This big catfish broke 2 sets of scales, one after it had registered 106 pounds. I knew there were some 100 pounders there.. It was Dale Hill and his friend Tommy. Largemouth bass in the 7 to 8 pound range are caught every year and bass up to and above 10 pounds are possible. For reference, a large labrador retriever weighs 70-80 pounds. . He thinks it might have pushed the state record if he could have gotten it to a set of accurate scales a little quicker. Don't Threaten. Zach Hester 10/28/2022. Larry quickly took some pictures of Nick and his catch and then placed the catfish back in the water. The Tombigbee and the Alabama River come together to form the Mobile River which in turn flows down to Mobile Bay. Flathead catfish average 18-24 inches long but can reach 29-30 inches. If Stephen's estimate were correct, it would rival the current record for the largest flathead catfish caught in the state of Alabama. Application form must be notarized. Available throughout Guntersville Lake, there are two primary areas that hold catfish. Fish must be caught in Alabama waters by legal means. Larry took the pole while Nick jumped into the water, hugged the fish and, with some help, lifted it onto the dock. Entertainment The products have a streamlined appearance that is excellent for any style. 5. There are five main types of catfish found in Alabama; blue, flathead, channel, white, and bullhead catfish. The largest flathead catfish ever caught in the world was 123 pounds! Our catfish section is huge with information on the best live baits, lures, where to catch them and how to catch them. View our maps and read detailed fishing reports from nearby anglers. Alternatively, you may use, Giving an Extra Circle for Tough Times, This place was a fun surprise. Thats just what I think, he said. Within 24 hours, the photos had shared 2,100 times. It took over an hour for the Thai fishermen to reel in the heavy catfish. Best Fishing Trips Not quite big enough to break the state record, Richards said. In captivity, redtail catfish eat assorted worms, frozen foods, sinking catfish pellets, and dry foods. We check for new photo additions every day and approve them. Keep pesky rodents outside where they belong. Lake Guntersville does have good numbers of catfish available too. access for current print subscribers. 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Contests & Promotions, Chilly, breezy, scattered snow showers possible, State fire marshal calls up C. Oregon firefighter task force to help battle large fire in downtown John Day. The friend encouraged him and so did his brother. According to Practical Fishkeeping, there are now over 3,000 species of catfish around the world. Best Catfish in Guntersville, Alabama: Find 1,046 Tripadvisor traveller reviews of THE BEST Catfish and search by price, location, and more. His flathead measured 61 inches long which is 5 feet 1 inch. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. However, other than the official record listing on the International Game Fish Association's website, there wasn't enough information to feature the story of the record Wels catfish. While there are more blue catfish and channel cats, flatheads are also common catfish in the state. This record-breaking catfish was caught by Rick Conner of Selma, AL in Selma on the Alabama River. We held him down in the water for about five minutes and he swam away strong, said Richards. Bassett Creek, Wash. Co. We caught some really good largemouth bass: 7+ pounder, 6+ pounder, 5+ pounder, multiple 4+ pounders, and too many 2-3 pounders to count! Now is the time to mouse-proof where you live. Use the 'Report' link on Have you caught a big fish lately? Barkley Reservoir Micka Burkhart September 24, 2022 Class A Brown Bullhead Catfish 3 lbs., 15 oz. In 2005, a behemoth Mekong giant catfish, weighing in at a scale-tipping 646 pounds (293 kilograms) was caught in a remote village in Thailand near the Mekong River. Fish must be identified by a Fisheries Section biologist or other certified fisheries biologist. There are still some monsters out there! Richards added. Blue catfish are typically in the 20-40 pound range with a trophy size being considered anything over 50 pounds. However, despite his best efforts, his record blue catfish died. Mekong giant catfish is rare and endangered. But last Friday, a 10-year-old kid reeled in one of the biggest fish in the lake. Stephens estimated the fish was around 70 pounds. It is 75 miles (121 km) long, running from Guntersville Dam to Nickajack Dam. Notifications from this discussion will be disabled. You dont catch as many in the fall, but the average weight is bigger, he said. While Masullo de Aguiar's Piraiba is the largest officially on record, in general, Piraiba can weigh over 450 pounds (204 kilograms). Ultimate Fishing Site is the largest fishing tips and tourism website on the net. Larry found that the Alabama state record for a flathead is 80 pounds. 