Some of you know me when I joined this group Feb 2018 trying to figure out how to fish Tenn waters, then it was how to operate a "real" bass boat and learning how to setup and use a bait caster. Wow, how time has flown... Last yr everything was coming together and I was really beginning to enjoy myself, catching fish. But the one fish that kept eluded me was catfish. I could catch them while trolling or bass fishing with a crank bait in a lake, but fishing for them in the river... Yea right.
This yr has been a strange yr, I've not been able to make time for bass fishing, but I have been joining the local catfishing tournaments. Its just 7 or 8 boats of local guys that are all friends. I appreciate them welcoming me within their fold, born and raised in the area and have fished the river all their lives.
Anyways, 4 weeks ago I caught my first 2 river catfish for a total of 9.86 lbs. Last week we did a benefit Tourn for someone fighting cancer and raised just over $1000, I was fishless, but this weekend I I managed to catch 3 more. Yes I'm still finishing last place but not empty handed.
Today was not your typical day, I was fishing one rod for cats and the other rod was for big cat or big stripper (rock fish). What I caught was nothing I was prepared to catch... At first I thought I hung the bottom like I normally do, then I noticed some lift and thought.. great I hung on some bottom drift wood. Then I noticed the line was going up river beside my boat and not 25 yards down river. After about 5 mins of working this dead weight, it surfaced and I couldn't believe my eyes.. it was a fish alright and down she went... For the next 15 mins I was expecting my rod to break... line to snap... something. You know how hard it is to try to take a picture while fighting a fish for proof that you even hung on to something like this.. Keep in mind I have 16 other guys to try and convince I even hung on to this beast, never mind caught... Well anyhow, I finally tired her out and managed to get about a 3rd of her in the net and get it in the boat.
I'm fishing alone, no other boats around, how the hell am I going to share my fishing story, the biggest fish I have ever caught in my life..? I get it in the boat yet she is still full of fight and she is trying her dam best not to cooperate. Yes I caught a Sturgeon 35 lbs... aprox 50" long. All I had was a small 24" tape measure and she's slapping me and bouncing around. Then taking a picture was a whole new challenge trying to remember how to get to the self timer setting. So I apologize to the fish for the way I had to hold her but it's not like I had someone to help me here and I wanted to return it to the water as quickly as possible.
Who would have though that I would hook onto a species that is 10's of thousands of yrs old.... 24 hrs and I'm still stoked .
Next fish is a Stripper... By god I want to catch one
Cumberland river
