover, poke a few holes in the lid, then place in a hot spot (on the roof of your neighbor’s barn, perhaps) for several days. Use as a dip bait.

Got-A-Bite Stinkbait
Mix 2 cups cottonseed meal (which can be purchased at a farm supply store) with
2 cups flour, then stir in one can condensed cheddar cheese soup, 2 tablespoons pancake syrup and 2 tablespoons vegetable oil. Place in a zip-seal bag and refrigerate until you’re ready to fish.

Mr. Whiskers Dough Balls
In a large plastic tub, mix 1 cup yellow cornmeal, 1 cup flour, ¼ teaspoon anise oil and 1 tin sardines, packed in oil. Add small amounts of water to form a breadlike dough. Form dough into pieces the size of a ping-pong ball and drop into boiling water for three minutes. Remove the hardened dough balls, drain on paper towels and allow to cool before casting them to cats.

Breakfast of Champions
Run a pint of chicken livers through a blender until liquefied. Slowly add Wheaties cereal, and continue blending until the mixture turns into a ball. Roll into golfball-size pieces and place in a zip-seal bag. Cool long enough for the finished product to become somewhat firm before using.

Catfish Biscuits
Empty one can of tuna or mackerel into a mixing bowl—juice and all. Add the dough from two cans of biscuits. Mix by hand until biscuit dough and fish are well blended. Add some flour, if needed, to get the right consistency. Store in zip-seal plastic freezer bags. To use, pinch off a suitably sized chunk and place on a No. 4 treble hook.

Wild Cats

EricAichele — Wed, 05 May 2010 15:26:01 -0400

8 Foot Catfish

EricAichele — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 16:11:17 -0400

It’s hard to top out at 18 but that’s exactly what happened to 18 year old Simon Field last month when he landed a fish the size of a canoe in Spain. Field could fish the remainder of his lifetime and odds are he’ll never beat the size - and thrill - of battling his 7 foot 11 inch, 211 pound monster catfish. His catch also puts him in a pretty exclusive group of fishermen as, according to the Daily Mail, Field is one of only 30 people in the United Kingdom to land a freshwater fish weighing more than 200 pounds. When considering all of Europe, the number of anglers only jumps to around 300.

Field caught the fish through perseverance and patience by fishing the Segre River in 18 hour shifts. For three days he and his godfather Richard Cornes fished from 6 am to midnight. On the third day, while he was eating his dinner, Field’s line screamed. He dropped his meal and spent the next twenty minutes (that’s right – it only took him 20 minutes) in a tug of war with a monster from the deep. Luckily Field and his 100kg (around 220 pounds) braided line held tight and the fish was landed. After the shock of the catch wore off and photos were taken Field – with much help – released the gargantuan back to the river.

Amazingly enough though, Field’s fish was 15 pounds shy of tying the Segre River’s record catfish. Maybe Field hasn’t topped out yet after all.

40-Pound Angler Catches 45-Pound Catfish

KristenKeys — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 10:23:02 -0400

For the rest of his life, Caden Smith will probably relish the time he caught a catfish weighing more than himself—a feat he will quite likely never surpass. That’s because last weekend Caden, a 40-pound 4-year-old, caught and released a 45-pound flathead catfish from Texas’ Trinity River.

Caden was fishing with his family near his home in Joshua, Texas when he hooked the fish of his short lifetime.

“He battled for his life,” his uncle Dan Smith told the Ft. Worth Star-Telegram.

Proud mom Natalie said the fish was as big as her son.

“When they got it out, he hugged it,” she said.

Though not a record breaker—a 56-pounder caught in the Trinity in 2004 holds that distinction for a junior angler—it is an impressive feat nonetheless.

Per the wishes of the newly seasoned angler, the bottom-feeding behemoth was released, to fight again.