According to the Alabama Department of . 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. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. 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. Have some feedback for us? Fishing regulations at . Researchers determined that the record flathead catfish was at least 22 years old, grew very rapidly, and was most likely a male. However, they are smaller than blue catfish. Have you caught a big fish lately? It was five feet long and weighed 89 pounds. This monster of a fish was caught by Ken Paulie who reeled it in from the Elk City Reservoir in Independence, Kansas. Just a few weeks ago, I told a good friend that I was beginning to think it wasnt going to happen.. The water is starting to cool off now and the fish are getting active, Mike said. 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. Armstrong Creek, Wash. Co. Henry Merritt, Deer Park What is the largest catfish ever caught in the United States? Like Comments |. Paulie's record was set back on May 19, 1998. Guntersville Reservoir, Jeremy S. White, Alexander CityJack Grant, Altoona, Richard Johnson, Bay Minette But the sun came out and the bite quit. The largest flathead catfish ever caught in the world was 123 pounds! Threats of harming another Catfishing on Guntersville Lake today folks. The products have a streamlined appearance that is excellent for any style. I graduated from the University of Minnesota-Morris with a degree in Elementary Education and I am a former teacher. monkeys, cats, dogs, birds, and other catfish have been found in their stomachs. Saltwater Fishing. Ultimate Fishing Site is the largest fishing tips and tourism website on the net. Redtail catfish are not picky eaters and in the wild tend to eat fish and crustaceans. Freshwater Fishing Their most recent catch was the night of Friday, March 17 St. Patricks Day. Mike Watts had been on a quest for years to catch a giant catfish. He gets a motel room in Guntersville and always stays a few day when he comes to fish. Table of Contents show What fish are biting on Guntersville Lake? Also read: Pair lands giant catfish on Lake Guntersville, Alabama. GUNTERSVILLE, Ala. - One fisher caught a large catfish at Lake Guntersville. The Elk River flows into Wheeler Lake from the north. According to the CDC, adults in the United States drink an average of 44 ounces of water each day. They started coming to Guntersville Dam years ago when snagging was still legal and they liked to snag the spoonbill cats. His luck changed last week when he brought in a big blue catfish that went well over 100 pounds. It is a large lake and there are so many spots you can target largemouth bass here. They catch shad and cut it up in big pieces. The guys still wont budge. American $$ - $$$ Menu We hope that you continue to enjoy our free content. (LIVESCOPE FOOTAGE) Fishing with Nordbye 12K. 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. It lost some weight in the boat and getting it up to Cooleys Grocery to be weighed, he said. Notifications from this discussion will be disabled. 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. And they took hundreds of pictures. Free boat ramps and private marinas dot the lake's perimeter. Please leave a like if you enjoyed the video and don't forget to subscribe for more content! Freshwater drum. He was by himself in the boat and fought the fish an hour and a half drifting down the river as he battled it. Were just calling it 101.. 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. Nick grabbed another lighter pole and cast for crappie on the banks of Lake Guntersville. It took over an hour for the Thai fishermen to reel in the heavy catfish. GUNTERSVILLE, Ala. Whats the biggest fish youve ever caught? Get the Android Weather app from Google Play, WHNT News 19 Sales Team Broadcast and Digital, 10 effective rodent repellent solutions to keep mice, Water filter faucets and pitchers for healthy hydration, Give your kitchen a makeover on a budget with these, Animal therapy group teams up with brewery for fundraiser, Holocaust survivors, descendants team on social media, What to watch for in the Dominion vs. Fox News trial, Local educators react to First Grade Readiness bill, OK officials called to resign after racist recording, Sheriff Rocky Harnen reflects during first week, Moulton looks to improve maintenance on water tanks, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Fernandes redtail catfish was 123 pounds 7 ounces (56 kilograms) and 4.62 feet (1.408 meters) long. Within 24 hours, the photos had shared 2,100 times. There are still some monsters out there! Richards added. There must have been hundreds of people who heard about it and stopped to see that fish, he said. Guntersville. Please purchase a subscription to continue reading. Blue catfish were intentionally introduced into rivers in Virginia in the 1970s, but have now become an invasive species that grows and breeds rapidly. We held him down in the water for about five minutes and he swam away strong, said Richards. 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! There are five main types of catfish found in Alabama; blue, flathead, channel, white, and bullhead catfish. The Alabama River starts where the Tallapoosa and Coosa Rivers come together then passes through Selma which is about 50 miles west of Montgomery. 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! Nicks heart jumped when the big pole bent. Id caught some that went 65, but Id never broke 70 pounds, said the self-employed contractor from Munford near Anniston. Daily News Updates If you would like to share a story idea, please submit it here. Jugs are very effective there and perfectly legal. Don't forget to subscrib. Severe Weather Fish must be caught in Alabama waters by legal means. It was Dale Hill and his friend Tommy. It is speculated that this has allowed the Goonch to grow so large and develop a taste for human flesh. By Anthony Campbell; Oct 15, 2014 Oct 15, 2014; 0; Facebook; This area also has plenty of channel catfish and blue catfish with the Delta including many tributaries, bayous, and creeks where catfish love to live. Its an adventure that Nick will always cherish an adventure of a lifetime. accounts, the history behind an article. Channel, blue and flathead catfish are common lake residents, as are their smaller bullhead cousins. Paulie was using a light tackle while he was crappie fishing and the flathead was a lucky catch. Many anglers will target them near the Guntersville Dam, but you can catch them throughout the lake as well. We check for new photo additions every day and approve them. They wont give away their fishing hole, though. Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. Piraiba are so large that monkeys, cats, dogs, birds, and other catfish have been found in their stomachs. Sorry, no promotional deals were found matching that code. 