But the chance of hooking a 40-pound or larger catfish is much better. Caught back in 1967, the largest channel catfish ever caught in Alabama was pulled out of the waters of Inland Lake by Donald Cox. But when I took the rod out of the holder, the fish began to pull really hard. Cox was fishing in the middle of June and managed to catch the fish, a 40-pound behemoth, to solidify himself atop the list of the biggest channel catfish ever caught in the state. Fishing for trophy catfish is a “bait and wait” process. The current record-breaking fish was caught in 2013 and weighed in at 845 lbs. The 18 acre lake, a former mine dredge hole, has produced not one but two world record bluegills over the years, including the current record of 4 pounds, 12 ounces, caught in 1950. As Captain Brian advises, “Any fish over ten pounds needs to be released. Some truly monstrous catfish are living in the rivers and lakes of Alabama; fish in the 100-pound range are caught on rod and reel every year. Fish must be identified by Alabama Fisheries Section biologist or other certified fisheries biologist. “They just take the bait and go.”. Another reason for the massive number of catfish is the crash of the commercial catfish market. Some truly monstrous catfish are living in the rivers and lakes of Alabama; fish in the 100-pound range are caught on rod and reel every year. Big catfish show up well on fish finder units, and good electronics can really cut down on the “search time” when we’re looking for big cats. The state record fish is also the world record sheepshead. He … This is a record that may never be broken. © 2021 Advance Local Media LLC. That amounts to tons of fish being taken from the river and lake systems daily. The enormous fish, identified as a Warsaw grouper, was caught using a hook and line December 29 in about 600 feet of water, according to the FWC's Fish … Last but not least, the lake was private, with minimal fishing pressure, and the water is very clear. “We used my Hummingbird 1198 to locate the fish,” Captain Brian says. Great White Sharks are a protected species almost everywhere these days, so it seems that Dean’s record is here to stay. Most trophy cat anglers use either a whole skipjack or a really large chunk of cut shad. Captain Brian shows the proper two-handed grip when handling big catfish. Catching three to five-pound cats is fun, and there’s no better main ingredient for a fish fry than fillets from this size fish. annual report prepared by Alabama Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Biologist Kyle Bolton, information submitted by tournament clubs and trails show Alabama's … After the big fish is hooked, it’s largely a matter of holding on when the fish tries to run and then steadily applying pressure and taking in line when it’s possible. A number of guides on the major north Alabama lakes can put anglers on these monster catfish. The Arkansas state record is 16 pounds, 4 ounces, caught by Aaron Mardis from Mallard Lake, March 2, 1976. And for white crappie, a 4-pound, 8-ounce fish was caught from Lake Guntersville in 1974, a 4-9 from Lake Martin in 2000. What he caught instead was maybe the eighth largest bass ever from Alabama. Anglers can fish right from the surf on the beach and still catch a worthy game fish. Lake Guntersville is known worldwide in the bass fishing world as a great place to catch big bass. Get outdoor trends, data, new products, and tips delivered to your inbox. Most of the near misses, including some that were just ounces away, have come from deep, clear California lakes stocked with Florida strain bass that have gotten huge feeding on stocked rainbow trout. After a short fight, the 75-pound catfish was in the boat.”. His boat partner, Gerald Blanchard, who had won the second ever B.A.S.S. First, the lakes are very big and they all have a healthy food base for the big ones. Weiss is noted for producing a lot of nice crappie, but not necessarily the true giants, maybe because it gets so much fishing pressure. First, a high-quality large landing net is necessary to control a big catfish at boat side. Don’t be stingy with the bait. The lake is not a great crappie lake, but it has some of the characteristics that have produced giant panfish elsewhere. Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your California Privacy Rights (each updated 1/1/21). When a big catfish is brought aboard, anglers need to resist the temptation to immediately lift up the fish and take pictures. Of course, the holy grail of records is the largemouth bass, which has stood at 22 pounds, 4 ounces since 1932. The odds there's another record bluegill in Ketona are probably very low--no new winners in almost 70 years--but someday, somewhere, the combination that produced the Ketona giants will probably produce another record, particularly now that several commercial hatchery operations are breeding "super bream" bred to grow exceptionally fast, somewhat like the Florida strain of largemouth bass. We need to gear up right if we’re going trophy catfish hunting. Largemouth bass fishing is good year-round, with the biggest usually caught in February, March and April. In the current Bass Anglers Information Team (B.A.I.T.) The food supply combines with healthy water conditions for prime catfish living. Captain Brian reminds us that most of these big catfish have spines that are not nearly as sharp as the ones found on five-pound or smaller catfish, but the trophy-sized fish have a lot more weight and muscle to propel their spines. That’s important. Hot weather months are typically the poorest times to go after really big catfish. This has led to more and larger fish in the entire Tennessee River system. Bluefins are larger, fattier and prefer deeper, colder waters, while yellowfins are small and lean. It was caught on live shrimp. Converted to pounds and ounces, that’s 15-lbs., 6.4-ozs., and it is less than a pound and 2 ounces from the Alabama state record fish that weighed 16-lbs., 8-ozs. Dating to 1962, Lake Eufaula garnered an early reputation as the “Bass Fishing Capital of the World.” Officially dubbed Walter F. George Reservoir, the impoundment covers 45,181 acres along the Chattahoochee River and spans part of the Alabama-Georgia border. Fish … Finally, anglers are faced with what to do with a monster catfish. When we made our first stop, we landed the huge fish after about an hour.”, “We caught the big fish in 52 feet of water just downstream of Elk River,” he adds. Biologists theorize the lake has turned out the unusually large panfish because it's deep and clear, without much shoreline cover, which means the bass in the lake can easily eat most of the smaller bream and keep the population from "stunting" or staying small because there's not enough food. Today, commercial catfishing is rarely done in the lakes. The Wahoo are considered one of the fastest fish in the Ocean, next to the sail fish. A net that is too small or rotten and not up to the strain of landing a heavy fish is a recipe for disaster. When trophy fishing for any species, we have to be aware that these extra-large fish are powerful animals. There are many different species of fish you can target and catch while deep sea fishing in Alabama. A good pair of leather gloves is also a good idea when holding up a monster catfish. The fish on your list was illegal because the angler did not have a valid license at the time of the catch. Record Striper 70-Pound Caught In Alabama. Tournament limits of five fish often weight between 25 and 30 pounds, and bigger limits are caught each year. His goal: catch a monster catfish. Maryland Sheepshead State Record The record for the largest Goonch ever caught belongs to Jakub Vágner, the host of National Geographic's “Fish Warrior.” Vágner's Goonch was 165 pounds 5 ounces (75 kilograms) and over 5 feet (1.57 meters) long. Of course, when the mega-catfish decides that playtime is over, it will apply plenty of pressure to the angler. In the Alabama Bass Angler Information Trail (BAIT) statistics, Guntersville ranks first in Average Weight of Bass … Crappie fishing is best in February, March, October, and November. All rights reserved (About Us). Procedures for the Certification of Alabama State Record Freshwater Fish. A new Alabama record for alligator gar has been set by Michael Houseknecht of Mobile. Marshall County CVB/flickr/CC BY-SA 2.0. Anglers from all over the country and even the world flock to Gulf Shores when the weather is hot, with nearshore, offshore, and inshore fishing peaking at the same time. We then plotted a GPS course with the trolling motor and began to fish. Since the bite on Wilson and Pickwick was slow, I contacted Mike Mitchell of Albertville who has a great deal of experience on Wheeler Lake to see if we could locate a trophy fish. The commercial pond catfish culture supplies the demand for catfish fillets, so commercial fishing in the lakes is a lost art. And, the lake has a chemistry that allows lots of small creatures to thrive as bluegill food, so those that survive have plenty to eat. The fish was a true bruiser for its kind, 15 inches long with a girth of 18.25 inches according to the International Gamefish Association, the official record-keeper located in Fort Lauderdale. Big catfish caught in Lake Guntersville (Photo: Ryan Richards) Andrew Osmer caught this 89-pound catfish in Lake Guntersville on March 17, 2017. The Goonch was caught in the River Ramganga in India. That said, both are prized as delicious take-home catches. Those four or five bites in a day are likely to come from very big fish. Be assured that a 75-pound catfish qualifies as a trophy anywhere. HENRY COUNTY, Ala. (WBRC) - The City of Eufaula calls itself The Big Bass Capital of The