Personal Best Channel Cat

20+lb channel cat caught
8-29-2010 on cut carp.

Last night was a beautiful night!  My wife and I made a spur of the moment decision to hit the local fishing lake for a few hours.  We made it to the lake at about 9:30 pm and got all of our poles in the water.  It was especially quiet on the lake for a Saturday night.  Usually it is busy with bank fishermen and  groups of loud, inconsiderate pleasure boaters but, it was almost vacant, which was nice for a change. Where we were this night there is a large cable running along the waters edge about 3 feet high.  It makes a very convenient rod holder, so as usual our poles were spread out across it. We had been fishing for a couple of hours and one of my bobbers takes off...only a little guy about 3 lbs.  After turning him loose, I was retying my wife's pole since she broke off in a snag  and woosh!  My bobber takes off again!  So, I head quickly down to grab it and the fish pulls my rod until it is just hanging against the cable by the reel!  Now I am rushing as fast as I can and just as I am ready to grab it, over the cable it bounces.  I made a desperate reach over the cable, almost going face first in the lake, and manage to grab the very end of the butt of the rod between my thumb and index finger.  I collect myself quickly and reel down on him and he instantly takes a good run.  I said "Holy shit! This is a big fish!"  He gave a short but impressive battle and I pulled him up and put the fish grips on him.  I couldnt believe it, I just caught the biggest channel cat I had ever seen.  I start clamoring for my scale but its not in my tackle bag!  Luckily, there was a couple of guys out in a boat that saw the mayhem so I hollered to them to see if they had a scale, and they did.  They even pulled all their poles in, pulled anchor and brought it to me.  He was  22.25 lbs with the fish grippers, so I am guessing just a bit over 20 pounds.  I had my wife snap a few photos and I briefly admired the catch so I could get him back in the water.  Fish grippers removed, I placed him back in the water and began to gently pull him back and forth in the water to revive him.  I rubbed his sides a few times and watched him swim away.  An amazing night for sure!