4. Guntersville Tourism . See ya'll next time!SUBSCRIBE!https://www.youtube.com/richardgenethefishingmachinePrevious Video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=949Vm5zaljsContact The Machine:Richardgenethefishingmachine@gmail.comMail The Machine:Richard HelmsPO Box 342Geraldine AL 35974Thank You For Watching! Mike Watts had been on a quest for years to catch a giant catfish. By Anthony Campbell; Oct 15, 2014 Oct 15, 2014; 0; Facebook; Nick and his grandpa placed the big pole in the holder, and skipjack herring on the hook. Hed come up and fished a week a little earlier, but it was still warm then. The Goonch was caught in the River Ramganga in India. But the sun came out and the bite quit. By Greg McCain Long known as one of the premier bass-fishing destinations, Lake Guntersville, a sprawling Tennessee Valley Authority reservoir in northwest Alabama, absolutely exudes fish-catching potential, covering 69,000 acres as the largest impoundment in the state. Redtail catfish are not picky eaters and in the wild tend to eat fish and crustaceans. The record for the largest flathead catfish belongs to Ken Paulie, who landed his big flathead over 20 years ago. (now protected, Just a month before he made his record redtail catfish catch, Fernandes caught another redtail that was 113 pounds 8 ounces (51.5 kilograms). Were just calling it 101.. Nick is back in class, and the catfish is back in the lake. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated. Officials from Thailand's Inland Fishery Department wanted to use the female Mekong giant catfish for a breeding program, but she ended up dying. Andrew Osmer caught this 89-pound catfish in Lake Guntersville on March 17, 2017. Nevertheless, anglers across Alabama frequently land trophy blues and . Hudson Simmons, a 10-year-old who weighs 62 pounds, landed a world-record-sized blue catfish that was nearly as big as him. monkeys, cats, dogs, birds, and other catfish have been found in their stomachs. Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. They have a mottled coloration of olive, brown, and light yellow. Mike was using a brand new rod and reel and in a new boat, so theyre no doubt now his lucky rod and lucky boat., My lifes goal in fishing has always been to catch a 100 pounder, he said. Depending on how big it was, you were probably exhausted! Some anglers have found excellent catfishing in the Tensaw River as well. With the help of his grandpa, Larry Stephens, they were able to get it up on the dock where they took a picture with the flathead next to Nickthey were about the same size! Thanks! Enter your email in the box below to get the most mind-blowing animal stories and videos delivered directly to your inbox every day. The Goonch was caught in the River Ramganga in India. The guys, along with friends Andrew Buck and Daniel Rice, have caught several big catfish in recent years. Terry Knight. Anderson wanted to keep his blue catfish alive so that it could be put in a tank at a local Bass Pro Shops retail store. Thank you for reading! Fishing regulations at . WHNT News 19 viewer Larry Stephens sent in photos of his wife April fishing on the lake. In an interview, Vgner said that he is sill after the world record Goliath Tiger Fish of the Kongo river. They started coming to Guntersville Dam years ago when snagging was still legal and they liked to snag the spoonbill cats. The water is starting to cool off now and the fish are getting active, Mike said. Fish must be weighed on certified scales. We use live bluegill to catch some big catfish and some other types of fish as well. Please leave a like if you enjoyed the video and don't forget to subscribe for more content! Paulie was using a light tackle while he was crappie fishing and the flathead was a lucky catch. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Channel, blue and flathead catfish are common lake residents, as are their smaller bullhead cousins. Fish over 40 and 50 pounds are possible. With numerous bridges around the lake, working funnel areas can also be productive. Free boat ramps and private marinas dot the lake's perimeter. He said they took Friday nights catch to a nearby gas station to weigh him because the batteries were dead on their scale. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform. They have protruding barbels that come off the face that looks like whiskers, which is how catfish get their name. Promotional Rates were found for your code. accounts, the history behind an article. The bait we used for this one was bigger than my hand, said Richards. (Photo: Ryan Richards) Richards. Experts believe that this monster Mekong giant catfish is not only the largest catfish ever caught in the world, but the largest freshwater fish ever recorded. The former world record blue catfish came from Wheeler and I suspect the new record is swimming in there now. According to the CDC, adults in the United States drink an average of 44 ounces of water each day. . They can get huge. The people from the nearby villagers didn't let the fish go to waste and ended up eating it. Therefore, read on to find out about the largest flathead catfish ever caught in Alabama! Therefore, the largest catfish ever caught in Alabama was a blue catfish that weighed 120 pounds 4 ounces and was caught on the Holt Reservoir by John Paul Nichols, of Northport, AL. Nicks heart jumped when the big pole bent. This lake has good fishing for channel catfish and blue catfish. GUNTERSVILLE, Ala. Whats the biggest fish youve ever caught? The largest lake in the state, Lake Guntersville stretches 75 miles along the Tennessee River and covers 69,100 acres. The Holt Reservoir is just northeast of Tuscaloosa and Northport. Researchers determined that the record flathead catfish was at least 22 years old, grew very rapidly, and was most likely a male. The lower end of the lake is generally the most populated area, with