# Another Nice Cat, Unreal story !



## Cat Mazter (May 20, 2005)

I caught this 20lb Flathead @ Lake Logan Saturday nite on a Bluegill. I caught him before the Moon came up & stopped the Bite dead in its tracks.


We had a Great turnout for the Tourney I had, $100 for most weight, I knew I had it after this fish put on the stringer. I popped a hole in his chin & put the Stringer up thru his Lip & set him deep enough to reach bottom. As it neared weigh in time, we started pulling in our reels & I was pulling the fish up to put in the boat to take to the weigh in. Well I pulled & he came up to the top of the water & lashed like a whale & that was it he was off the stringer. He pulled so hard it tore his Lip & he is now free. Its like I took $100 & ripped it up & threw it in the lake, 4lbs. ended up winning the Prize Money. Im still sick in my Stomach. 

Here is a Pic from the Boat when I first Caught it, 20 lb Flathead.









Any Ideas How I can not let this happen again ? Use a Thicker Stringer ?

We still had a great time, But I dont want this to happen again, So I need Ideas. Please  

Cat Mazter


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## ohiocatan (Mar 12, 2005)

buy a big tourny basket its just a big mesh basket but then again they arent all taht cheap. lol thats a good story but sorry to hear bout your luck.

jsoh


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## Reel Lady (Jul 4, 2004)

Oh my gosh....what a NIGHTMARE that must have been! You must have been sick to your stomach!!! That is one of my biggest fears during a tourney... losing the fish prior to weigh-in. I did learn something when I fished with Nick Prvosonak last week though, and that is to hold up the net next to the livewell as you are taking the bass out of the livewell and putting them into the weigh-in bag. 
I imagine though in your situation with the bigger cats that you would want to use a thicker stringer to avoid this happening to you again...
You'll get em next time though, now that you know their little tricks  :B 
Marcia


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## misfit (Apr 5, 2004)

tie the big ones off with rope or parachute cord,and youll solve that problem.


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## Cat Mazter (May 20, 2005)

Marcia- Im still sick over losing it, I have never lost one doing it that way, But I will buy some bigger rope until I can get the Mesh Bag to hold them in over the side of the boat. At least I got a Picture of him before he got loose. It puts that gut renching feeling in you & I wont let it happen again, I hate this feeling.
Cat Mazter


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## leckig (May 11, 2005)

it this safe for the fish? hole in the chin? sounds a bit cruel...


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## Capt.Muskey (Apr 14, 2004)

Looks like a great cat, sorry you lost him. a $100 bucks, OUCH! I think I'd try the Big Basket or Mesh Bag Idea next time.


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## husky hooker (Apr 6, 2004)

how many stiches will he require!!!!!


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## flathunter (Apr 5, 2004)

I would say just weigh the fish in as soon as you catch it, are you allowed to do that?..If not a huge cooler with a bilge pump will keep them alive for along time.


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## H2O Mellon (Apr 5, 2004)

Buthole, thats exactlly what I said in the other thread.  Gte your own sticking idea!


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## Baitkiller (Sep 1, 2004)

If I'm waiting for day light to photo a fish I use SOFT cord placed through the mouth then out the gill plate WITHOUT going through any of the gills. One fish per rope. I'm guessin from what I've seen that anytime you punch holes, tear up their ability to breath it MAY KILL THEM. I have yet to see a released Flathead where the hole has healed up or was healing. 

<><Baitkiller><>


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## shuvlhed1 (Apr 13, 2004)

you go through the gill plate, you are going by the gills. I have seen plenty of fish killed when strung up through the gills, and plenty with holes poked through the bottom of their mouth live. Soft or hard doesn't matter, the rope rubs against the gil filaments and destroys them.

If you are seeing fish with holes in their mouth that means you are catching them. That means they are still alive. And feeding. That's a good sign. How would it affect their breathing?


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## Cat Mazter (May 20, 2005)

shuvlhed1 said:


> you go through the gill plate, you are going by the gills. I have seen plenty of fish killed when strung up through the gills, and plenty with holes poked through the bottom of their mouth live. Soft or hard doesn't matter, the rope rubs against the gil filaments and destroys them.
> 
> If you are seeing fish with holes in their mouth that means you are catching them. That means they are still alive. And feeding. That's a good sign. How would it affect their breathing?


Thank you shuvlhed1

I have used this method since I was a little kid, I have never saw a fish Die From this. Unless you have Magic Sprinkle Dust you cant heal it before you turn it loose. What happens when you get cut ? You Heal ! What happens to a fish with a hook thru the eye ? It heals ! A cut to the Bottom of the Catfish's Lower Jaw will heal up. I have used your method of going thru the gill, They die!! Thats why I changed my Method, Now I have had to change it again, so this will never happen again. Trust me it wont. But cutting the small hole in the Bottom of the Fish jaw is better than ripping its Gill's apart.

Cat Mazter


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## Fish-N-Fool (Apr 12, 2004)

Just an observation - 

I have caught many cats with holes in their mouth - hooks, line, and even a crankbait. This past Friday night @ CJ Brown I caught a small 2-3 lb channel that had fresh holes on each side of his mouth. My guess is eye fishermen C&R'ed him - the eye guys catch lots of channels out there. 

I don't think small holes cause too much damage, but if they tear away a large portion it may. I don't fish tourneys, but I either keep the fish to eat or CP&R them right away so I cause as little stress for the fish as possible. Because of this, I don't have "group" pictures of fish I have C&R'ed, but that doesn't concern me as long as I get a pic of each individual fish.


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## Fishman (Apr 5, 2004)

flathunter said:


> I.....If not a huge cooler with a bilge pump will keep them alive for along time.


Jack knows this because this is his main means of transport when moving large fish to paylakes for fun and profit.


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## flathunter (Apr 5, 2004)

Yea you know me Tom, I make quite a living from doing that!..LOL


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## shuvlhed1 (Apr 13, 2004)

Robbie (katfish) has clued me in on another method of stringing up flathead that will not harm them that does involve going through the gill plates. 

It really doesn't matter much to me, because I can't remember the last time I put a fish on a stringer, but it may be really helpful to other guys that need to. Katfish said he was working on a video, hope to see it soon (Robbie - Don't mean to put any pressure on you)


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## Cat Mazter (May 20, 2005)

I have talked to Katfish as well, I have now changed my Method of Stringing them up until weigh in. Ill either use a Big Nylon Net made just for holding the fish, or use a D Link & a Thicker Rope & Still go thru the Bottom of the mouth.

Cat Mazter


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