# Great night in the rain!



## Steelwolve (Apr 18, 2006)

Well after being skunked at the tournament on Hoover, Mike and I decided to put in some work on the river (Scioto). With the weather pattern seeming pretty much the same I was skeptical, but since Ive bought the boat Ive only had 3 skunks and was eager to get this one off my back. We left Sunday night armed with a dozen fresh frozen shad at about 8:30pm. The river was flowing strong and made for anchoring near structure kinda scary. We ran through our bait pretty quick, between losing em to snags and fish, we were down to nothing pretty quick. We did end up getting 3 small Flatheads (2-4lbs ) and 1, 7# channel. But knowing how they were biting, I was anxious to get back. So Monday evening I loaded up the boat, drove to Hoover threw the cast net about a hundred times and got only 11 live shad ( I cannot catch shad in the sun light?) So we ended up buying a few goldfish and chubs at the bait store. We headed out to the river and it began to rain, we were well prepared so we trucked on. After setting up on our first spot I nailed a 8lb Flat, and with the current he felt like 20 coming in. That was so far the biggest of the year on not too far off from my PB of 13lbs, I missed a few off and Mike caught a 4lber. As I was contemplating a spot change my pole started that slow bend and I wasn't sure If I was caught up or not, when I picked it up I knew it was a fish, and a big one at that. I fought it for about ten mins before I got it near the boat and spent another 15 trying to horse it up off bottom, after almost capsizing trying to net it, we landed a 38 inch 23lb flathead (I'm going to calibrate my scales cause man it felt like 30#) This was by far the funnest/biggest fight I ever had. Man I just don't see how they can be 60lbs, after landing that one I have a new respect for all of you guys that consider that a small one. Then while reeling in a pole to check bait I had another one on this one went 14lbs. I had beat my old PB twice in one night. Soon we ran outta shad again and tried the small chubs and goldfish catching a couple more 4-5 lb fish. All last year we caught a total of 6 Flatheads and so far 2008 we have 9. Sorry for the long post, but I'm still excited about that fish


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## Salmonid (Apr 14, 2004)

Thats a GREAT report, Glad to hear the river flatties are feeding, we still havent taken one here on the GMR in the last month....Ill also tell you that any true catman will never downplay any wild, river flattie over 10 lbs and because of that, they fight like a fish twice their size.
Now, if you beat your PB 2 more times in one night, you will really have a great story to tell ;^)
Salmonid


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## bigdogsteve-o (Aug 26, 2005)

congrats on breaking your pb, and I agree about the fight of river fish, they make you earn every pound that the fish is, and about the 23 being small, that is a great size for any fish,good job


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## bassattacker (Mar 14, 2007)

Congrats on the Fishing, and great job at keepin at them.


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## catfish_hunter (May 31, 2005)

Congrats on a great nite! And a great fish!


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## Flathead King 06 (Feb 26, 2006)

congrats on the new PB not once but twice!!! sounds like you guys had one heck of a night... many more to come hopefully


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## Columbusslim31 (Sep 1, 2007)

Niiiiiiiiiiiiice.


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## seethe303 (Dec 12, 2006)

awesome report. Can I ask where you picked up chubs in the columbus area?


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## marinescco (Aug 21, 2007)

Sounds like a great night. Congrats on the fish. I have been fishing north of the zoo, and still haven't landed my first flatty of the year.


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## Steelwolve (Apr 18, 2006)

Thanks guys, yea it was a fun one for sure. 

Seethe303... I got the chubs at that new bait store at Hoover, the one at smothers rd bridge, I will say that they were smaller than I like, 3-5". They also usually have them at R&R on Front st. downtown, and they have all sizes. 

Marinescco... good luck chasing them that far north, they are in there, but few and far between. I fished almost all the tourneys on O'shay last year and only seen 1, 2.5#er brought in to the scales all year. I also spent alot of time fishing north of Belpoint and haven't landed one yet from that area. All the ones I have caught out of the Scioto have been south of the Griggs dam.


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## marinescco (Aug 21, 2007)

It's funny you mentioned south of Griggs, I was there last night and caught my first one. It was small, but atleast it was a flatty.


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## Fishman (Apr 5, 2004)

Great fishing story right there, definitally time to recalibrate the scale ( is it a digital one or a spring scale? ) look's like a solid 28-32lb fish there. Regardless grats on breaking your personal best, it's an AWSOME feeling!!


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## FINMAN (Apr 14, 2004)

Excellent fish and great pics! Thanks for the story! Guess I'll see you at the next tourney?!?


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