Rainy day cat

[Catrat]

Made it to Lincoln Beach just a little after 12 pm on Saturday. Despite the weather I had to scratch the fishing itch the work week had left me with. In between microbursts of wind and rain the kayak was launched. After dragging a curly tail for a short ways fresh WB was on the menu. Half of the WB was hooked and sent back into the water in hopes of a cat. One hour and a couple of close calls with big waves later, no fish. I was making one last pass of the weed line between the boat Harbor and the mouth of BS, when I finally tied into a cat. It dragged me and my yak into the weeds that are partially submerged along the south shore. 15 minutes later it was wrestled out and attached to the yak via a string and a lip-gripper. A quick trip back to the harbor for pictures and it went back into the water.

30 inches long and weighed 13 1/2 pounds. A new personal best.

[Jig-fisher]

You are a brave man to be out in a kayak in yesterday's weather. Sometimes the biggest fish come on some of the worst weather days. Nice!

[Cowboypirate]

Great fish. Man UL is kicking out some beuts this year

[wiperhunter2]

Congrats on your PB cat, that's a big old male cat from the looks of it.

[Piscophilic]

Way to go! Great cat and great story! Thanks for sharing and keep it up.

[Kent]

Congrats on catching a fine cat. I hope I am rewarded for taking a newbie out this Wednesday.

[Tin-Can]

What a HOG !  Congrats on PB.

[catchinon]

Now that's a face only a mother can love--the fish's I mean. Seriously, that's an awesome tomcat. Guess I'm going to have to fish those weeds. It looks like I might need to get some 50-lb. line first, though. And a machete. BTW, how big was that piece of wb?

[TubeDude]

Excellent.  Your persistence and fishin' itch were well rewarded...and scratched.

Howsomever, in spite of everybody thinking that is a daddy cat...because of the dark color...I say it is a dark spawning phase mama kitty.  The head and body proportions are those of a female...not a spawning male.  And, contrary to common belief, the larger females do color up a bit during spawning too.  Male cats that size have heads that are noticeably wider than the bodies...and the bodies are more slender.  If that was a male cat it would have weighed only about 10 pounds at most.

[Boatloadakids]

All due respect to my senior friend and mentor Mr. Tube Dude, I say the fish was a male. The color... not just "colored up a bit" but almost totally black; the thick and puffy lips, and the fact that the fish was ugly. Male, all the way.

I've fished with Catrat, (aka as grandson) for twenty years... taught him everything he knows about ketchin' cats. And what do I get for my educational efforts??? I get OUT FISHED! His contest fish are 28, 29, and 30 inches. Mine, 28, 28, and 28. Ain't no justice in cat fishin".

Male or female, the important stat is 30 inches. I taught him well.

[Catrat]

Thanks all! I am just happy to have had the chance to catch a fish that big, but joining the exclusive 30 inch club is quite a bonus to.

Kentofsnl: Best of luck to ya. I hope you have warned your fishing companion of how addicting catfishing can be!

Catchinon: The white bass I used was about 5 inches long. I just cut it in half. Big baits for big fish is a motto I agree with wholeheartedly.

BLK: You did teach me well. Too well maybe, as the student has surpassed the teacher?   Of course a guy can just get lucky on occasion too. Personally I’m gonna go with the latter. Either way, go team south!

[r2u2]

big cats, big . its got to be good.