# Record Catfish Picture?



## CarpFreak5328 (Aug 16, 2004)

Does any know where I can find a picture of that Record Bluecat caught this summer?


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## crappiebub (Apr 5, 2004)

http://www.catfishheaven.net/arkrecord.html


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## CarpFreak5328 (Aug 16, 2004)

Thanks been looking all over for that.


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## husky hooker (Apr 6, 2004)

i ve been waiting a few years to see the record channel cat picture.....still waiting!!


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## crappiebub (Apr 5, 2004)

Here are the World record channel, blue and flathead.
http://home.earthlink.net/~catfish_billy/id15.html


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## bkr43050 (Apr 5, 2004)

Is this really a channel? The picture is not very good quality but it kind of looks like a flathead to me.


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## bkr43050 (Apr 5, 2004)

Not to mention that I don't know how he could get that fish to hang outside of his picture frame and not his legs.


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## husky hooker (Apr 6, 2004)

my thoughts exactly!!!! i seen this pic before and don t believe its a channel;


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## Spike (Apr 10, 2004)

Every channel cat I've ever caught had a forked tail. The flats I've caught had a tail like in that pic.


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## bkr43050 (Apr 5, 2004)

Spike said:


> Every channel cat I've ever caught had a forked tail. The flats I've caught had a tail like in that pic.


 That was exactly what I was thinking.


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## TIGHTLINER (Apr 7, 2004)

The controversy over the World Record Channel Catfish resurfaces! I am sure that W.B. Whaley has quite a story to tell about that fish. Any fish that tips the scales are 58 lbs is worth some sort of recognition. The picture is so inconclusive and leaves lots of room for skepticism. What happened to the rest of Mr. Whaleys legs? Was the catfishes real tail cut off in the photo and the square tail super imposed to enhance the picture for publishing way back when? Only Mr. Whaley and the Pineville South Carolina certifying warden know for sure. 

If indeed that is the original tail of the catfish it does appear to be awfully square, but it is somewhat fuzzy at the bottom. The tail could have been somewhat compressed and the lighting could have been bad, which might explain why we do not see the characteristically forked tail associated with Channel Catfish. As far as this beast of a fish being a Flathead Catfish, it is hard to tell from the angle that the fish is being held, but the head/skull structure doesnt look nearly wide enough like they do on this site in the photos turned in by katfish. 

The only logically explanation comes from an old publication by Milton Bernhard Trautman entitled "The Fishes of Ohio." In this publication Mr. Trautman talks about the occurrence of hybrid catfish and the tendency for channel catfish and flathead catfish to hybridize as well as for blue catfish and channel catfish to hybridize. We see this same occurrence in Walleye and Sauger. So it only seems fitting that it would happen in the amongst the catfish species. Sometimes this can become overly apparent; on a night of good catfishing, say you land between 6 and 10 catfish of which you perceive to be Channel Catfish and you keep them, fresh and alive for a picture at the end of the night. If you look closely at them and starting examining them paying more attention to detail you will more than likely notice some differences in body structure head/mouth/jaw shape. You will also notice a great variation in color patterns, and distinctive markings. Some are darker, some are lighter, and some even carry spots. The tails on some might not even be as forked as we like to see on the model channel catfish. 

The Channel Catfish is definitely the most abundant of the big three catfish. However I think that the hybridizing study proves that Flatheads and Blue Catfish lurk and reside in a lot more place then most people think. Although it may be a much smaller population their presence can be seen through the occasional catch of the species and through the recessive gene patterns in the Channel Catfish. This is just a little something to keep in mind the next time we are all catching and releasing channel catfish.

On a side note I would be interested in seeing a picture of the Ohio State Record Channel Catfish.TightLines!


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## husky hooker (Apr 6, 2004)

im still looking for the ohio state record channel catfish picture.


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## FISHNASTY (Oct 19, 2004)

What's happening Husky, haven't heard from you in a while


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## katfish (Apr 7, 2004)

> im still looking for the ohio state record channel catfish picture


Husky

I am trying to get you one.
The channel cats just won't cooperate


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## catking (Apr 5, 2004)

Gusmatic of this site holds the state record. Maybe he will chime in. I've seen the pic of the world record and it does look " diffrent " But it certainly is NOT a flathead and there were zero blue cats down there at that time. They werre not introduced until 1967 , so it is a channel cat  . Hey 'Nasty !!!.........THE CATKING !!!


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## flathunter (Apr 5, 2004)

I think I will catch the world record Flathead this year, and show you guys the pic.  

HA!, I will be lucky to catch a 10-lber


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## husky hooker (Apr 6, 2004)

i hear ya robbie,hope to see ya this year....hi nasty long time..congrats on wedding.see ya at jims


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## FISHNASTY (Oct 19, 2004)

Hey, see ya'll at Corey's this year, I'm that guy always getting a some cash at the end. heheheh. I'll bring ya the state record channel in may, then post the pic on here.
Nasty


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## catking (Apr 5, 2004)

This sounds familiar.............  .............. THE CATKING !!!


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