Sam Simons has fished with me several times. He planned today's trip a while back and then came across his friend, Chuck, who will be moving away from Chattanooga soon. Sam learned that Chuck had never caught a catfish... or fished for them I suppose. Well, that just would not do so off we went on Chickamauga Tailwaters, with Chuck in tow.
Well, to say that Chuck started off his catfishing on a high note is a gross understatement. Sam caught the numbers, but Chuck whipped him badly on size! His first ever catfish of his life just about ripped his arms off.
When these fish bite these days, they hit like freight trains. It was a wonderful, touch-and-go battle for some minutes... but in the end Chuck put a battle-scarred 39-pound blue in the bottom of the boat.
According to Sam (who counts better than I do), the final tally in a few hours this morning was a 10-pound blue, a 12, an 18, a 20 and the 39.... plus a couple of dinks. Some caught on chicken breast and some on cut bait. Anywhere from 20 feet deep to 45 feet. Life is good and gettin' better every day.
Well, to say that Chuck started off his catfishing on a high note is a gross understatement. Sam caught the numbers, but Chuck whipped him badly on size! His first ever catfish of his life just about ripped his arms off.
When these fish bite these days, they hit like freight trains. It was a wonderful, touch-and-go battle for some minutes... but in the end Chuck put a battle-scarred 39-pound blue in the bottom of the boat.
According to Sam (who counts better than I do), the final tally in a few hours this morning was a 10-pound blue, a 12, an 18, a 20 and the 39.... plus a couple of dinks. Some caught on chicken breast and some on cut bait. Anywhere from 20 feet deep to 45 feet. Life is good and gettin' better every day.
