# Westbranch flathead 8/27/17



## twistedcatfish1971 (Jul 21, 2013)

Number 4 this year. 42 pounds 7 oz. @ 47 inches long...new best for me. Live bluegill for bait fished near a big fallen tree and heavy weeds...fish was released. 

Don.


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## kayak1979 (Jul 13, 2014)

...


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## twistedcatfish1971 (Jul 21, 2013)

Could almost get my head in its mouth lol.


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## kayak1979 (Jul 13, 2014)

...


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## twistedcatfish1971 (Jul 21, 2013)

This one came off a bank line. So not very long of a fight...but extremely difficult as it almost pulled me in the lake. The others have come from pole fishing. All 4 this year have come while fishing with live gills. My buddies and I fish alot of jugs and bank lines for channel cats...we simply love eating them in the backyard around a big fire with nothing but good times and fish stories. You never know what your going to get some days. 

That's why you got to stay twisted if not I will for ya. 

Don.


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## gbourne (May 21, 2008)

Great fish. Live Bluegills do it again.

How do you hook yours? Hook size? etc.

Thanks in advance.


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## Gene Z (Oct 10, 2015)

Great catch!


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## twistedcatfish1971 (Jul 21, 2013)

gbourne...hook size for almost all types of sets are 4/0 and 2/0 size but I really like the VMC hooks alot...I never use khale hooks anymore...just got sick of them getting straightening out. Almost all my jugs I run the 4/0 circle hook along with most of my catfish rigs...bank lines I have just a cluster of different sizes. Hook placement on my gills is usually just above the head of fish almost in line with the beginning of dorsal fin...depending on size of gill and size of hook...I may just poke him through the tail. I like the smaller hooks...heck just works for me and doesn't do alot of damage to bait. Run all circle hooks it's a absolute must. Just get yourself a bunch of sinkers wire hooks and a crimping kit and have fun making rigs and whatnot.


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## twistedcatfish1971 (Jul 21, 2013)

Also if your jugging or banking make sure your stuff has your fishing license # and atleast your name on it.

Don

Tight lines and good times.


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## twistedcatfish1971 (Jul 21, 2013)

Couple of examples of khale hooks that I kept because they failed and the fish was rather large...the one on left is what it should look like the other I just tossed...both of these hooks were from cats at ladue.


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## twistedcatfish1971 (Jul 21, 2013)

Pulled screen shots from phone video.


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## the_waterwolf (Feb 8, 2013)

twistedcatfish1971 said:


> This one came off a bank line. So not very long of a fight...but extremely difficult as it almost pulled me in the lake. The others have come from pole fishing. All 4 this year have come while fishing with live gills. My buddies and I fish alot of jugs and bank lines for channel cats...we simply love eating them in the backyard around a big fire with nothing but good times and fish stories. You never know what your going to get some days.
> 
> That's why you got to stay twisted if not I will for ya.
> 
> Don.


I think you got another awesome fish story to add to your collection! If I'm envisioning this right, you hand landed this off of a set bank line and hand pulled it in!


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## twistedcatfish1971 (Jul 21, 2013)

This is true. Mind you I was targeting channels with smaller gills...2 maybe 3 inches. You just never know when checking lines.


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## hupcej4x4x454 (Oct 7, 2014)

twistedcatfish1971 said:


> Pulled screen shots from phone video.


Good job buddy, another awesome catch! 

Massive Muskie a couple years ago, 10 lb Walleye last year, and now this beast. You are like the Jeremy Wade of West Branch... haha


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## twistedcatfish1971 (Jul 21, 2013)

TIME. I always say it...put it in and she will pay.

That muskie is what started my love of westbranch and I will not waver.


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## twistedcatfish1971 (Jul 21, 2013)

Lake dropped 4 inches that day when I pulled it out...lol...dam that was awesome!


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## gbourne (May 21, 2008)

That was a great report Twisted. Just awesome!


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## twistedcatfish1971 (Jul 21, 2013)

Thanks everyone. Until next time keep your lines tight and stay twisted...at least a little lol.

Don.


