CATCHIN' COLD CATS

Watch out...them jaws can hurt!

Ahhh, yeeess! Spring is just around the corner, or, at least the calendar says so! But right now, it's windy and the temperatures are barely out of the forties. Cold stuff. But a recent warm spell was just enough to get the local channel cat population to get squirmin' and seek out an early season meal. Most folks don't realize that channels can be caught as soon as the ice comes off the water in many regions of the country, and surprisingly shallow at that. Here's what such a scene might look like...

Matt waits it out at the local Catfish Mart.

As you can probably tell, it takes tremendous skill and determination to put a big cattie on the bank, Standard issue items include things like lawn chairs, sunglasses, cold sandwiches and sodas along with some degree of actual 'fishing' tackle. A warm spring day doesn't hurt a bit either!

Yet another great mug shot of a pond cattie.

As advertised, catfish have whiskers, and the use of pungent baits can up your odds on scoring some of the best eating in freshwater. The fish pictured above is a typical, good 'eatin'-sized' channel cat from a local pond. In this case, the pungent bait was chicken livers from the local grocery store.

First fish of the day was this nice 7.5 pounder.

Our recent trip to the local Catfish Mart was slow, but it was rewarding in that we picked up a couple of nice fish. We utilized European bite alarm systems to announce any and all strikes from post-hibernating catties. The fish above was the first, tentative run of the day. Cool! But my son Matt got a good run a little while later and banked this brute...

OK...I give, I give!

Matt's new personal best channel cat...cool!

Another picture of the beast...30.5 inches and 11 lbs, 10 ounces.

Pretty hefty kitty...huh? Yup! Actually, it was Matt's new PR for channel cats and put him right up there in the coveted Tanker Cattie Club...a prestigious group of whiskered fishermen who sit around and talk catfish all night long. Big fish...30.5 inches long and 11 pounds and 10 ounces. I'm jealous! The pond owners claim bigger cats are on the prowl.

But normally, spring catfishing is for tablefare and fun. This pond owner, however, wanted to remove the bulk of these marauding predators to give yearling bass a chance of survival. Also, channel cats, once caught and released in small lakes or ponds, can become fairly wary and line shy, and may not be caught for several months there after.

Sheeesh! Take the picture already!

Even smaller cats have a sizable maw.

My buddy Loren with a nice chunker from another pond.

Yes, channel cats are among the earliest freshwater fish to bite once the first warm days of late winter or early spring arrive. Lots of stuff works...livers, cut bait, dead minnows, night crawlers. We used 10 to 14 pound mono in case Mr. Big came along. They taste great, too,,,$7.99 a pound in the store this past week. Yet people still look down on the catfish as a lowlife, bottom feeder...undesirable. Thankfully, God does not look down on us as the catfish, where many view them as 'undesirable'

Whether you are catching catfish, carp, or them real purdy bass and trout, it will not matter what man's opinion is of you, but only God's. You can be rich or poor, healthy or sick, attractive or ugly...it will not matter, for 'God looks at the heart'

Psalm 49:17 points out this about all men, and women, of the earth...

'...for he will take nothing with him when he dies, his splendor will not descend with him."

As Christ entered and left this world in horrid conditions, so will you and I. The best thing I can take with me is His Blessed Assurance of salvation through His Blood.  John 3:16

BOTTOM FEEDERS...COLD CARPIN!

OUTSTANDING WINTER CARP AT 21 POUNDS PLUS!

It might seem like spring is in the air, but the truth is that I am looking for 12 inches of snow in my driveway by tomorrow night and we just can't seem to get over the hump on raw, chilly weather here in the Mid-Atlantic. Fishing has been sporadic, but  the Carp Whisperer Mr. Bob has been putting them on the bank...

Another full-bodied 20-pounder.

Bob has been diligent throughout the winter and has put some impressive fish on the bank. He's not using huge gear or any secret baits...just plain old hard work. He has been chumming several different areas and rotates his fishing to adjust to the conditions of the day. Here's a couple more brutes he's caught so far this winter...

Lean 15 -pounder on a cold February day.

Nice fish...around 11 pounds or so.

Most folks think that carp shut it down in the winter and watch sports, like the rest of us lazy anglers who fish for them. But Bob knows better, because Bob knows carp. These fish will feed all winter long, and he has been catching them in water as cold as 38 degrees F. Amazingly, he subdues these big fish on just 10-pound test line. Here are a few more...

Nice looking 13-pounder with a perfect scale pattern! Bob's happy!

Leg-long carp are a winter challenge.

Smaller female...chubbin' out for the spring spawn.

A lot of people think carp are 'unworthy' or 'scum suckers' or 'nasty' or just plain too dumb to be bothered with. Truth is, and I can vouch for this, carp are very spooky, selective feeders and grow big and fight hard. We use European style bite alarms on bank sticks. Bob has been hard at work on the chumming end, and the effort to catch fish this big is noteworthy. On todays trip, Bob got 2 fish out of 5 runs, and I caught the skunk. That's OK, cause I like the 'big fish' excitement these golden giants offer on a mild winter day.
Here are a few I did manage to get during the cold...

My only January carp was this 'sympathy' fish  Bob let me reel in.

Earlier in the fall, we doubled up on these guys!

One of my bigger fish from late October.

Even an 8 or 9 pounder is a good fish for the winter!

Despite 40 degree water, the fish can roll!

Yes, Bob has had a very successful winter with the big, golden fish. And all fish released. He takes care of the fish, takes care of the fishery. He treats them with respect, as though they are worthy, which, they certainly are!

Our relationship with God is certainly worthy and worthy of respect. I find that I need to take care of my relationship with my Savior more and more with each passing day. As a broken down, sinful, shell-of-a-man, I know that I am much like the carp, viewed upon by many in this world as a low-life, bottom-feeder...unworthy. But I have a God and Savior in Jesus Christ who tells me different, tells me he has a mansion for me and a new body for me in His Heavenly Realm. When I stand before Him, He will declare me innocent, not guilty, but worthy in His eyes as a child of the King. And He alone, is worthy to be praised!
I am not innocent because of what I have done, but because of what He has done...paid my debt in full upon a cross on a hill over 2000 years ago.

As Psalm 150 says...'let everything that has breathe praise the Lord'.  Even the carp! Even this carp fisherman!