# State Record Channel Cat



## bgsu_falcon_fan (Jul 8, 2013)

I was at Ladue yesterday and there was a gentleman from the ODNR taking a creel survey. We got to talking and he said that the new state record channel cat was caught at Punderson recently. He couldn't confirm this, because he had heard this second hand. Has anyone else heard this recently?


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## Salmonid (Apr 14, 2004)

While highly unlikely, it would be cool! the present record is 37.6 lbs from Ladue, but many ( myself included) believe it was a blue and because of so many people questioned the picture on the states website, they pulled it since they cant go back and confirm. Anyways, in the last ten years of heavy tournament fishing Ohios waters, I have only seem a handful of channels between 15-18 lbs, never heard of any confirmed reports of any more then a few lbs bigger then that, and 37lbs is a long ways from that. Dont get me wrong, it would be way cool if true let us know if you hear anything else along those lines. Id love to see a picture of the beast!

Salmonid


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## Slab assassin 55 (Jan 27, 2013)

I would love to see it also if it is true.


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## BASSINaDL (Aug 24, 2010)

Its not like its impossible our record doesnt stick out to any other regional records. Just because you've never seen a fish over 20lbs doesnt mean a 40 pound channel cat cant be caught in ohio. see records --> 
http://www.landbigfish.com/staterecords/fishrecords.cfm?ID=9


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## Salmonid (Apr 14, 2004)

Im not downing it, just saying that Im heavy into the catfish loop and deal with the best pro anglers and dnr guys from all over the midwest on a daily basis and yes, i hope it s true!! I said that all along. 

Just saying that a 38 lber is a long ways from anything anyone ( and I do mean anyone), including ALL DNR shocking and survey records, commercial fishermen from Ohio River and Erie and also the EPA fish kickers records as well as the USGS shocking records has seen in the history of their records. ( yeah, I ask all about stuff like this) I know of a few in the lower 20's and would say that Sandusky Bay and the Ohio River would be 2 of the best chances for a record fish. If anyone has a confirmed scaled fish over 25lbs from Ohio's waters please let us see them...Please make me a believer..LOL

For reference, here is a pic of a 24lb 4oz Blue for size comparison, ( tournament scale) 









Salmonid


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## heidlers (May 24, 2010)

Tend to agree...a 30lb channel would be an anomaly, but not impossible. That said, We have caught fish on at least four occasions out back btwn 15-20lbs the past few years. Don't ish for them much,but every now and then if we have friends over who have a young boy looking for a thrill, I'll throw some hotdog on a circle hook a lure a big girl in. The 10#+ albinos we have in there are pretty cool too.


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## acklac7 (May 31, 2004)

Salmonid said:


> For reference, here is a pic of a 24lb 4oz Blue for size comparison, ( tournament scale)
> 
> 
> 
> ...


When I was a kid me and a buddy picked up one (channel) out of the Scioto about that size. It was freakishly huge, haven't seen a channel even close to that size since (in person or on this site).


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## jimthepolack (Mar 24, 2013)

Gus Gronowski caught that state record @ LaDue and it was reported as a Channel cat. He had to take it down to Ravenna to get the weight accurate. There's a picture of it at "One Stop" bait shop, but it doesn't look that big. Either way, it's been in the books for 21 yrs. Gus talks a lot, but I've known him for a long time and he's a good guy. By the way - it was caught trolling on a Hot N Tot in 18ft near the dam. It took 20 minutes to bring it in.


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## Salmonid (Apr 14, 2004)

Good story, its just the two pics the state shows of it, it definaely has a Blue head and unfortunately you can not see the anal fin on either picture so there is no way to tell. did he have it mounted?? back then would have been a real mount and that would certainly hush us naysayers...LOL

Salmonid


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## Flathead76 (May 2, 2010)

In my opinion the record that gus has is out of reach. That fish is a total freak for ohio. My pb is 16 pounds. Punderson is only a 90 acre lake. My sister in law took a channel out of there that measured 35". It wieghed 18 pounds. Not many fish Punderson for catfish. I would be shocked if this were true.


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## BassBoss (Mar 5, 2011)

Hehee if were talking hypothetically the wilds pond that all the kids feed the cats in is your best average fish in there is like five pounds who knows what's lurking down there.

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## BigDaddy300 (Nov 1, 2004)

jimthepolack said:


> Gus Gronowski caught that state record @ LaDue and it was reported as a Channel cat. He had to take it down to Ravenna to get the weight accurate. There's a picture of it at "Last Stop" bait shop, but it doesn't look that big. Either way, it's been in the books for almost 20 yrs. Gus talks a lot, but I've known him for a long time and he's a good guy. By the way - it was caught trolling on a Hot N Tot in 18ft near the dam. It took 20 minutes to bring it in.


