biggest catfish caught in lake guntersvillebiggest catfish caught in lake guntersville

Smaller fish will just swim by, but the catfish will go for it.. Explore full map. If you would like to share a story idea, please submit it here. Type your phone number with no spaces (example:2565555555). Promotional Rates were found for your code. There are still some monsters out there! Richards added. Thanks! Nichols caught his record-breaker on March 9, 2012. Nevertheless, anglers across Alabama frequently land trophy blues and . They got to Cooley Grocery with the fish about 4:00 and Mike became an instant celebrity. Available throughout Guntersville Lake, there are two primary areas that hold catfish. Wed love to see it. 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. WATCH: Sharks biting alligators, the most epic lion battles, and MUCH more. Instead, we did best on blade baits on creek ledges and jerkbaits over shallow grass. 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. Guntersville Reservoir, Jeremy S. White, Alexander CityJack Grant, Altoona, Richard Johnson, Bay Minette Nick is back in class, and the. According to Practical Fishkeeping, there are now over 3,000 species of catfish around the world. Like Comments |. Frank Lambert Dickey, Chatom, Mud Creek,Tannehill Historical State Park, (a) World Record, Rod And Reel/ (b) Previous World Record, Rod and Reel / (c) Previous World Record, Any Method, Official Web Site of Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, 2023 Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, 64 N. Union Street, Suite 468 - Montgomery, Alabama 36130, Physically Disabled Hunting and Fishing Trail, https://www.facebook.com/tr?id=467475161060988&ev=PageView&noscript=1. If you are targeting flatheads, you will want to stay closer to the inland area of the brackish tidal system since flatheads tend to stay away from water that is too salty. The largest flathead catfish ever caught in the world was 123 pounds! 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. As of the time of this writing the records are accurate. Youll always remember that moment, finally pulling it in the boat. From February through April, crappie are found bedding in the backwater areas of creeks. They bit well for an hour and a half and I caught several that weighed in the 20s.. Flatheads are typically next followed by channel cats and white. Many anglers will target them near the Guntersville Dam, but you can catch them throughout the lake as well. Threats of harming another GUNTERSVILLE, Ala. Whats the biggest fish youve ever caught? Researchers determined that the record flathead catfish was at least 22 years old, grew very rapidly, and was most likely a male. Nick is feeling good, and we assume the catfish is, too, after quite an adventure. With Amazon Basics products, you can give your kitchen a makeover on a budget. To use our mobile site, please enable JavaScript. One got in the boat with me and the 2 of us couldnt get the fish in the boat. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. Flathead catfish average 18-24 inches long but can reach 29-30 inches. I graduated from the University of Minnesota-Morris with a degree in Elementary Education and I am a former teacher. 5. 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.. Have you caught a big fish lately? In fact, the Piraiba is the largest of the catfish species found in the Amazon. Nearly all of these catfish are listed as the world record for their species in the International Game Fish Associations (IGFA) World Records Database. The second largest lake in Alabama, Wheeler spreads across 67,100 acres near Decatur and already produced two former state record blue cats each weighing more than 100 pounds. Get an email notification whenever someone contributes to the discussion. His mouth was so large you could have put a basketball in it, said Richards. We fished Lake Guntersville from March 17-20. While there are more blue catfish and channel cats, flatheads are also common catfish in the state. Guntersville Reservoir Jeffrey J. Rorex June 2, 2005 or anything. The worlds largest redtail catfish was captured in 2010 by Gilberto Fernandes in Brazils Amazon River. 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. Guntersville Lake Summer Catfishing, Catfish Combat 569 subscribers Subscribe 375 views 6 months ago In this video, I head out to Guntersville Lake to beat the heat, the pontoons and the. Fishing spots and baits to use at Guntersville Lake? However, they didnt have it officially weighed. Thank you for reading! When it comes to catfish the largest North American species is the blue catfish. While Paulies record was verified by the the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks and has been standing for over 20 years, many people have questioned the legitimacy of Paulies catch. Not just where people fish but where they swim as well!. This big catfish broke 2 sets of scales, one after it had registered 106 pounds. The position of the Hallucigenia's head puzzled scientists for several years. (Photo: Ryan Richards), Richards did reveal the kind of bait they use. Sorry, no promotional deals were found matching that code. With over 949 miles of shoreline, it is best known for excellent Largemouth Bass fishing, but also contains Black Crappie, Smallmouth Bass, Spotted Bass, Striped Bass, White Bass, and several species of bream and catfish. 