# my first flattie update!!!!!



## toledoray (May 26, 2012)

for those of you wondering i DID NOT KEEP this beautiful fish!! the rope is on him because the camera was dead so i tied him up till it was charged...i have NEVER TOOK a single fish ive caught home with me. im STRICTLY CATCH AND RELEASE...SOMETHING THIS BIG DESERVES TO BE FREE AND SWIMMING FOR THE NEXT PERSON TO ENJOY...LETS JUST HOPE IF ITS CAUGHT AGAIN THAT THAT PERSON RELEASES IT ALSO!!!!!


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## toledoray (May 26, 2012)

i hate that my post caused an argument in the community...i just wanted to show this pic...trust me when i say he IS safely back in the river where i caught him. they closed my post and everything because of the arguing... please dont use my post as a place to bash each other...we are all grown men and dont need to act like children. the reason i said he was over 50lbs was because i had some 45lb plates in the truck and he easily weighed more than one of them weights...


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## 419deerhunter (Mar 23, 2011)

Congrats nice fish!


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## toledoray (May 26, 2012)

thx deerhunter


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## Captain Kevin (Jun 24, 2006)

How do you know ToledoRay isn't 6'15" tall, and weigh 375???? Then that fish just got a little heavier.


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## toledoray (May 26, 2012)

im 6'2" 220 actually


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## st.slippy (Oct 3, 2008)

People on here get very passionate. I am guilty of it myself a few times. Don't take it to heart. That is one great fish, and for a first flattie way to go! I agree with letting the fish go, and I also understand keeping it for the picture. Others will always be naysayers and downers, but they can't take the experience away from you. Now go get another one and make sure you charge the camera first so you leave the rope out of the next picture.


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## Flathead76 (May 2, 2010)

Great first fish. I am glad that you released it. Trophy shovelheads can be caught and released many times without harm to the fish. With low water those fish tend to stay in the same general areas. So you can probably catch the same fish again. I will only keep a couple 10 pound shovelheads each year. They taste much better to me than channels. I will admit that there are not as many shovelheads in the maumee as there was 10 years ago.


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## Snakecharmer (Apr 9, 2008)

Very nice fish!


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## PARK92 (Apr 21, 2012)

thats a nice fish


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## jjshbetz11 (Oct 25, 2010)

Where's the pic? Good job on the CPR, only way I fish


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## cattin15 (May 3, 2010)

toledoray said:


> for those of you wondering i DID NOT KEEP this beautiful fish!! the rope is on him because the camera was dead so i tied him up till it was charged...i have NEVER TOOK a single fish ive caught home with me. im STRICTLY CATCH AND RELEASE...SOMETHING THIS BIG DESERVES TO BE FREE AND SWIMMING FOR THE NEXT PERSON TO ENJOY...LETS JUST HOPE IF ITS CAUGHT AGAIN THAT THAT PERSON RELEASES IT ALSO!!!!!


Awesome fish man!! flathead fishings a rush huh?


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## toledoray (May 26, 2012)

been doing it my whole life sitting in between people catching them i just never got one!!!!!! well that chapter of my life is closed...now i want to go every chance i get...lol


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## acklac7 (May 31, 2004)

Should be a wake up call to those who are quick to flame. I followed that thread and even said to myself "man an awful lot of people are going to end up looking stupid when this dude comes back and says he released the fish (i've strung up flatheads a few times just to get the camera ready, then released them safely back into the water).

Great first Flathead :B


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## Jmsteele187 (Dec 22, 2011)

Awesome fish man!!! Hope I catch my first this year too. To make it a little more interesting, I'm throwing a kayak into the mix this year.


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## toledoray (May 26, 2012)

By the looks of ur av jmsteele ur in the right place...hint hint lol


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## Jmsteele187 (Dec 22, 2011)

toledoray said:


> By the looks of ur av jmsteele ur in the right place...hint hint lol


Av?


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## SConner (Mar 3, 2007)

Jmsteele187 said:


> Av?
> 
> 
> Outdoor Hub mobile, the outdoor information engine


Avatar - the little picture under his name.


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## Jmsteele187 (Dec 22, 2011)

Lol, I would have never figured that one out.


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## toledoray (May 26, 2012)

Yeah i was talking about your pic...looks like the spot i caught mine...I WAS OFF "THE BEATEN PATH" THO. (about 200 yrd down that path...)


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## Jmsteele187 (Dec 22, 2011)

toledoray said:


> Yeah i was talking about your pic...looks like the spot i caught mine


I kinda doubt it, but I suppose it's possible. That's in perrysburg, just over the conant bridge.


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## cattin15 (May 3, 2010)

One of my best spots is a good quarter mile walk! Gotta get away from the crowd to get them!

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## jonnythfisherteen2 (Mar 5, 2011)

Nice fish!
Those guys who went at each others throats for nothing must have the STUPIDEST look on their faces right now.
You did nothing wrong. Just a few people were drinking a little too much coffee or beer.


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## bigmike419 (May 9, 2012)

nice fish good job havent cat fished yet but i plan on makeing down 2 the river a few times 2 try


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## Redhunter1012 (Feb 6, 2006)

I just checked the site again and realized I may have caused some of the crap that happened. Trust me, I have no problem with anyone keeping any fish they want as long as its legal. Thats why God put them here. I'm a meat hunter first. I fill my freezer with as many walleye as possible during the spring. I've never ripped anyone for keeping a fish. Congrats on the fish and sorry for any trouble


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## toledoray (May 26, 2012)

@ cattin15 care to let me know of this said spot...lol? i aint scared of walking!


