Monster catfish: 43-pounder pulled from Ohio River

[left-of-center2012]

One night this week Jeff Korol of Wexford wrestled a monster 43.23-pound flathead catfish to the shore of the Ohio River in Beaver County, PA. The fish took cut shad on an 8/0 circle hook tied to a 50-pound leader and 30-pound line on a medium-heavyweight rod.

“It made three huge runs. Took about 25 minutes to get it,” said Mr. Korol. “It didn’t fit in my shore net so I grabbed him by the lip and hauled him to shore.”

After a short video and a few quick photos, he released his self-declared “fish of a lifetime” to “spawn and fight another day.”

A Pennsylvania state-record flathead weighing 50 pounds 7 ounces was released on the Susquehanna River in York County in April.



https://www.post-gazette.com/life/outdoors/2019/10/10/Fishing-Pittsburgh-Pennsylvania-flathead-catfish-steelhead-muskellunge-walleye/stories/201910100125

[montanacowboy]

1. Beaver County is in Pennsylvania

must have been caught on that side of the river. I used to catch those when I was a kid fishing with my Dad in Belmont County - much smaller version of course. I was always afraid their stinger whiskers would get me.

Glad he turned it loose.

[Ohio Dem]

2. When I was in high school, I slipped and fell on a stringer of catfish while carrying them

up the hill from the Ohio River. Ouch. Those whiskers can't sting, but the barbs in their fins are sharp as hell. Not poisonous, but as dirty as the river they came from, plus some bonus bacteria thrown in just for fun.

Also, incidentally, about 5 miles away from Belmont County.

And we let those fish go, too. Mostly to find me some help for my damn hand.

[Ohio Dem]

3. That's a nice fish.

My buddy caught a 30-pounder from a lake when I was in high school. He let it go, as well, after it was weighed.

Biggest fresh-water fish I've ever seen caught.