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.. We had our hands on the pole as the fish pulled us around like it was nothing!. Youd expect a big cat like that to be caught at dawn or dusk or even night. It was still an absolute ton of fun to land the fish and then watch it swim away, Said Stephens. Mike caught it at 1:00 in the afternoon. However, the water tends to get saltier the closer you get to the Gulf. They can weigh more than 100 pounds with the heaviest recorded weight in the world being 143 pounds. Free (Photo: Ryan Richards) Richards. WATCH: Sharks biting alligators, the most epic lion battles, and MUCH more. Guntersville Reservoir Jeffrey J. Rorex June 2, 2005 As of the time of this writing the records are accurate. 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. Bassett Creek, Wash. Co. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, When it comes to catfish the largest North American species is the blue catfish. In addition to weighing nearly 650 pounds, this Mekong giant catfish was 9 feet (2.7 meters) long. I'm a Wildlife Conservation Author and Journalist, raising awareness about conservation by teaching others about the amazing animals we share the planet with. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform. Nick is back in class, and the. They decided to release it so some other lucky angler would have a chance at catching it. . 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. Be Nice. Now, its someone elses catfish to catch, Larry said. 4. He thinks it might have pushed the state record if he could have gotten it to a set of accurate scales a little quicker. This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. It sure was chilly on Lake Guntersville, Alabama, on Monday. We use live bluegill as bait. While Masullo de Aguiar's Piraiba is the largest officially on record, in general, Piraiba can weigh over 450 pounds (204 kilograms). Not quite big enough to break the state record, Richards said. Its near the dam, thats all Ill say, said Richards. The guys, along with friends Andrew Buck and Daniel Rice, have caught several big catfish in recent years. Flathead catfish are a sport fish that anglers love to catch for their size as well as their tasty meat. To use our mobile site, please enable JavaScript. Flathead catfish. Larry Stephens recently caught a massive 55 inch Flathead Catfish on one of the causeways over Lake Guntersville. We caught some really good largemouth bass: 7+ pounder, 6+ pounder, 5+ pounder, multiple 4+ pounders, and too many 2-3 pounders to count! Best Fishing Trips Andrew Osmer, Ryan Richards and Timmy Richey were fishing late that night when Osmer hooked a huge catfish. What is biting on Guntersville Lake? 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. Use this FISHING rig to find and catch Giant Lake Catfish Steve Douglas 399K views 7 years ago THOUSANDS Of Crappie Fishing LAKE GUNTERSVILLE!! This giant South American catfish was also over 6.5 feet (2 meters) long. This monster of a fish was caught by Ken Paulie who reeled it in from the Elk City Reservoir in Independence, Kansas. Fishing spots and baits to use at Guntersville Lake? 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. Thanks! Im about to be 60 and I told them it was going to have to happen pretty quick if it was going to happen, he said. The area between its eyes is wide and flat and highlights the wide mouth of the flathead catfish. According to the CDC, adults in the United States drink an average of 44 ounces of water each day. 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. Flathead catfish average 18-24 inches long but can reach 29-30 inches. He said he didnt want to kill the fish and had no where to immediately get it weighed, so he let it go. Stephens estimated the fish was around 70 pounds. Share with Us. 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. Fish over 40 and 50 pounds are possible. 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Good food., Guntersville Hotels with Air Conditioning, Guntersville Hotels with Laundry Facilities, Hotels near Lake Guntersville State Park Cabins by RRM, Hotels near Guntersville Museum & Cultural Center, Hotels near Homer B. Wilson Jr Vintage Museum, Hotels near First Baptist Church Guntersville, American Restaurants for Families in Guntersville, American Restaurants for Large Groups in Guntersville, American Restaurants with Outdoor Seating in Guntersville, Restaurants near Hampton Inn Guntersville, Restaurants near Lake Guntersville State Park Lodge, Restaurants near Wyndham Garden Lake-Guntersville, Restaurants near Lake Guntersville State Park, Restaurants near Lake Guntersville State Park Cabins by RRM, Restaurants near Guntersville Museum & Cultural Center, Restaurants near Town Creek Fishing Center. 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 worlds largest redtail catfish was captured in 2010 by Gilberto Fernandes in Brazils Amazon River. Flatheads are typically next followed by channel cats and white. release when captured). With Amazon Basics products, you can give your kitchen a makeover on a budget. Crappie, however, is the top sport fish catch on the lake for most anglers. You have permission to edit this article. It is 75 miles (121 km) long, running from Guntersville Dam to Nickajack Dam. Big catfish caught at dam. I knew there were some 100 pounders there.. His flathead measured 61 inches long which is 5 feet 1 inch. 11 Flathead catfish have been caught near here. Several anglers have caught catfish in Guntersville Lake in excess of 80 pounds. Millers Ferry Lake runs about 105 miles along the river to the Claiborne Dam in Monroe County. Depending on how big it was, you were probably exhausted! Richards said its all about catch and release. Use the 'Report' link on 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. This big catfish broke 2 sets of scales, one after it had registered 106 pounds. that is degrading to another person. GUNTERSVILLE, Ala. (WHNT) - A fishing trip with his grandpa turned into a big catch for 10-year-old . In fact, the Piraiba is the largest of the catfish species found in the Amazon. I realized the size of fish that were below the dam and I started bait fishing and Ive been coming ever since, he said. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. If you're looking to target a real big fish, try fishing for the blue catfish. 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. Nevertheless, anglers across Alabama frequently land trophy blues and . 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Excess of 80 pounds target largemouth bass here in addition to weighing nearly 650 pounds said! Grabbed another lighter pole and cast for crappie on the Lake for most anglers contributor of this,...