several bass and catfish species as well as bluegill, crappie, perch, sauger, sunfish, and drum. He and his friends have caught several monsters over the past few years. What is biting on Guntersville Lake? The timing of the catch was kind of funny. Fishing in Lake Guntersville Lake Guntersville is located in north Alabama between Bridgeport and Guntersville. With Amazon Basics products, you can give your kitchen a makeover on a budget. This California slab is the most recently caught record crappie on our list. GUNTERSVILLE, Ala. - One fisher caught a large catfish at Lake Guntersville. David Burruss with the California state record crappie. He was by himself in the boat and fought the fish an hour and a half drifting down the river as he battled it. What is the largest catfish ever caught in the United States? Nichols caught his record-breaker on March 9, 2012. Now is the time to mouse-proof where you live. It got cloudy again at 1:00 and thats when the big one hit. You have permission to edit this article. Fall Creek Falls Lake Clint Walters, Jr. July 30, 1982 Class A Blue Catfish 118 lbs. We caught some really good largemouth bass: 7+ pounder, 6+ pounder, 5+ pounder, multiple 4+ pounders, and too m. Use this FISHING rig to find and catch Giant Lake Catfish Steve Douglas 399K views 7 years ago THOUSANDS Of Crappie Fishing LAKE GUNTERSVILLE!! They can get huge . Alabama has some impressive state record fish, including the all-tackle state and world-record landlocked striped bass, 69 pounds 9 ounces, caught by James Bramlett, of Dora ,from Bankhead Reservoir in February 2013. A Big Blue Cat, Gone Viral Around 2:00 P.M. on Saturday, March 28, Mike Mitchell of Russellville, Alabama, posted a few photos of a massive blue catfish to his Facebook page. Lake Guntersville is one of the best bass lakes in the country. Conners record dates back to June 22, 1986, making this a 36-year-old record and counting. 5. Grandpa Larry yanked the pole out of the holder and handed it to Nick. Youll always remember that moment, finally pulling it in the boat. 12 Blue catfish have been caught near here. State fishing records are kept for the blue, flathead, channel, and white with the blue catfish being the largest catfish species in the state. The state record is 120 pounds caught near Tuscaloosa in 2012. In fact, the Piraiba is the largest of the catfish species found in the Amazon. According to a news report, Fernandes has over 100 IGFA world fishing records. Big catfish caught at dam. You can review our Community Guidelines by clicking here. Fishing Tackle This lake is known for good numbers as well as quality fish. Depending on the species, catfish can range in size from 1.5 to 2 inches (4 to 5 cm) to hundreds of pounds, like the behemoths on this list. Please click the Submit Your Photo button below to add it straight to this gallery. There really isnt any more details about Fernandes catch, but he did use a fiberglass Sportex rod to land the redtail catfish. Visit our catfish page to learn more. We check for new photo additions every day and approve them. Its near the dam, thats all Ill say, said Richards. He gets a motel room in Guntersville and always stays a few day when he comes to fish. . I hope you enjoyed the video please leave a like if you did! Nearly all of these catfish are listed as the world record for their species in the International Game Fish Associations (IGFA) World Records Database. Weighing must be witnessed by two people. -Melissa :) 7 Freshwater drum have been caught near here. I realized the size of fish that were below the dam and I started bait fishing and Ive been coming ever since, he said. The Mekong giant catfish is rare and endangered and the one caught in 2005 was the largest ever caught since Thailand began keeping records in 1981. over 3,000 species of catfish around the world, catfish can range in size from 1.5 to 2 inches (4 to 5 cm) to hundreds of pounds, people have questioned the legitimacy of Paulies catch, presented to the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks, and Tourism in 2016 for further examination, Fernandes has over 100 IGFA world fishing records, Goonch catfish have reportedly been known to eat corpses, Piraiba is the largest of the catfish species found in the Amazon. Keep it Clean. His mouth was so large you could have put a basketball in it, said Richards. RE: catfishing guntersville The first 5 or 6 miles below Guntersville Dam on Wheeler Lake has some great catfishing. Contact the AZ Animals editorial team. According to the Alabama Department of . There are flathead catfish in the Mobile-Tensaw Delta. Don't knowingly lie about anyone They decided to release it so some other lucky angler would have a chance at catching it. Andrew Buck and Daniel Rice are part of the fishing group too. I graduated from the University of Minnesota-Morris with a degree in Elementary Education and I am a former teacher. Of the bullhead there are five kinds of bullhead catfish in Alabama; brown, black, snail, spotted, and yellow, ranging in size from 7-15 inches. So, what do they do with the fish afterwards? Please purchase a subscription to continue reading. Nick grabbed another lighter pole and cast for crappie on the banks of Lake Guntersville. He thinks the male fish are territorial and are moving into their winter haunts in the fall. Blue and flathead are the largest catfishes in Alabama, and in order of state records, they weighed 