That would be One Stop Bait Shop. LOL I think it was in 1993 when he got it. He was walleye fishing when he hooked it on that hot n tot.


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## bassmastermjb (Apr 8, 2004)

Here's the picture...........Mark


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## castmaster00 (Oct 23, 2007)

Looks like a channel if I've ever seen one.


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## Slab assassin 55 (Jan 27, 2013)

That is for sure a channel no doubt 


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## jimthepolack (Mar 24, 2013)

bassmastermjb said:


> Here's the picture...........Mark


Better pic than the one @ the bait shop. Thanks.


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## heidlers (May 24, 2010)

castmaster00 said:


> Looks like a channel if I've ever seen one.[/QUOT
> 
> Agree. Looks like a channel cat.


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## Flathead76 (May 2, 2010)

Slab assassin 55 said:


> That is for sure a channel no doubt
> 
> 
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100 percent channel catfish. All records must be presented to a biologist for identification before they can be certified.


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## Slab assassin 55 (Jan 27, 2013)

Northern Ohio can produce some big boys too lol. Got a 10 pounder this morning and a slightly smaller on right after both FO















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## Salmonid (Apr 14, 2004)

I agree that picture looks definately like a channel cat but that is not the same pics I have seen before, awesome, I feel better knowing that another may exist...Thanks for the update!! 

Salmonid


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## GetTheNet (Jun 16, 2004)

Salmonid said:


> Good story, its just the two pics the state shows of it, it definaely has a Blue head and unfortunately you can not see the anal fin on either picture so there is no way to tell. did he have it mounted?? back then would have been a real mount and that would certainly hush us naysayers...LOL
> 
> Salmonid


D'arcy Egan had an article a couple years ago that had a picture of Gus with the mount. He had it in what looked like a big aquarium. Might be able to find it under the Plain Dealer archives.


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## The Huntsman (Apr 18, 2008)

I heard the cat from Punderson was a couple inches short of the record. We have caught some beauties from Punderson over 30 inches and double digit weights, almost black in color. Those Punderson cats taste terrible though, yellowish meat very muddy flavor. Their stomaches are full of weeds, I think they just graze the weedbed like cows.


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## Slab assassin 55 (Jan 27, 2013)

Records based on weight not length though......


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## jimthepolack (Mar 24, 2013)

bgsu_falcon_fan said:


> I was at Ladue yesterday and there was a gentleman from the ODNR taking a creel survey. We got to talking and he said that the new state record channel cat was caught at Punderson recently. He couldn't confirm this, because he had heard this second hand. Has anyone else heard this recently?


Yeah, that kid has been doing this every week for the last month. He's a good kid, but he doesn't know much about fish or fishing. I think he's a student.


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## bgsu_falcon_fan (Jul 8, 2013)

Went to Punderson today and asked at the boathouse. Girl working said a 38 channel was caught at 3 am a few weeks ago..new state record she said. Talked to a guy fishing down on the beach and he said he heard it was 33 pounds. So sounds like a monster cat was caught.


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## BornWithGills (Feb 26, 2006)

Couple years back a guy caught what looked to be about a 40lb plus channel out of the maumee during the walleye run. He released it after taking a photo not knowing it was a probable state record. They had the photo in the paper it looked considerably bigger than that one.


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## Hatchetman (Apr 13, 2004)

Just talked to a ODNR Fisheries Biologist and he said he has heard the rumor but nothing has been presented to them for verification and it has to go through them. Said he would let me know if it happens....


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## Flathead76 (May 2, 2010)

Fred snyder of the outdoor writers of ohio is the person to contact to submit paperwork for a state record.


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## MassillonBuckeye (May 3, 2010)

Salmonid said:


> While highly unlikely, it would be cool! the present record is 37.6 lbs from Ladue, but many ( myself included) believe it was a blue and because of so many people questioned the picture on the states website, they pulled it since they cant go back and confirm. Anyways, in the last ten years of heavy tournament fishing Ohios waters, I have only seem a handful of channels between 15-18 lbs, never heard of any confirmed reports of any more then a few lbs bigger then that, and 37lbs is a long ways from that. Dont get me wrong, it would be way cool if true let us know if you hear anything else along those lines. Id love to see a picture of the beast!
> 
> Salmonid


Not necessarily you but..









No doubt thats a channel! I'd love to see the picture guys took issue with.


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## jbanker (Jun 7, 2009)

I actually play pickup baseball with Gus's son in parma and have talked to gus before about the fish, definitely a true story. The guy knows his stuff. 


