Channel catfishing

My lovely wife allowed me a few free hours last night so I headed out to my local park pond for some catfishing action. I'll admit, I have never caught a catfish before. Family leanings lead us to trout streams and rivers, and when we go warmwater fishing, we hit the bass and bluegills. We simply have overlooked the catfish since it is almost always caught while bait fishing. Nothing against bait fishing, it has it's place, but typically it is just so much sitting there. Several months ago I decided I needed to right this wrong and catch a catfish. After a little research I decided that chicken livers would be my bait of choice. Turns out, it was a good choice!

About 8:45 pm I was wandering the bank looking at the plants and happened to notice my bobber was not there. So I set the reel, pulled and reeled, pulled and reeled and coaxed out of the depths a big ol' cat. Like the carp I shot with my bow earlier this year, I was a little tentative at first... how do I handle this fish? My stringer hooks were too small for the size of the jaw, so I ended up piercing the lower jaw and inserting it there. Meanwhile my bobber is swimming away, but I missed the set and that one got away.

The night ended with the one cat in the truck. Took him home and fileted him up. Looking forward to more cats in my future!

Done with school!

For now at least. There is more education in my future, but a semester break is looking really nice right about now. DONE! And not a moment to soon. Elk season opens in 16 days, although I won't be up there for opening day, I am really, really looking forward to some elk hunting solitude! I am busy writing my lists for camp, truck, backpack and pockets, and it is all I can do to not pack up the truck right now. No new gear this year, with the exception of a couple giant coolers to keep all the fresh elk meat from spoiling, and the same area I head to every year, but I can feel the destiny of this year's hunt creeping up, the excitement and pure adrenaline of a rut crazed bull or a tender young cow 20 yards away. My confidence is high, my arrow groups tight, my list compiled, boxes packed...

I was going through some of my hunting pictures and whatnot on my computer and "found" these again. Always I good thing to review before a hunt!

Stay tuned for much more regular updates as I continue to assemble my gear, practice, hit the gym and the trails and otherwise prepare my mind, body, soul and gear for a successful elk hunt in 2011!