120 and 80 pounds respectively. But the 10-year-old from Langston, Alabama, loves one thing more: It was last Friday when Nick and his grandfather Larry Stephens headed to the dock at the South Sauty Creek Resort. Stephens said when it was all over, Nick's first words were, "Dad, that thing is huge! Severe Weather He said she caught. more, You seem to have JavaScript disabled. . racist or sexually-oriented language. In addition to the large Goonch, Vgner has caught several other large freshwater fish, including and 286.6 pound (130 kilogram) Arapaima and an 242.5 pound (110 kilogram) Wels catfish. Id caught some fish earlier that morning when it was cloudy, he said. American $$ - $$$ Menu Fishing for Flathead Catfish today folks! He and his friends have caught several "monsters" over the past few years. WATCH: Sharks biting alligators, the most epic lion battles, and MUCH more. As of the time of this writing the records are accurate. Please click the Submit Your Photo button below to add it straight to this gallery. Like Comments |. release when captured). We hope that you continue to enjoy our free content. Millers Ferry Lake runs about 105 miles along the river to the Claiborne Dam in Monroe County. However, they didnt have it officially weighed. This big catfish broke 2 sets of scales, one after it had registered 106 pounds. It is a large lake and there are so many spots you can target largemouth bass here. Be Proactive. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. The record for the largest Goonch ever caught belongs to Jakub Vgner, the host of National Geographic's Fish Warrior. Vgner's Goonch was 165 pounds 5 ounces (75 kilograms) and over 5 feet (1.57 meters) long. Flathead catfish are a sport fish that anglers love to catch for their size as well as their tasty meat. They catch shad and cut it up in big pieces. Catfish are found in lakes and rivers all over the U.S. Youve never seen like the people who stopped to see it.. Piraiba are so large that monkeys, cats, dogs, birds, and other catfish have been found in their stomachs. It is speculated that this has allowed the Goonch to grow so large and develop a taste for human flesh. The record for the largest Goonch ever caught belongs to Jakub Vgner, the host of National Geographic's "Fish Warrior." Vgner's Goonch was 165 pounds 5 ounces (75 kilograms) and over 5 feet (1.57 meters) long. Lake Guntersville State Park Pinecrest Dining Room. Freshwater drum. It created quite a traffic jam as I turned around to see as many as nine cars parked with people with their phones out making pictures and videos.. 11 Flathead catfish have been caught near here. It was still an absolute ton of fun to land the fish and then watch it swim away, Said Stephens. On the Alabama River, some of the best catfishing occurs on the William "Bill" Dannelly Reservoir, better known as Millers Ferry Lake, near Camden. Crappie, however, is the top sport fish catch on the lake for most anglers. Thank you for reading! Type your phone number with no spaces (example:2565555555). A 4-pound 12-ounce bluegill caught in Ketona Lake in April 1950 by T.S. William D. Webb, B'ham The Alabama River is quite the meandering river with many twists and turns, but Conner certainly found a lucky spot in the summer of 86. A flathead catfish is easier to differentiate from other catfish due to its (yes, you guessed it) flat head. The largest flathead catfish ever caught in the world was 123 pounds! Larry Stephens recently caught a massive 55 inch Flathead Catfish on one of the causeways over Lake Guntersville. They bit well for an hour and a half and I caught several that weighed in the 20s.. This lake has good fishing for channel catfish and blue catfish. Some anglers swear the biggest catfish can be found below the Guntersville Dam on the Tennessee River, but the truth is there are good-sized catfish throughout the state. It sure was chilly on Lake Guntersville, Alabama, on Monday. KTVZ-TV FCC Public File | FCC Applications |, Breaking News Lake Monsters: The 10 Biggest Trophy Fish Ever Caught in Alabama, Blue Catfish vs Channel Catfish: 5 Main Differences, The 10 Best Fish to Catch in Alabama this Summer, Catfish Quiz - Only The Top 1% Can Ace our Animal Quizzes, Discover The Largest Flathead Catfish Ever Caught in Louisiana, Blue Catfish vs Channel Catfish: 5 Key Differences, It Takes Two Men to Pull This River Monster Free, Discover The Largest Channel Catfish Ever Caught in Louisiana, Discover The Largest Blue Catfish Ever Caught in Missouri, Discover The Largest Flathead Catfish Ever Caught in Alabama. Several anglers have caught catfish in Guntersville Lake in excess of 80 pounds. According to the CDC, adults in the United States drink an average of 44 ounces of water each day. If youre looking to target a real big fish, try fishing for the blue catfish. The guys still wont budge. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Dave Burruss, the owner of Clear Lake Outdoors in . Get an email notification whenever someone contributes to the discussion. This record-breaker had a girth of 43 inches around; now that is a big catfish! Freshwater Fishing Paulie's record was set back on May 19, 1998. There must have been hundreds of people who heard about it and stopped to see that fish, he said. Application must be submitted on official. Learn more about us & read our affiliate disclosure.

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