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sbehuniak09
Joined: 10 Jul 2012
Posts: 229
Location: Seymour, CT
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 Posted: Sat Jul 21, 2012 9:04 pm Post subject: Big Catfish- A Continuation of the Wacky Senko Experiment |
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So I was using the Wacky Senko tonight at the Seymour Quarry and I caught 3 small crappies, a FAT 12" LMB and then this guy. I was presenting the worm slower than I ever had and used a different technique. This fish was without a doubt the biggest fight of my life. I have caught roughly 5 catfish before and none were close to this big. My foot is a size 12 wide and the fish dwarfed it. I had no real measuring gear with me but I estimate it's length in the 20" range and its head was bigger than a softball. I'm not exactly sure what kind of catfish it is. I researched how to tell the difference last night actually and I'm still stumped on this guy. 
I know the tail looks like it is forked, but it also looked to be pretty beaten up. There was a cut on the tail and in person the tail looked like it maybe had been bitten by something.
I would also estimate it's weight to be roughly 5 lbs. I have 8lb test and I was worried it might snap during the battle. I would have taken many more pictures but it was dark and I had hardly any light. I also wanted to get it back in the water alive and well. Taking it off the hook was scary because I'm not sure what the best way to go about this is? Can they actually stab you? I know almost nothing about catfish but this was quite a nice surprise and a thrill! As usual any comments and advice will be welcomed! |
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SAP284
Joined: 07 Jun 2011
Posts: 655
Location: Central, CT
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| Posted: Sat Jul 21, 2012 9:11 pm Post subject: |
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It's hard to see from the picture but my guess is a channel cat. 20" is pretty darn big, I caught one that was 24" and 13lb this year and it was a monster. Stay away from their spines, they can puncture you and hurt like hell. The funny thing is that the safest place is its mouth lol. You can hold it by the tail and use something to take the hook out though and you should be ok. The actual whisker things are not dangerous, they are for them to sense things. 3 things that I recommend you get on your next trip to the store are measuring device, scale, and boga grips 
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Steve
Last edited by SAP284 on Sat Jul 21, 2012 9:14 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Michael
Joined: 28 Jan 2012
Posts: 3823
Location: Bridgeport
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| Posted: Sat Jul 21, 2012 9:13 pm Post subject: |
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That's a brown bullhead. The reason why you see its tail like that is because catfish are currently nesting.
A 5 pound brown bullhead is rare and would beat the current state record. |
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sbehuniak09
Joined: 10 Jul 2012
Posts: 229
Location: Seymour, CT
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| Posted: Sat Jul 21, 2012 9:22 pm Post subject: |
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| Michael, are you sure this was a Brown Bullhead? I know they run the smallest of the CT catfish by a wide margin. I'm positive you know way more about them than I do but even on the most conservative possible guess I can muster this fish was 19" and 4 lbs. I know that if that's all true then that fish was an absolute monster. I just measured my shoe and it is 13" on the dot. It is clear the fish has at least 6" on my shoe and is just about as fat. |
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Michael
Joined: 28 Jan 2012
Posts: 3823
Location: Bridgeport
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| Posted: Sat Jul 21, 2012 9:28 pm Post subject: |
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| sbehuniak09 wrote: | | Michael, are you sure this was a Brown Bullhead? I know they run the smallest of the CT catfish by a wide margin. I'm positive you know way more about them than I do but even on the most conservative possible guess I can muster this fish was 19" and 4 lbs. I know that if that's all true then that fish was an absolute monster. I just measured my shoe and it is 13" on the dot. It is clear the fish has at least 6" on my shoe and is just about as fat. |
I've never heard of channels in the Naugy watershed. Smaller lakes and ponds and wetlands have a better chance of holding brown bullheads. Seeing the color towards the top is more on the green brown side instead of a grey or black, and the bottom is a lighter green brown instead of a very light grey, I'd say brown bullhead. I have a history of catching both BB and CC.
Do some image research on Google to see what best matches your catch. |
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SAP284
Joined: 07 Jun 2011
Posts: 655
Location: Central, CT
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| Posted: Sat Jul 21, 2012 9:33 pm Post subject: |
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I didn't think brown bullheads got that big that's the only reason I say channel cat.
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Steve |
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Michael
Joined: 28 Jan 2012
Posts: 3823
Location: Bridgeport
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| Posted: Sat Jul 21, 2012 9:39 pm Post subject: |
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I just did research on Google images.
Channel cats have a deep forked tail while bullheads are more on the flat side. Front dorsal fin on a channel is pointy at the top while a bullhead's is curved. |
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sbehuniak09
Joined: 10 Jul 2012
Posts: 229
Location: Seymour, CT
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| Posted: Sat Jul 21, 2012 9:55 pm Post subject: |
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| The more I look and research this, it seems that it had to have been a brown bullhead. The characteristics of the Channel Cat are just not there. There is a gap in the tail, but like I said, I think that is from injury or wear and tear and not genetics. Nothing about it is pointy. If it was a bullhead I'm sure it wasn't a record fish (I'll tell myself that anyway) but it certainly would have qualified easily for the trophy fish program (15", 2lbs) which would have been a nice thing to have under my belt at this point! I would be curious to see what other people think, but no matter what I'm thrilled with the catch and can't wait to hopefully catch another one before too long! |
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