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## ErieBoy75 (Aug 4, 2009)

Twisted: that Muskie looks like a Tiger! And a beaut at that!


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## twistedcatfish1971 (Jul 21, 2013)

This was back on 4/11/14...Friday after work while fishing for walleye. She hit as I was about to bring lure out of water...it was on! Fought for about 8 minutes. Mind you never had a fish this size EVER on da line and after about 4 minutes of getting my ace kicked I hammered down and finally got her to shore...then SNAP! my rod broke into 2 places and I immediately reached down and grabbed her...fell back on the rocks and realized I had just caught something that I always saw and read about others doing! Dam that was awesome! Let me say this...I try to do the right thing In life...work hard and earn my family's living and all...to many times and far to often life is a b...h...sorry but facts are facts.after this muskie my world has changed...grant it not like a lighting bolt but just in a way that I care about the laws of the fishing world and ... well life on general. Words hard to come by now...westbranch has brought me peace when peace was no where in sight.

Don.

Stay twisted if not...I will for ya.


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## twistedcatfish1971 (Jul 21, 2013)

...now I grew up down a old dirt road in a town you wouldn't know (salem) my pops picked the place up for $1500 bucks back in 1964... (69).

My grandfather was a drinker back in the day he put em down (me) but a war is known to chang a man...a MUSKIE known to change a man...

...this is me.

Those words that were hard.


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## twistedcatfish1971 (Jul 21, 2013)

This is what I'm talking about in the big picture. Family good people and ... a big fire in the backyard.

Good times...


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## twistedcatfish1971 (Jul 21, 2013)

My little girl...love you.


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## gbourne (May 21, 2008)

twistedcatfish1971 said:


> gbourne...hook size for almost all types of sets are 4/0 and 2/0 size but I really like the VMC hooks alot...I never use khale hooks anymore...just got sick of them getting straightening out. Almost all my jugs I run the 4/0 circle hook along with most of my catfish rigs...bank lines I have just a cluster of different sizes. Hook placement on my gills is usually just above the head of fish almost in line with the beginning of dorsal fin...depending on size of gill and size of hook...I may just poke him through the tail. I like the smaller hooks...heck just works for me and doesn't do alot of damage to bait. Run all circle hooks it's a absolute must. Just get yourself a bunch of sinkers wire hooks and a crimping kit and have fun making rigs and whatnot.



Hey twisted. If you think about it. Would you post a pic of your hook, line, and sinker rig? I was thinking about getting into crimping instead of tieing but I read many times I am suppose to tie a Snell knot when using Circles. I have been sold on Circles for years, but I just used a Trilene knot.

I appreciate all the help.


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## punkfinisher (Apr 4, 2015)

Got a good spot for your bluegills? I've been doing some fishing with creek chubs and bluegills when fishing for channels at night so far only caught 1 20 inch flathead in the tuscarawas river last weekend.Hate to ask but got any good spots at westbranch or at least point me in the right direction on which side of the lake? I'm about tapped out at ladue been catching 23 24 inch channels out there with a slip sinker rig.


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## kayak1979 (Jul 13, 2014)

...


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## twistedcatfish1971 (Jul 21, 2013)

Gbourne...go to wall mart fishing section find terminal tackle...locate and buy 1 catfish rig...use that to get ideas for your homemade rigs. There is a place in Southgate called Atlantic gun and tackle...they have some crimping kits cheap... ( not sure still there ) I run nothing but sufix line on my cat rods...hell all my rods are geared up with sufix. I make about 40 to 60 cat rigs a winter. Never had a fail with them...except when using khale hooks. Hopes this helps...experiment with different rigs...don't crimp to tight though.


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## twistedcatfish1971 (Jul 21, 2013)

Punkfinisher...dude all I can say is It took me 3 years to find my flat spots...going out to westbranch in February and walking in the woods...taking advantage of low water last year and video/pictures of large down trees and holes in banks...homework is what needs to be done...I can say this...my go to spots are at least a 10 minute walk from parking...Google flatheads in reservoir. Sorry right now I just can't tell you where to start...maybe one area...west launch...cove early morning around 4 am.


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