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Record Flathead Catfish
 
Fish stories are both fact and fiction. Fishermen tell tales of their exploits, some time with exaggeration that makes an unbelievable tale. For instance, the largest Flathead catfish was caught from Elk City Reservoir in Kansas on May 14, 1998. It weighed 123 pounds 9 ounces and that is a great story. Now add the fact that this 123 pound Flathead catfish was caught with a Zebco 33 reel with 12 # test line and now not only have the World Record Flathead catfish you have the greatest fish story ever told.
 
It’s not that a Zebco 33 isn’t a good reel, but it is a spin-cast reel made for relatively light duty. I have had spin-cast reels come a part in my hand trying to reel in 5-10# fish not any thing close to a 123 pound Flathead catfish. I have broken 20# test line on fish I never saw, but I am sure they weren’t near that size. Using a Zebco 33 with 12# test line to catch a 123 pound Flathead catfish is probably one of the greatest fish stories ever told.

 

Some of my best true fishing stories don’t involve fish. I was drifting for catfish on Lake Lavon with a buddy one day when I got a strike in about 20 feet of water. I set the hook and the fight was on. I didn’t let it have any slack. It fought pretty good until it was close to the boat. I knew it wasn’t a catfish. What I caught was a 5 ½ foot light action rod, with a spinning reel in great condition.  I didn’t even have to put new line on the reel. I still use them today and that was 10 years ago, although I have changed the line.

I don’t use that rod and reel when I am fishing for Flathead catfish. It is not made for catching big flathead catfish, but it is a nice rig for Bream fishing or Trout fishing. Bream are fun to catch and they make excellent bait for flathead catfish. Fishing is fun and a bad day of fishing is better than a good day of work anytime.
 
From Wikipedia, “The flathead catfish, Pylodictis olivaris, also called the yellow cat, opelousas, mud cat and shovelhead cat, are large North American freshwater catfish…
”Record flathead catfish come with some of the greatest fish stories just by chance. It makes great flathead catfishing for fun times. Send us your fishing stories for the world to enjoy.
 If you have flathead catfish story or any other fish story or you would like to share a picture with the world please send them to jdavid46@yahoo.com .  If you are interested in hunting stories go to