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. He said she caught. His flathead measured 61 inches long which is 5 feet 1 inch. Thats just what I think, he said. If youre looking to target a real big fish, try fishing for the blue catfish. Days 1 \u0026 2 were a little slow as we figured things out, but days 3 \u0026 4 were pretty awesome!Please subscribe to GirlGoneFishing for more fishing videos! View our maps and read detailed fishing reports from nearby anglers. Fishing Rigs Its near the dam, thats all Ill say, said Richards. Therefore, they can use their fins as a defense mechanism. This monster of a fish was caught by Ken Paulie who reeled it in from the Elk City Reservoir in Independence, Kansas. There are five main types of catfish found in Alabama; blue, flathead, channel, white, and bullhead catfish. In captivity, redtail catfish eat assorted worms, frozen foods, sinking catfish pellets, and dry foods. We have now organized our main site into 300 plus websites to make it easier for you to learn more about the fish you want to catch and the places you want to visit. The guys still wont budge. 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. His luck changed last week when he brought in a big blue catfish that went well over 100 pounds. From the Tennessee River in the north to the Alabama and Coosa Rivers near Montgomery, there is some fine catfishing in the state of Alabama. Keep pesky rodents outside where they belong. Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. We fished Lake Guntersville from March 17-20. Stephens was fishing on Sunday with a medium-weight spinning rod and reel. Barkley Reservoir Micka Burkhart September 24, 2022 Class A Brown Bullhead Catfish 3 lbs., 15 oz. This giant South American catfish was also over 6.5 feet (2 meters) long. 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. Please click the Submit Your Photo button below to add it straight to this gallery. This lake has good fishing for channel catfish and blue catfish. In 2015, an Italian fisherman named Dino Ferrari was featured in international news for capturing a monster Wels catfish in the Po Delta. Larry Stephens recently caught a massive 55 inch Flathead Catfish on one of the causeways over Lake Guntersville. Weighing must be witnessed by two people. There really isnt any more details about Fernandes catch, but he did use a fiberglass Sportex rod to land the redtail catfish. Larry Stephens recently caught a massive 55 inch Flathead Catfish on one of the causeways over Lake Guntersville. According to a news report, Fernandes has over 100 IGFA world fishing records. The timing of the catch was kind of funny. Conners record dates back to June 22, 1986, making this a 36-year-old record and counting. 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. Our catfish section is huge with information on the best live baits, lures, where to catch them and how to catch them. more, You seem to have JavaScript disabled. Big crappie caught on Guntersville lake. He and his friends have caught several monsters over the past few years. There are flathead catfish in the Mobile-Tensaw Delta. Wed love to see it. Big catfish caught at dam. Lake Guntersville fishing is great for bass, crappie, catfish and more in the Cotton State. Some of the best bass fishing on Lake Guntersville can be found in the creeks, such as North and South Sauty, Siebold Creek, Brown's Creek and Town Creek. We caught some really good largemouth bass: 7+ pounder, 6+ pounder, 5+ pounder, multiple 4+ pounders, and too many 2-3 pounders to count! Stephens was fishing on Sunday with a medium-weight spinning rod and reel with 12 lb test line when he caught a whopper around 3 p.m. We'd love to hear eyewitness As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Larry quickly took some pictures of Nick and his catch and then placed the catfish back in the water. He and his friends have caught several "monsters" over the past few years. 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. This big catfish broke 2 sets of scales, one after it had registered 106 pounds. Michael Houseknecht/Mobile, Chris S. Fuller, AthensBobby Lee Davis, Bessemer, Paddlefish Daily Weather Forecast According to the CDC, adults in the United States drink an average of 44 ounces of water each day. This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. Nick grabbed another lighter pole and cast for crappie on the banks of Lake Guntersville. Thank you for reading! Alabama's largest lake contains 69,100 acres and stretches 75 miles from Nickajack Dam to Guntersville Dam. Lake Guntersville does have good numbers of catfish available too. Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. Lake Guntersville State Park Pinecrest Dining Room. Fish must be caught in Alabama waters by legal means. A massive flathead catfish was caught on Lake Guntersville in 2022, but was it bigger than the record breaker? Flathead catfish are heavy-bodied that have a tail that tapers off. PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK. Ive been coming up here to fish at Guntersville Dam since I was 12 years old and Im 59 now.. It sure was chilly on Lake Guntersville, Alabama, on Monday. Andrew Osmer caught this 89-pound catfish in Lake Guntersville on March 17, 2017. Blue catfish are typically in the 20-40 pound range with a trophy size being considered anything over 50 pounds. person will not be tolerated. It took Ferrari 40 minutes to catch the Wels catfish and he decided to release the fish back into the water so he could be caught again in the future. We hope that you continue to enjoy our free content. Fishing Techniques Paulies flathead catfish was frozen for many years before it was presented to the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks, and Tourism in 2016 for further examination. Larry took the pole while Nick jumped into the water, hugged the fish and, with some help, lifted it onto the dock. They decided to release it so some other lucky angler would have a chance at catching it. Jorge Masullo de Aguiar currently holds the world record for the largest Lau-Lau (Piraiba), which is a species of catfish that is native to South America. Keep it Clean. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. You have permission to edit this article. Stephens said when it was all over, Nick's first words were, "Dad, that thing is huge! 168 reviews Closed Now. -Melissa :) Although Ferrari's catch is impressive, unfortunately he was just shy of the world record for a Wels catfish catch, which weighed 297 pounds 9 ounces (134.97 kilograms). His flathead measured 61 inches long which is 5 feet 1 inch. According to the Alabama Department of . Now you have several tips to start (or continue) your effort to catch the next largest flathead catfish in Alabama! This is the version of our website addressed to speakers of English in the United States. This record-breaking catfish was caught by Rick Conner of Selma, AL in Selma on the Alabama River. WHNT News 19 viewer Larry Stephens sent in photos of his wife April fishing on the lake. Their skin is nearly scaleless and they have barbed spines on their pectoral and dorsal fins. Now, its someone elses catfish to catch, Larry said. Notifications from this discussion will be disabled. Share with Us. Somelocal guys have made a hobby of catching the big monsters in Lake Guntersville. Lake Guntersville is the home of some of the best bass fishing in the world. Enter your email in the box below to get the most mind-blowing animal stories and videos delivered directly to your inbox every day. I realized the size of fish that were below the dam and I started bait fishing and Ive been coming ever since, he said. And they took hundreds of pictures. 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. Larry found that the Alabama state record for a flathead is 80 pounds. I do know one thing for certain its my personal best. Nicks heart jumped when the big pole bent. Mike Watts caught it below Guntersville Dam. On the Alabama River, some of the best catfishing occurs on the William "Bill" Dannelly Reservoir, better known as Millers Ferry Lake, near Camden. For reference, a large labrador retriever weighs 70-80 pounds. RE: catfishing guntersville The first 5 or 6 miles below Guntersville Dam on Wheeler Lake has some great catfishing. The record for the largest flathead catfish belongs to Ken Paulie, who landed his big flathead over 20 years ago. With numerous bridges around the lake, working funnel areas can also be productive. Fish must be weighed on certified scales. He gets a motel room in Guntersville and always stays a few day when he comes to fish. Some anglers have found excellent catfishing in the Tensaw River as well. It is 75 miles (121 km) long, running from Guntersville Dam to Nickajack Dam. release when captured). No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism Ferrari's Wels catfish weighed 280 pounds (127 kilograms) and was 8.75 feet (2.67 meters) long. Keep pesky rodents outside where they belong. The products have a streamlined appearance that is excellent for any style. Fishing Tackle Guntersville Tourism . Millers Ferry Lake runs about 105 miles along the river to the Claiborne Dam in Monroe County. Depending on the body of water, a lake may contain some big specimens as well as plenty of smaller ones, and the subspecies can be varied. Were just calling it 101.. William D. Webb, B'ham But the sun came out and the bite quit. State fishing records are kept for the blue, flathead, channel, and white with the blue catfish being the largest catfish species in the state. Best Catfish in Guntersville, Alabama: Find 1,046 Tripadvisor traveller reviews of THE BEST Catfish and search by price, location, and more. racist or sexually-oriented language. The people from the nearby villagers didn't let the fish go to waste and ended up eating it. Several anglers have caught catfish in Guntersville Lake in excess of 80 pounds. The products