



|
Member Name
Dennis Crowder |
BOC Screen Name
DensSang |
BOC Join Date
March, 2006 |
|
Catfish Catch Date
April 22, 2007 |
State Caught In
Illinois |
Body of Water Fished
Sangchris State Park |
|
Catfish Species
Flathead Catfish |
Catfish Weight
55 Lbs. |
Rod Used
BassPro 6'6 heavy action |
|
Reel Used
Shakespeare Tidewater 30L |
Line Test & Type
Berkely 20 Lb. Big Game mono |
Hook Used
5/0 Tru Turn |
|
Bait Used
Live Bluegill |
Approx. Time Caught
9:00 PM |
Air Temperature
800 |
|
Weather Conditions
Clear night |
Bite Activity Rating
4 |
Boat or Bank Fishing
Bank Fishing |
|
|

|
Member Name
Erich Brown |
BOC Screen Name
Rockfordflathunter |
BOC Join Date
January, 2008 |
|
Catfish Catch Date
June 3, 2008 |
State Caught In
Illinois |
Body of Water Fished
Rock River |
|
Catfish Species
Flathead Catfish |
Catfish Weight
49 Pounds |
Rod Used
Glowstick 8' M/H |
|
Reel Used
ABU Garcia 7000 Big Game |
Line Test & Type
Suffix Elite 30 Lb Mono |
Hook Used
8/0 King Kahle |
|
Bait Used
Rock Bass |
Approx. Time Caught
10:17 PM |
Air Temperature
60o |
|
Weather Conditions
Cloudy |
Bite Activity Rating
10 - Great - Catfish Really Biting |
Boat or Bank Fishing
Boat Fishing |
|
|


|
Member Name
Harold Hicks |
BOC Screen Name
Hickshh |
BOC Join Date
February, 2006 |
|
Catfish Catch Date
September 10, 2006 |
State Caught In
Illinois |
Body of Water Fished
Mississippi River |
|
Catfish Species
Flathead Catfish |
Catfish Weight
44 Pounds |
Rod Used
Shakespear Tiger M/H Action |
|
Reel Used
Tidewater 30L Baitcaster |
Line Test & Type Offshore Angler 35 lb Braid with Cajun Red 20 lb Mono Leader
|
Hook Used
Gamakatsu 7/0 Circle |
|
Bait Used
Shad with tail cut of and belly cut open |
Approx. Time Caught
2:00 PM |
Air Temperature
76 |
|
Weather Conditions
Clear and Sunny with light wind |
Bite Activity Rating
3 |
Boat or Bank Fishing
Boat |
|
I went out about 7am.. Tried my usual spots with no bites.. I moved to west side of Island and slowly worked my way upriver. Got a few hits and caught a couple small Channel Cats.. Went to the east side of island about halfway down the island about 100 ft out in 16 ft of water.. No structure on bottom but I seen a big fish on fishfinder so I dropped anchor and figure I would try one more spot before I called it a day.. I baited up and put the 1st pole out.. I had just got the 2nd pole out when the 1st one took off.. I picked up pole and started reeling in.. I thought I had about a 20 pounder on till I got him to the top of the water and seen him.. It took me about 20 minutes to land him.. It was my 1st flathead and my personal best catfish. Took pictures and turned him loose to fight another day. |



|
Member Name
Justin Wolfe |
BOC Screen Name
eflow |
BOC Join Date
March, 2006 |
|
Catfish Catch Date
July 21,2008 |
State Caught In
Illinois |
Body of Water Fished
Mississippi River |
|
Catfish Species
Blue Catfish |
Catfish Weight
81 Lbs. |
Rod Used
Surge 7' 10" Heavy |
|
Reel Used
Abu Garcia 7000 HS Big Game |
Line Test & Type
80 lb Power Pro(braid), w/ 60 lb Ande leader(mono) |
Hook Used
8/0 Circle, 3 way rigged |
|
Bait Used
Chunk of Skipjack |
Approx. Time Caught
12:00 AM |
Air Temperature
830 |
|
Weather Conditions
Clear night with 3/4 moon rising & cold front moving in around midnight from the north |
Bite Activity Rating
9 |
Boat or Bank Fishing
Boat Fishing |
|
July 21st, 2008 will be engraved into my memory forever. After what seems a lifetime of catfishing to me I finally caught one of those Blue Cats that everyone wants on their catfishing resume. The story is kind of funny because I was trying to play guide that evening with a co-worker that is heading back to Afganastan in September and my 10 year old son. The day started off like any other catfishing trip to the Mississippi with the catching of some fresh bait around 6 PM and then it was off to our 1st spot. My co-worker has been telling me for months that he just wanted to catch a catfish that weighed more than 13 lbs. as this was his personal best. I said that should not be a problem tonight knowing that the bite had picked up in the last week. Arriving at our 1st spot it was kind of a shot in the dark and I figured I needed a litte time to get the rods rigged w/ new leaders and prepare some bait. About 20 minutes passed with no takers so I decided it was time to move on. I told myself all day that I was not going to go any further south than I had to. So our next spot was just about as far south as one can go in Pool 27 on the Mississippi River; so much for self control. It was the best move I have made in my fishing career! We got set up in about 15ft of water within 30 to 40 yards from the bank above a small log jam on a clear muggy evening with an almost full moon set to rise later that night and a cold front planning on pushing through from the north w/ servere weather in front of it around midnight. I had been catching alot of Blue cats in the 8 to 20 pound range at this spot all year so this was my co-worker's best chance to break his PB. It was around 7:30 PM when my son's rod slammed down as he was taking his first bite of a hot stick, not his PB but a close 2nd at 25.6 pounds. As I was removing the hook from my son's fish my co-worker's rod is slammed; he smokes his old PB with a 29.7 pound Blue cat. We get everything back in order and back to fishing with my job completed when I decided to grab my rods and head to the front of the boat to see if I can join in on the fun. So there I am minding my own business, stuffing my face with cheesy puffs and my left side rod is making a slow long bend to the water. Little did I know it was going to be a fish of a lifetime on the end of my line. The battle was on, co-worker asked me if I thought is was a big one I told him it had to be more than 50 pounds because the fish was going where it wanted to go and not were I wanted it to go! So with the guide having a 81.6lb Blue cat attached to his rod, a very un-experienced co-worker and a 10 year old boy staring at him I said, "getting the net would be a good start!" After fighting the fish for about 10 minutes I realized the current was moving so fast that I could not bring the fish along side the boat to use the net so it was time for co-worker to get a crash course lessons on how to use a break away anchor ball. After the lesson, we were broke away and floating down river after my prize and it only took about 10 more mins before the hawg was in the boat. It ended up weighing 81.6lbs on a 220lb BOC Coffey scale. I would like to thank myself for leaving my camera at home because it would have never happened if I had it with me?!? Seriously, I would like to thank everyone that night that came down to take pictures and helped me release the fish back to the waters it came from! |