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## Juwayne22 (Jun 10, 2009)

It would not surprise me one bit if a state record channel came out of pundo. We locals keep that lake secret but theres some friggin monsters in there. I know every one has their "one that got away" story but 2 summers ago me and my brothers were pulling an all-nighter and I hooked into a beast using a live bluegill. Nearly spooled me twice. Got his head out of the water breifly before he wrapped the line around those damn telelphone pole like structures sticking out next to the floating dock, snapping my 20lb mono. His head was every bit the size of a human head.


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## Salmonid (Apr 14, 2004)

Massillon, Ill see if I can locate it but it used to be the picture on the DNR website before they removed it, and I spoke with them and they removed it because so many folks were questioning it but after seeing the previous picture it definately looks like a channel. Awesome fish!!!

Congrats to GUS

Salmonid


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## MassillonBuckeye (May 3, 2010)

Salmonid said:


> Massillon, Ill see if I can locate it but it used to be the picture on the DNR website before they removed it, and I spoke with them and they removed it because so many folks were questioning it but after seeing the previous picture it definately looks like a channel. Awesome fish!!!
> 
> Congrats to GUS
> 
> Salmonid


Yeah I guess if that's why they took it down it musta been a little suspect. Funny they took it down. Maybe they should put this one up heh.


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## MuskieManOhio (Jun 29, 2008)

bassmastermjb said:


> Here's the picture...........Mark


im 95% sure that fish is indeed a channel catfish. If you look at the anal fin on the fish it is more round than square which would definately indicate that it is a channel not a blue.


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## C&P2013 (Apr 25, 2013)

I didn't know you could fish all night at Punderson. It's a state park and thought it closed at dusk for fishing.


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## Flathead76 (May 2, 2010)

As a kid it closed at 11 pm to fishing. Probably has changed.


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## Juwayne22 (Jun 10, 2009)

As long as youre fishing theyll letcha stay all night at punderson.


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## musclebeach22 (Feb 15, 2012)

So......do we know yet whether this story is true or just fishing talk?

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## doctuck (May 18, 2021)

bgsu_falcon_fan said:


> I was at Ladue yesterday and there was a gentleman from the ODNR taking a creel survey. We got to talking and he said that the new state record channel cat was caught at Punderson recently. He couldn't confirm this, because he had heard this second hand. Has anyone else heard this recently?





bgsu_falcon_fan said:


> I was at Ladue yesterday and there was a gentleman from the ODNR taking a creel survey. We got to talking and he said that the new state record channel cat was caught at Punderson recently. He couldn't confirm this, because he had heard this second hand. Has anyone else heard this recently?


it was caught at ladue last week. 39 lbs


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## snag (Dec 27, 2005)

This is a 8 year old post. At one time la due did hold the channel cat record.


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## JayW (Apr 12, 2015)

It still does, unless I missed something?


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## doctuck (May 18, 2021)

bgsu_falcon_fan said:


> I was at Ladue yesterday and there was a gentleman from the ODNR taking a creel survey. We got to talking and he said that the new state record channel cat was caught at Punderson recently. He couldn't confirm this, because he had heard this second hand. Has anyone else heard this recently?





snag said:


> This is a 8 year old post. At one time la due did hold the channel cat record.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


still does


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## Gus Gronowski (Dec 6, 2019)

Salmonid said:


> While highly unlikely, it would be cool! the present record is 37.6 lbs from Ladue, but many ( myself included) believe it was a blue and because of so many people questioned the picture on the states website, they pulled it since they cant go back and confirm. Anyways, in the last ten years of heavy tournament fishing Ohios waters, I have only seem a handful of channels between 15-18 lbs, never heard of any confirmed reports of any more then a few lbs bigger then that, and 37lbs is a long ways from that. Dont get me wrong, it would be way cool if true let us know if you hear anything else along those lines. Id love to see a picture of the beast!
> 
> Salmonid


Back on OhioGame fishing. A marine biologist (ichthyologist) certified the fish as a channel catfish in 1992 when I caught it. A catfish expert from In-fisherman magazine confirmed, as well, resulting in an in-fisherman master angler award winner for the year


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## Gus Gronowski (Dec 6, 2019)

BigDaddy300 said:


> That would be One Stop Bait Shop. LOL I think it was in 1993 when he got it. He was walleye fishing when he hooked it on that hot n tot.





jimthepolack said:


> Gus Gronowski caught that state record @ LaDue and it was reported as a Channel cat. He had to take it down to Ravenna to get the weight accurate. There's a picture of it at "One Stop" bait shop, but it doesn't look that big. Either way, it's been in the books for 21 yrs. Gus talks a lot, but I've known him for a long time and he's a good guy. By the way - it was caught trolling on a Hot N Tot in 18ft near the dam. It took 20 minutes to bring it in.