World. Captain Brian says the prime months for catching really big catfish are September through March. Most of us enjoy catching a mess of delicious pan-size catfish from time to time. Alabama: 4 lbs 5 oz: Fort Payne Reservoir: Shelley Meadows: 2007: Arizona: 4 lbs 10 oz: San Carlos Lake: John Shadrick: 1959: Arkansas: 5 lbs: Lake Wilhelmina Donivan Echols: 2011: California: 4 lbs 8 oz Clear Lake: Carol Carlton : 1971: Colorado: 4 lbs 3 oz: Northglenn Lake : Daryel Thompson: 1990: Connecticut: 4 lbs 0 oz: Pataganset Lake: Unknown: … A number of guides on the major north Alabama lakes can put anglers on these monster catfish. For instance, when Captain Brian recently caught his 75 pounder, the actual fight lasted less than ten minutes. So, when a big catfish is caught, it should be released. Some species of fish around Mobile Bay like speckled trout and redfish are always available. Instead, the usual mega-catfish battle is very intense but fairly short. The record fish weighed 151 pounds 5 ounces, the largest fish listed in the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources’ records. The alligator gar (Atractosteus spatula) is a ray-finned euryhaline fish related to the bowfin in the infraclass Holostei / h oʊ ˈ l ɒ s t i aɪ /.It is the largest species in the gar family, and among the largest freshwater fishes in North America.The fossil record traces its group's existence back to the Early Cretaceous over 100 million years ago. Alabama is probably not in the running for that record--largest ever here was the 16-8 caught from Mountain View Lake in Shelby County in 1987. Weighing must be witnessed by two people. Catfish will move into shallow water in the dead of winter if heavy current exists. An Alabama angler’s trophy catch could be a new IGFA record for an inland striper.. James R. Bramlett, 65, of Dora, Alabama, landed a 70-pound striped bass that shattered a 54-year-old state record and could put him in the International Game Fish Association book of world records for the heaviest striper ever caught … Captain Brian advises us about appropriate equipment. High, dingy water always makes for a better catfish bite. We might wonder why the mega-catfish population is so large in the big northern lakes, namely Wheeler, Wilson, and Pickwick. Low fishing pressure and clear water making it hard to catch the fish allowed a few to live a long time and grow exceptionally large. After all, big baits catch big fish. Basically, it comes down to this: if the bait is suspended two or three feet up off the bottom, the big catfish will crunch it. October is a good month for the big ones. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. “I spool my reels with 80 lb test yellow Vicious braided line. “We rode over the area several times and located a few fish there. Ed Mashburn writes extensively about fishing for Great Days Outdoors. Big catfish can be quite dangerous if not handled properly. In any event, the odds that any of us will land an all-tackle anything are mighty slim, but for avid anglers it's always interesting to think "what if". If the bait is on the bottom, the fish will lift it and relieve the pressure fairly gently. In 2012, John Nichols caught a fish that absolutely shattered the previous record for the biggest blue catfish ever caught in the state. It’s possible to hook very large catfish on standard-issue fishing gear. “I use an eight-foot medium-action B’n’M Silver Cat Series catfish rod with an Abu 6500C3 reel with a line counter,” he says. Depending on the time of the year you come fishing, these fish may or may not be in season or available to harvest. “I weigh big catfish while they are still in the net, and then I give them time to settle down before we take pictures,” Captain Brian says. However, the possibility of landing one of these monster catfish on typical catfish rigs is minimal. First, timing is important. “I caught several small fish, but I had no luck on a fish over 30 pounds. Here are four lakes to consider this year. Alfred Dean’s 1959 record is by far the biggest fish ever caught and approved by the IGFA. The Gulf Coast is abundant with both bluefin and yellow (ahi) tuna. A fresh mega-catfish is very strong, and these fish come with very stout and dangerous spines on several of their fins. Enid Lake, Mississippi, which produced the all-tackle white crappie of 5 pounds, 3 ounces in 1957, is about the same latitude as Lake Weiss, Alabama's best-known crappie lake. Like any other trophy trip, the route to trophy catfish takes some planning and arranging for success. The Lake Record Certification will honor those individuals who catch the largest species of black bass (largemouth bass, spotted bass, smallmouth bass, or redeye bass) from each reservoir or lake, and will provide the Fisheries Section with useful statistics on the number of large fish caught from Alabama reservoirs. A 22-4 record equal caught in Japan was taken on a live bluegill in 2009, but the angler has not gotten the accolades he might have if the catch had come in U.S. waters. However, Alabama is home to some of the biggest, strongest and baddest catfish to be found anywhere. Let it rest a couple of minutes.”