|
Member Name
Steven Mead |
BOC Screen Name
stump jumper |
BOC Join Date
January, 2008 |
|
Catfish Catch Date
July 28, 2008 |
State Caught In
Illinois |
Body of Water Fished
Mississippi River |
|
Catfish Species
Blue Catfish |
Catfish Weight
75 lbs. |
Rod Used
Customized Catmaxx 8 Ft. M/H |
|
Reel Used
Quantum Iron 320 |
Line Test & Type
80 lb. Power Pro Braid |
Hook Used
4/0 Gamakatsu Bait Keeper |
|
Bait Used
Mooneye Head |
Approx. Time Caught
2:45 PM |
Air Temperature
920 |
|
Weather Conditions
Clear, hot and humid |
Bite Activity Rating
10 - Great - Catfish really biting! |
Boat or Bank Fishing
Boat Fishing |
|
|


|
Member Name
Gary Vinyard |
BOC Screen Name
gmvk30 |
BOC Join Date
February, 2007 |
|
Catfish Catch Date
October 24, 2007 |
State Caught In
Illinois |
Body of Water Fished
Mississippi River |
|
Catfish Species
Blue Catfish |
Catfish Weight
64 lbs. |
Rod Used
Surge Trophy Cat, 7'10" Heavy |
|
Reel Used
Penn 209 |
Line Test & Type
100 lb. Power Pro, w/ Ande 80 lb. leader |
Hook Used
9/0 Gamakatsu Octopus |
|
Bait Used
Skip Jack Fillet |
Approx. Time Caught
PM |
Air Temperature
480 |
|
Weather Conditions
Cloudy night |
Bite Activity Rating
5 - So-So |
Boat or Bank Fishing
Boat Fishing |
|
|



|
Member Name
Charlie Frederick |
BOC Screen Name
catinaldatime |
BOC Join Date
November, 2007 |
|
Catfish Catch Date
April 25, 2008 |
State Caught In
Illinois |
Body of Water Fished
Baldwin Lake |
|
Catfish Species
Channel Catfish |
Catfish Weight
15 Pounds |
Rod Used
Berkely Fusion, Broke in half, Medium Action |
|
Reel Used
Berkley Fusion 206 |
Line Test & TypeBerkely 30 Lb. Big Game Mono
|
Hook Used
4/0 Worm Hook |
|
Bait Used
Live bluegill |
Approx. Time Caught
PM |
Air Temperature
580 |
|
Weather Conditions
Sunny |
Bite Activity Rating
5 - So-so |
Boat or Bank Fishing
Boat Fishing |
|
|


|
Member Name
Jeremy Rich |
BOC Screen Name
cats4uandme |
BOC Join Date
August, 2005 |
|
Catfish Catch Date
August 15, 2005 |
State Caught In
Illinois |
Body of Water Fished
Clinton Lake |
|
Catfish Species
Channel Catfish |
Catfish Weight
13 Pounds |
Rod Used
Catfish Ugly Stick MH |
|
Reel Used
ABU 5500 CL3 |
Line Test & Type
20 lb Stren High Impact
|
Hook Used
5/6 Gamakatsu Circle Hook |
|
Bait Used
Cut Shad |
Approx. Time Caught
8:00 PM |
Air Temperature
Mid 70's |
|
Weather Conditions
Clear Night |
Bite Activity Rating
8 |
Boat or Bank Fishing
Boat |
|
This fish was caught in the hot water discharge fishing against current. The fish hit the shad and ran at the boat. I was attached to the cable and the fish went under the boat to other side of cable. The cable has sharp freys and to avoid line breakage i had to dunk rod and reel under the cable leaning over the boat. The fish fought for close to 15 min. |


|
Member Name
Tricia Mullenix |
BOC Screen Name
Littleman |
BOC Join Date
June, 2008 |
|
Catfish Catch Date
November 16, 2008 |
State Caught In
Illinois |
Body of Water Fished
Wabash River |
|
Catfish Species
Channel Catfish |
Catfish Weight
13 Lbs. |
Rod Used
Ugly Stik M/H 8' |
|
Reel Used
Gander Mountain Tournament Spinning Reel |
Line Test & Type
50 Lb. Suffix Performance Braid |
Hook Used
4/0 Jackhammer |
|
Bait Used
Whole Dead Yellow Bass |
Approx. Time Caught
Around 6-7:00 PM |
Air Temperature
340 |
|
Weather Conditions
Cold and windy |
Bite Activity Rating
10 - Great - Catfish really biting! |
Boat or Bank Fishing
Bank Fishing |
|
|