have a streamlined appearance that is excellent for any style. Large ones caught in Alabama usually fall in the 30-50 pound range. Its an adventure that Nick will always cherish an adventure of a lifetime. He said they took Friday nights catch to a nearby gas station to weigh him because the batteries were dead on their scale. Lake Guntersville is one of the best bass lakes in the country. This lake is known for good numbers as well as quality fish. The guys, along with friends Andrew Buck and Daniel Rice, have caught several big catfish in recent years. Fish over 40 and 50 pounds are possible. Procedures For the Certification of Alabama State Record Freshwater Fish, Shelley Meadows/Mentone Andrew Osmer, Ryan Richards and Timmy Richey were fishing late that night when Osmer hooked a huge catfish. . Fish must be caught in Alabama waters by legal means. Their most recent catch was the night of Friday, March 17 St. Patricks Day. With Amazon Basics products, you can give your kitchen a makeover on a budget. Weve had bigger ones break our poles and our lines and we use 13-foot catfish rods and 130-pound braided line that they break like its nothing and almost pull us out of the boat, said Richards. Within 24 hours, the photos had shared 2,100 times. Flathead catfish are typically larger than the channel, white, and bullhead catfish. The Elk River flows into Wheeler Lake from the north. They can get huge . He said he didnt want to kill the fish and had no where to immediately get it weighed, so he let it go. While Masullo de Aguiar's Piraiba is the largest officially on record, in general, Piraiba can weigh over 450 pounds (204 kilograms). Many anglers will target them near the Guntersville Dam, but you can catch them throughout the lake as well. Whiteville Lake Gary Dean Arthur October 25, 2014 Class A Bighead Carp 90 lbs. There must have been hundreds of people who heard about it and stopped to see that fish, he said. Catfishing on Guntersville Lake today folks. Kid catches 70 pound catfish in Lake Guntersville. Depending on how big it was, you were probably exhausted! Ferrari's sponsor did say that his catch may hold the world record for a fish caught with a Torpedo spinning rod made by an Italian manufacturer. However, they are smaller than blue catfish. Armstrong Creek, Wash. Co. Henry Merritt, Deer Park Please click the Submit Your Photo button below to add it straight to this gallery. The Tombigbee and the Alabama River come together to form the Mobile River which in turn flows down to Mobile Bay. Goonch catfish have reportedly been known to eat corpses from funeral pyres on the Kali River, which runs between Nepal and India. each comment to let us know of abusive posts. Paulie was using a light tackle while he was crappie fishing and the flathead was a lucky catch. At first we struggled to figure the fish out, since we went in expecting the traditional pre-spawn bite of red lipless and squarebill crankbaits. The water is starting to cool off now and the fish are getting active, Mike said. Id caught some fish earlier that morning when it was cloudy, he said. But last Friday, a 10-year-old kid reeled in one of the biggest fish in the lake. Some locals were watching me fight the fish and they came over to help, Mike said. 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. Class had just been dismissed at Collins Elementary School in Scottsboro. Your current subscription does not provide access to this content. Ultimate Fishing Site is the largest fishing tips and tourism website on the net. 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. His method of fishing is bumping the bottom and he was using a stout 5-foot rod, a 4 ounce weight, 30 pound test and cut shad for bait when the 100 pounder bit. Therefore, read on to find out about the largest flathead catfish ever caught in Alabama! Fishing regulations at . Bassett Creek, Wash. Co. We check for new photo additions every day and approve them. Lake Guntersville does have good numbers of catfish available too. Visit our catfish page to learn more. They can weigh more than 100 pounds with the heaviest recorded weight in the world being 143 pounds. GUNTERSVILLE, Ala. (WHNT) - A fishing trip with his grandpa turned into a big catch for 10-year-old . Just a month before he made his record redtail catfish catch, Fernandes caught another redtail that was 113 pounds 8 ounces (51.5 kilograms). Richards said its all about catch and release. Officials from Thailand's Inland Fishery Department wanted to use the female Mekong giant catfish for a breeding program, but she ended up dying. Severe Weather Stretching from the Nickajack Dam all the way to the Guntersville Dam, this manmade impoundment has some of the best fishing in the Cotton State, and receives national recognition, too. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. David Burruss with the California state record crappie. The record blue catfish was caught in 2011 in Kerr Lake, Virginia by a man named Richard Nicholas Anderson. Andrew Osmer caught this 89-pound catfish in Lake Guntersville on March 17, 2017. What is biting on Guntersville Lake? Richards said commercial fishermen often ask where they can catch the big guys. Table of Contents show What fish are biting on Guntersville Lake? When I am not writing I love going to my kids' soccer games, watching movies, taking on DIY projects and running with our giant Labradoodle "Tango". A 4-pound 12-ounce bluegill caught in Ketona Lake in April 1950 by T.S. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. Free Mekong giant catfish is rare and endangered. Not quite big enough to break the state record, Richards said. Have you caught a big fish lately? 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. The former world record blue catfish came from Wheeler and I suspect the new record is swimming in there now. He loves the feel of the strings and the sound of sweet chords. Don't knowingly lie about anyone 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. . Within five hours of posting, the photos had over 750 likes, 950 shares, and 150 comments. that is degrading to another person. It took Anderson about 45 minutes to land the giant blue catfish, whose size surprised Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries chief Gary Martel. 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. Hed come up and fished a week a little earlier, but it was still warm then. We caught some really good largemouth bass: 7+ pounder, 6+ pounder, 5+ pounder, multiple 4+ pounders, and too m. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform. According to the CDC, adults in the United States drink an average of 44 ounces of water each day. Saltwater Fishing. Nick and his grandpa placed the big pole in the holder, and skipjack herring on the hook. The bait we used for this one was bigger than my hand, said Richards. He catches some good ones in the spring - April through June - but always felt if he ever got a true monster it would be in the fall. Flathead catfish are a sport fish that anglers love to catch for their size as well as their tasty meat. (now protected, Mike caught it at 1:00 in the afternoon. This lake has good fishing for channel catfish and blue catfish. Andrew Buck and Daniel Rice are part of the fishing group too. We held him down in the water for about five minutes and he swam away strong, said Richards. . Depending on how big it was, you were probably exhausted! But Jeremy Bethune and Summer Stevens of Flat Rock, Alabama, love fishing so much, they decided to put up with the cold weather and throw a few jigs into the water maybe one of Guntersville's big bass would strike. He thinks the male fish are territorial and are moving into their winter haunts in the fall. Sherril Harris, Sylacauga, Lake Martin, Tallapoosa Co. Freshwater drum. 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. Lake Guntersville is the home of some of the best bass fishing in the world. Free boat ramps and private marinas dot the lake's perimeter. If you're looking to target a real big fish, try fishing for the blue catfish. The Holt Reservoir is just northeast of Tuscaloosa and Northport. Nick is back in class, and the catfish is back in the lake. The Goonch was caught in the River Ramganga in India. I hope you enjoyed the video please leave a like if you did! 4. Hudson Simmons, a 10-year-old who weighs 62 pounds, landed a world-record-sized blue catfish that was nearly as big as him. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated. If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu. 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! Blue catfish were intentionally introduced into rivers in Virginia in the 1970s, but have now become an invasive species that grows and breeds rapidly. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, Flathead catfish. Terry Knight. The state record is 120 pounds caught near Tuscaloosa in 2012. Nick had reeled in a 70-pound flathead catfish so big that it made Larry look in the record books. 12 Blue catfish have been caught near here. Just a few weeks ago, I told a good friend that I was beginning to think it wasnt going to happen.. Please keep your comments respectful and relevant. However, despite his best efforts, his record blue catfish died. A flathead catfish is easier to differentiate from other catfish due to its (yes, you guessed it) flat head. GUNTERSVILLE, Ala. Whats the biggest fish youve ever caught? This California slab is the most recently caught record crappie on our list. Catfish will be found in the tailrace area of Nickajack Dam and in the deep water just above Guntersville Dam. Check out pictures of the guys with their big catches below. Catfish are found in lakes and rivers all over the U.S. Daily News Updates 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. He thinks it might have pushed the state record if he could have gotten it to a set of accurate scales a little quicker. Facebook; Twitter; WhatsApp; SMS; Email; Print; Copy article link; Save; featured. Learn more about us & read our affiliate disclosure. He was by himself in the boat and fought the fish an hour and a half drifting down the river as he battled it.

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