Hi Jim, I dont talk alot, your the guy who talks alot, and you are also a good guy. But your story is accurate. Also, I didnt certifify the fish, the weigh master at Stop and Shop in Streetboro/Ravenna did on a certified scale. I personnally believe they over stated the length at 41 1/2. I think it was more like 41 or 40.75, but the scale doesnt lie. And, the fish was weighed at 4pm, yet was caught at 730am, so I'm sure it lost weight. It was caught in 1992


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## Gus Gronowski (Dec 6, 2019)

jimthepolack said:


> Gus Gronowski caught that state record @ LaDue and it was reported as a Channel cat. He had to take it down to Ravenna to get the weight accurate. There's a picture of it at "One Stop" bait shop, but it doesn't look that big. Either way, it's been in the books for 21 yrs. Gus talks a lot, but I've known him for a long time and he's a good guy. By the way - it was caught trolling on a Hot N Tot in 18ft near the dam. It took 20 minutes to bring it in.


16 foot, half way to the dam, not even close


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## Gus Gronowski (Dec 6, 2019)

bgsu_falcon_fan said:


> I was at Ladue yesterday and there was a gentleman from the ODNR taking a creel survey. We got to talking and he said that the new state record channel cat was caught at Punderson recently. He couldn't confirm this, because he had heard this second hand. Has anyone else heard this recently?


That story out of Punderson resulted in a channel cat I heard from other sources was 4 ounces short. But, that also is heresay. Another guy said he broke it in 2019. It went over 30 on his 30 pound scale, bragged to everyone at the bass tournament weigh in with a picture to glorify himself stating he broke the record. 37.65 is a long way from 30. I would have weighed it had I beleived it was a record. He released the fish which is nice. I believe there is one bigger in there. They stocked catfish in 1972 one time. My 20 year old fish was caught in 1992, the age the ichthylogogist sais it was, right on. They began stocking channel cat again in 1995 and continue till today 2021, maybe not every year. I actually believe the record was broken this year 2021 in March. Ran into a guy fishing under the 422 bridge for cut bait for cats. He claims he caught one 39.2 pounds and gave it to the game warden. I believe the guy. Nice to see a catfish specialist break it, looking to see if this story materializes, I think it will.


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## creekcrawler (Oct 5, 2004)

Nice to see you on here Mr. Gronowski. And yes, there are some brutes in LaDue for sure.


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## Gus Gronowski (Dec 6, 2019)

creekcrawler said:


> Nice to see you on here Mr. Gronowski. And yes, there are some brutes in LaDue for sure.


Nice to be back, I remember you. Good fishing. My son sent me a video on "big cat newton", he was at the last boat show at the IX center where my son met him and gave him a T shirt, since the guy replies to my sons posts. He had a funny clip on "Blob Winkleman", dressed up just like him with the red flannel, humor


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## TRIPLE-J (Sep 18, 2006)

bassmastermjb said:


> Here's the picture...........Mark


That is not a blue 
Sorry guys


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## tkbiker (Jul 30, 2004)

Definitely a channel.

Seneca has some nice.. often caught.. Blues but nothing huge yet though. 

Now Flatheads..IMO the next state record flat will come out of one of the Muskingum watershed lakes. my guess ...Seneca

Hello Gus..congrats on still holding the record, Im trying to break it : ) No i havent even come close but im still trying!😂🤣


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## OptOutside440 (Feb 3, 2019)

Gus Gronowski said:


> Nice to be back, I remember you. Good fishing. My son sent me a video on "big cat newton", he was at the last boat show at the IX center where my son met him and gave him a T shirt, since the guy replies to my sons posts. He had a funny clip on "Blob Winkleman", dressed up just like him with the red flannel, humor


Gus it would be great if you could write a story about the day you caught that record catfish. I would love to read it.


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## beetlebailey (May 26, 2009)

jimthepolack said:


> Gus Gronowski caught that state record @ LaDue and it was reported as a Channel cat. He had to take it down to Ravenna to get the weight accurate. There's a picture of it at "One Stop" bait shop, but it doesn't look that big. Either way, it's been in the books for 21 yrs. Gus talks a lot, but I've known him for a long time and he's a good guy. By the way - it was caught trolling on a Hot N Tot in 18ft near the dam. It took 20 minutes to bring it in.


Yes I do remember wasn't his nickname Garfield?? I used to hunt and fish with the


jimthepolack said:


> Gus Gronowski caught that state record @ LaDue and it was reported as a Channel cat. He had to take it down to Ravenna to get the weight accurate. There's a picture of it at "One Stop" bait shop, but it doesn't look that big. Either way, it's been in the books for 21 yrs. Gus talks a lot, but I've known him for a long time and he's a good guy. By the way - it was caught trolling on a Hot N Tot in 18ft near the dam. It took 20 minutes to bring it in.


Yes I remember when that happened. Wasn't his nickname Garfield? I used to hunt and fish with the Eddie Maniglia


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