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## Jmsteele187 (Dec 22, 2011)

Toledoray, what part of the river were you on when you caught that cat? You don't have to give up a honey hole or anything, just a general area.


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## CarpCommander (Jun 20, 2007)

toledoray said:


> i hate that my post caused an argument in the community...i just wanted to show this pic...trust me when i say he IS safely back in the river where i caught him. they closed my post and everything because of the arguing... please dont use my post as a place to bash each other...we are all grown men and dont need to act like children. the reason i said he was over 50lbs was because i had some 45lb plates in the truck and he easily weighed more than one of them weights...


Dont feel bad, they shut down everything on here at the slightest hint of dissagreement.

Awesome fish BTW. If you're smart you'll keep your mouth shut on where ya caught it! Theres a reason the flatties have gotten slaughtered in the last 10-12 yrs. Its called 'the internet'.


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## toledoray (May 26, 2012)

between grnd rapids and defiance... co rd 3 dead ends at 24...take that drive to the river.


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## cattin15 (May 3, 2010)

Toledoray..in my opinion flatty spots are meant to be kept a secret until you can be sure you can trust who ever your going to take. Took me 3 years to get out of small fish. I keep quiet about exact spots. I applaud you for trying to be helpful to other members but once someone notices a bunch of big fish coming from the same area its over. Go look at the mass amounts of ppl at independence dam every weekend. They used to catch some huge fish there. Not so much any more. And dont think were too far north for the paylakers to set trotlines in the exact holes our fish are coming from. Selling big catfish to paylakes is a big money business. When money is involved nothing is off limits. Not even the laws. Be careful man and happy flatty chasing! 

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## acklac7 (May 31, 2004)

cattin15 said:


> Toledoray..in my opinion flatty spots are meant to be kept a secret until you can be sure you can trust who ever your going to take. Took me 3 years to get out of small fish. I keep quiet about exact spots. I applaud you for trying to be helpful to other members but once someone notices a bunch of big fish coming from the same area its over. Go look at the mass amounts of ppl at independence dam every weekend. They used to catch some huge fish there. Not so much any more. And dont think were too far north for the paylakers to set trotlines in the exact holes our fish are coming from. Selling big catfish to paylakes is a big money business. When money is involved nothing is off limits. Not even the laws. Be careful man and happy flatty chasing!
> 
> Outdoor Hub mobile, the outdoor information engine


Does anyone know how much these paylakes are paying for Flatheads? Seems like this is really starting to become an issue everywhere in Ohio. If things are as bad as they seem the DNR really needs to start cracking down.


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## KaGee (Sep 8, 2006)

acklac7 said:


> Does anyone know how much these paylakes are paying for Flatheads? Seems like this is really starting to become an issue everywhere in Ohio. If things are as bad as they seem the DNR really needs to start cracking down.


Something I've found to be the rule of thumb on internet forum posts... Nothing is as good as reported, neither is it as bad. Not that people exaggerate or anything. :B


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## pendog66 (Mar 23, 2005)

acklac7 said:


> Does anyone know how much these paylakes are paying for Flatheads? Seems like this is really starting to become an issue everywhere in Ohio. If things are as bad as they seem the DNR really needs to start cracking down.


When they actually buy, 2.00-2.50 a lb. But a lot of lakes like to give free fishing tickets to anglers that catch fish from the rivers


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## cattin15 (May 3, 2010)

2.00-2.50 is legit. Farm raised channels are that much i know for a fact. Its crazy guys. And its out of our hands too. Just do what we can by keeping the good spots hush hush. I only report on bass saugeye and crappie anymore. Ive had a stellar spring for flattys i put pics on facebook which are private and thats it. 

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## cattin15 (May 3, 2010)

acklac7 said:


> Does anyone know how much these paylakes are paying for Flatheads? Seems like this is really starting to become an issue everywhere in Ohio. If things are as bad as they seem the DNR really needs to start cracking down.


Sorry for the double post. The problem with dnr is they could care less about catfish but if they can actually catch someone in the act of selling gamefish thats when they can actually do something. Im interested...how many of you guys have actually been checked for lisence/ limit while fishing stretches of water that are known for only good cattin. Like maumee between grand rapids and independence.

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## Fisherman 3234 (Sep 8, 2008)

toledoray said:


> between grnd rapids and defiance... co rd 3 dead ends at 24...take that drive to the river.


At least you'll have company the next time you go fishing.....


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## acklac7 (May 31, 2004)

cattin15 said:


> The problem with dnr is they could care less about catfish


No, the problem with the DNR is outside of the Muamee during the Walleye run they simply don't care about inland rivers and streams.

In 18 years of fishing rivers and streams I can count on one hand the number of times I've seen a DNR officer...


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## black swamp (May 22, 2012)

nice fish what did you catch it on line hook bait etc still a nice catch an a rush


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## toledoray (May 26, 2012)

17lb test #5 circle hook 4" gill...major rush!!!!


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## Flathead76 (May 2, 2010)

Congrats on your first shovelhead!


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## Fishguy777 (Jul 8, 2012)

Captain Kevin said:


> How do you know ToledoRay isn't 6'15" tall, and weigh 375???? Then that fish just got a little heavier.


Lol 6'15"......also known as 7'3" lol. Get em' ray.


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## walleye0007 (Jul 8, 2012)

Nice Flattie Ray!!!


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