Catch and Release of Flathead Catfish Ohio River Backwater

I was fishing a backwater that I had never fished with a friend, and I had my big catfish pole in the water and I went ahead and rigged my bass pole for some bottom fishing as well. I thought I would go with some liver on my bigger pole and nightcrawler on my bass pole, thinking I would catch a bigger one on the liver. To my surprise, I caught this flathead on the worm. Knowing that they prefer live bait I am not surprised though. I mainly fish for small and largemouth bass, so unfortunately this is probably one of the biggest flatheads I have caught. I know they get a heck of alot bigger, but this one did make my day! Hopefully I will have some more vids from this spot! PLEASE RATE

Setup: Pflueger Medalist Model#7050 w/ Plueger Rod 6'6 10lb CXX PLine

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• Fishing
• Ohio
• River
• Backwater
• Flathead
• Catfish
• Blue
• Channel
• Bullhead
• Bass
• Smallmouth
• Largemouth
• Crappie
• Bluegill
• Catch
• Release
• Pflueger
• West
• Virginia
• WV
• Marshall
• County

[OntarioBassFishing]

Would you say teh cxx line is manageable on a baicaster?

[FishinWV]

@OntarioBassFishing I would say so, but depends on what type of fishing your going to be doing. I usually go braided when it comes to bait casters. What reel you working with? All and all it is a great line it is a copolymer

[MegaFishwhisperer]

why did u hold it by the gills? the mouth doesent hurt LOL thats like grabbing u by the lungs.Good release though.

[FishinWV]

You are the second person to mention that. Listen I grabbed it back underneath gills in the front towards the mouth. When you do that gills are under your hand and not like smashed in fingers or anything. And I held him by the mouth after that, but I was just getting him out of the water. I have seen hundreds of pics of fish by gills, and if done correctly does not damage. Thanks for the view and the comment, hope all is well!

[dizzlecracker27]

My bday is July 31st

[Hibachi52]

@MegaFishwhisperer hey it hurts more by the mouth....

[22grand22]

Yeah Ohio

[IndiansCatcher19]

@HeLeX63 No poison, but on the sides those spikes are treacherous, I've seen some one releasing a catfish and the fish jumped hard and cut his finger up pretty badly.

[HeLeX63]

Damn, nice fish man! Don't Flathead's have a spike on both sides of them which are poison?

[mustards12s]

Hey nice flatty I hope u catch his Mamma this season. They get nice in parts of the Ohio. Keep fishin and keep releasin. There is nothing wrong with how you picked him up either, better than by his jaws. When they are bigger use a net, then two hands for the pic. Peace and keep fishin em.

[TheTommy7510]

Have you ever considered getting a net, if u get a 20 + pound fish its gonna be pretty damn hard to land it like you did there