. Early newspaper photos and articles noted the collection of a 360-pound Gulf sturgeon in the Cahaba River near Centreville in 1941, a 400-pound fish from the Coosa River near Coopers in 1924, and several 300- to 400-pound fish in the lower Tallapoosa River near Wetumpka in the 1920s … If you have chosen Catch and Release as your preferred trip intention and you catch a fish that is in season, you are welcome to keep it for dinner. A sleeper in the crappie race might be Lewis Smith Lake, a deep and very clear lake near Jasper, which gets very little crappie fishing pressure but which is loaded with shad and herring. In cool weather months, it’s not uncommon for anglers to fish for seven or eight hours to get only four or five bites—it’s not usually a fast, hot bite. Alabama Inshore Fishing near Gulf Shores, Fort Morgan, Dauphin Island and Weeks Bay is year round fishing fun. On April 16, 1982, Wayne Desselle of New Orleans, LA, landed the largest sheepshead ever caught. When a big catfish strikes, it’s important not to jerk but simply apply pressure and start reeling.”. It sat motionlessly. The two plied their one spot with worms for 180 pounds, however, Nunnery faltered the next two days and finished third in his only tournament entry. caught from a private … Keep the two pounders for a fish fry.”. “I had been fishing Wilson Lake for the past couple of weeks in search of a trophy-size fish,” Captain Brian says. This photo was taken by Ed Mashburn. event on Smith Lake, caught 81-7. Spots to Fish With GPS Coordinates N 34 21 36.4 – W 86 19 46.1 - The long causeway crossing Brown’s Creek and the shallow humps downstream of it is one of the best places to catch a big bass this time of year. They are no longer rare. Louisiana loves its sheepshead. These guys would harvest 300 to 400 pounds of catfish. Wahoo is one of the most prized migratory fish you can catch in Alabama. Catfishing is a fine old Southern tradition. Get a reliable, big landing net. Channel catfish are caught year-round, but the summer months are best. The ultimate respect an angler can show such a magnificent fish is to admire it, photograph it, weigh and measure it, and then release it back into the water safely. Recently, he went mega-catfishing himself. Catfish don’t have sharp teeth like pike or mackerel, but they do have rows of very rough and abrasive teeth in their jaws, and when they bite down and twist and turn, these rows of small teeth can remove the skin from a thumb or the back of a hand within seconds. This massive fish weighed in at 21 pounds 4 ounces. Wahoo are usually caught in blue water or water that is over 150 feet deep or deeper. Note to readers: if you purchase something through one of our affiliate links we may earn a commission. The current issue of World Fishing Network's online blog includes a story by Keith Sutton on the world record bluegills that have been caught from a tiny Alabama lake on the north side of Birmingham, Ketona. However, if you want to get the most out of your trip, then summer is your best bet. eight-foot medium-action B’n’M Silver Cat Series catfish rod, How To Build A Wild Quail Habitat On Public And Private Land. Alabama has plenty of big bluegills like this one, but probably none that match the 4 pound, 12-ounce world record caught from Lake Ketona near Birmingham in 1950. While everything points to great Alabama bass fishing in 2018, some areas are better than others. They are worthy of respect. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. “Mike slowly pulled the rod straight down to about a half-bend. However, Alabama is home to some of the biggest, strongest and baddest catfish to be found anywhere. No world records, but not that far from the IGFA record of 5 pounds even, caught in a private lake in Missouri in 2006. Just south of that Barbour County fishing mecca, there’s a small pond in Henry county where 13-year-old Emory Carver landed The Big One last Friday, a Monster Large Mouth Bass to rival anything being reeled in from Lake Eufaula, or anywhere else. “With the big catfish, there’s no ‘peck-peck-peck’ like we get with smaller fish,” Captain Brian says. Captain Brian Barton specializes in guiding anglers on catfishing trips. What’s more, if approved, the massive marlin will also smash the state record for the largest blue marlin caught in Alabama and make Myers the record holder for the largest blue marlin … I slide a one to two-ounce egg sinker up on the line, and then I place a bead between the sinker and a barrel swivel. Even the very large—75 pounds and over—catfish don’t fight