Now is the time! The water temperatures have hit the magical 70+ degrees and the largest of our catfish in Minnesota waters is ready and willing to pull the rod out of your hands!
Words like "I can't get him off the bottom", "he's still taking out line" and once the fish shows it's whiskers on the surface, "HOLY COW" are everyday phrases in my world.
When I mention catfish, most people think of the smaller channel cat that loves anything old and smelly for bait. There are many stink baits on the market for these fish. I explain that I'm talking about Flathead Catfish. Minnesota's top predator fish that mostly wants it's bait live and kicking. In fact, the more kicking the better. Live bullheads and large sucker minnows are the baits of choice in Minnesota.
These river monsters swallow the live bait whole and when they open there mouth and suck in a 10 inch sucker minnow or a 7 inch bullhead the action on the rod tip is something to see. The rod holder shakes and resonates through out the boat. Then either the line starts to slowly move away from the boat or at times it will take off sending the line out alarm in to siren mode. Either way my adrenaline is out of control!
Until the Goliath is in the boat, I would say my guests are pretty wound up. Often when the fish and net hit the floor in the boat, there's a loud sigh of relief. A sign of regaining the anglers wits so to speak!
Now is the best time of the year to get out to the rivers of Minnesota. The two most popular rivers are the Minnesota River from the confluence all the way to Redwood Falls and the Mississippi from the Ford Dam to our Southern boarder. Get yourself a dozen bullheads or suckers and head out in the evening with some friends and try for one of Minnesota's greatest fish. The live bait eating Flathead Catfish!
More photos from this and past seasons can be viewed at www.BrianKsWorld.com then click on photos.
Brian Klawitter
