My Big Blue Cat

Rain clouds were all around us as we put the boat in the river on August 8, 2008. We got set up just below Joe’s Crab Shack at 08:10 and a heavy drizzle stated at 08:15.  We put on our plastic ponchos and sat it out.  We had no bites and the sky cleared down river, so we headed to our favorite spot and had our lines in the water at 08:50. Joe hooked into the first fish of the day at 09:00.  It was a nice channel cat that weighed in at 5 pounds and 23.5 inches long.  Then my rod got hit at 09:05, and I boated a 4 pound channel cat that was 21.5 inches.  This fish hit a 4 inch minnow I had as bait.  Then the fish shut down for a while….no bites.


​At 10:25 Joe’s rod had a hard hit as he hooked another 4 pound channel cat also 21.5 inches. At 11:00 I caught a 3.5 pound channel cat on French fries.  It was only 20 inches long.  Things were getting even better at 11:00 as Joe’s line got hammered; the fish was a 5 pound, 23 inch carp that gave Joe a hard fight.  
    
At 11:50 my rod went down and when I pulled back, the line just kept going out!  I knew I had a nice size fish at the other end.  I was in no rush so just waited it out fighting the fish.  I’d get some line,then it took some back, but in the end I got it into the boat.  The fish was the biggest fish of the year, a nice 15 pound Bluecat measuring 33 inches long!  
    
That day on the river answered one question for me; now I know Red Hot Smokies will get big fish!  I was worn out by that fish so we decided to call it a day. All of Joe’s fish were caught with the Smokies and my big fish as well, so I suggest having it as back-up bait whenever you hit the river. We headed home at 12:15 with a good smile of a nice rewarding time on the river.

​View this link from one of our better fishing days just a few years ago: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_161Q-S-3fQ

​Submitted by: Norb Wormald
nlcatfish@twc.com
 
About the author: Norb Wormald is a Dayton resident who has been fishing for catfish on the Ohio River for over 60 years. He is the author of two E-Kindle books, “Rod Bending Catfish” and “Shop to Save”. Norb is also webmaster for Cincinnati Catfishing, www.cincinnaticatfishing.com

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