for an extremely long time. They’re looking for food. Not all saltwater fishing in Gulf Shores involves renting a charter boat to reel in a big catch. King Mackerel, Spanish Mackerel, Cobia, and Jack Crevalle are seasonal fish and are only around during the warmer months of the year. Bank and boat anglers catch bream (bluegill and redear sunfish) from late spring through summer. “Don’t try to handle a big catfish when it first hits the deck. Houseknecht caught the Alabama state record alligator gar while fishing the Tensaw River on August 13, 2004. Fish must be caught in Alabama waters by legal means. The best fishing for big cats occurs when the dams are generating maximum current. Alabama may have a better than average chance of someday producing a record crappie, if not a record bluegill. Gloves are necessary equipment for handling mega-catfish. Fish must be weighed on certified scales. The youngster landed a largemouth bass that on hand-held digital scales weighed 15.4 pounds. They weigh on average 20 pounds each. The best thing for us anglers who want to catch a monster like this is to know lots of them are in the big lakes. Procedures For the Certification of Alabama State Record Freshwater Fish. Lake Record Certification. The state record for black crappie is 4 pounds, 5 ounces, and there have been three of that size caught since 1997, one in a private Jefferson County pond, one at Fort Payne Reservoir and one from Paint Creek. Good quality electronics are just as important for finding and catching trophy catfish as they are for bass fishing. The Gulf sturgeon is the largest fish species ever recorded in Alabama. And that fine fish was not an unusual catch. . Captain Brian adds, “I use a Hi-Tek rod holder, and then I wait for the fish to bite. Large cats will show as bright yellow or red arches on the unit.”. Even though this year’s mega-fish was shy of the record, it was noted as the second largest blue marlin caught in Alabama and the largest blue Marlin caught in 50 years of the tournament. A quality rod holder allows the fish to eat and take the bait without an over-eager angler trying to set the hook. The main river and numerous creek channels combine to create 640 shoreline miles. When asked how the big ones strike, Captain Brian laughs and says, “The really big ones are either going to hit it so hard you’ll think the rod holder will come off the boat, or the line will simply go slack as the fish takes the pressure out of the line and swims upward.”, “The usual mega-catfish battle is very intense but fairly short.”. They can’t be simply lipped and lifted into the boat. The really big catfish are not nearly as good to eat as the smaller ones, and the big ones are the brood fish that continually re-stock the lake with more catfish. The state of Alabama is known for producing some of the largest blue catfish ever caught in the Southeast, as well as some of the largest fish ever caught in the country. The fish that went to California came from Lewis Smith Lake originally, and that's also the source of the largest spot ever caught in Alabama, the 8-pound, 15-ounce record caught … Depending on the time of year -- and anytime of year is good -- surf anglers can land a flounder, red drum or tuna. Alabama has plenty of big bluegills like this one, but probably none that match the 4 pound, 12-ounce world record caught from Lake Ketona near Birmingham in 1950. With a video camera strapped to his chest, and unbridled enthusiasm, a 13-year-old boy recently made Alabama bass-fishing history. In the 1969 National, Rip Nunnery brought in a ridiculous 15-fish limit weighing 98-15. In years past, it was common to see 10 to 15 commercial catfishers on the lakes on any given morning. It happened to James Bramlett of Dora in 1987, when he cranked in a 69-pound, 9 ounce barrel of a striped bass from Bankhead Reservoir that not only set the state record but was confirmed as a world record for landlocked striped bass. A kayak fishing enthusiast, he loves paddling into those hidden honey holes in search of all types of gamefish. Next, I put an 18 to 24-inch, 50 lb test mono leader with a 7/0 Daiichi bleeding circle hook.”, The next part of the equipment is very important. You just have to fish and find where the concentrations are to load the boat with big fish. Fishing is a 365-day-a-year business on Alabama’s Gulf coast, with plenty of fish biting year-round. Because of the sponsorship possibilities in the high-dollar world of bass tackle, many have speculated a new largemouth record might be worth up to a million dollars if caught by an angler who knew how to take advantage of the market. From greenland sharks, to the Mekong Giant Catfish that was bigger than a grizzly bear, these are 11 BIGGEST Fish Ever Caught ! For us anglers who want to go after the mega-catfish, there are some things we can do to improve our chances.