Catfish report

[slab slinger]

Fished jugs in Talley Bend area Friday till today. Fished 30 lines From 30fow to 10fow. Set on main lake flats from inside channel and in coves. Best bite for us was in the coves in 10fow but some fish on flats also. Slot fish were on flats in 30 fow. Didn't really feel like we found the fish good or just not bitting well with water conditions? Had good bait all weekend and ran lines often and kept fresh bait on hooks. Fellow campers and ramp talk the fishing wasn't good due to water conditions.

Kept busy with hung and dragged lines due to floating debris. Night bite was best as expected, in 10 to 15fow. FRESH cut shad was best bait. Not a bite on perch cut or live. Didn't catch any big fish but had several land in slot and released. Lots of dinks and gar during day runs but it was something to do to pass time.

All in all had a great time camping and fishing with dad and a few close buds and had a great time on the lake. Ended up with 31 keepers with 2 to 4 lb being the average. Didn't catch a single flathead or channel. It stung to release so many nice fish due to slot rule but the law is the law unless your rich. I really hope the slot on blues pays off in the years to come.

[Kdub]

Thanks for the report Slab! My wife and I are heading up on tues. for about a wk. Was really hoping you would say the fishing was excellent but we will have a good time anyway.

[Terrierman]

I hear a few people talk about going ahead and cleaning the slot fish. Good for you!

[fishinwrench]

I hear a few people talk about going ahead and cleaning the slot fish. Good for you!

Yeah me too. I'm not so sure that very many are abiding by that one.

[Daryk Campbell Sr]

Thank You for posting, and being an ethical fisherman.

[slab slinger]

I'm not sure how many stick to the slot rule but I have the past 2yrs. I'm not one to take chances have learned the hard way it's not worth it. It kinda sucks, really sucks releasing the biggest fish of the trip due to slot limit but I tell my self maybe he'll get to make a biggen some day. Everyone that fish for cats wants to catch a monster someday or break their PB so maybe this slot limit will make that happen someday.

[Bird Watcher]

I'd like to think that someday I could go to Truman and have a realistic chance at a 50-70## fish without it being a fluke. Truman already gave me my personal best at 29#. the big ones are such awesome beasts- full of stamina. The big ones are gross to eat anyway to me personally. I'd rather take a picture with the big ones and watch them swim off.

I live close enough to grand lake that I can get all the eater sized blues I want usually. When I was younger, we would run lines and jugs, we'd keep 30-40 on a good day with 3-4 guys in the boat. Nowadays, I'd rather catch them on rod and reel and keep 4 or 5 little ones. That's plenty for me to kill. I won't put them in the freezer anymore. I have no problem keeping and cleaning what I think we'll use within 5 or 6 days, but I don't stockpile freshwater fish these days. I only eat it fresh and I won't keep if it I already have some at home.

I see a huge difference in the average quality of Blue Cats out of Truman compared to Grand Lake. I can only guess that the difference is the liberal regualtions and limits on Grand. The lake is full of trash from trotlines and jugs and the fish seem to run smaller on the average. Antecdotal, I know, but that's my observation.

That's what makes me love Truman for what it is.