Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Big cats for big_pond

big_pond, I tried to e-mail you some pictures of big cats (your favorite)but the e-mail address in your profile rejected them. I can't post them here but I can e-mail them if you would like to see them.

Dan Paterson
[email protected]

Hey!!!! man!
send them to: [email protected]
What kind of cats are they? blues???If so how is the survivle rate when released?
How did you grow them?
What size pond?
How old are they?

i dont know if you heard that just recently they caught a 121 pound blue cat at lake Texoma from the bank with a fishing rod! According to the San Antonio express-newspaper, they kept it alive and is on display at Texas Parks & Wildlife.

Also a friend told me they caught a 160 pound blue on a fishing rod in florida. I dont know if this is true but i am going to research it.

Sorry big_pond. I tried again and it was rejected
"mailbox unavailable".
Dan

Ok big_pond here are the mother of all catfish for you. They are in Europe and are called a Wels Catfish. Here is a pic of a couple that are only 125 and 136 pounds. Ready to go to Spain for a fishin trip?

Greg!!
How much you'd charge me to stock some of these puppies..

Hey Big Pond Rick over in Italy e-mailed me this pic over the weekend, I'm ready to go on a trip to Europe!

So how we going to manage these dudes with Bass and Blue gill do you think they'd might them!!

So guys what is the biggest catfish species in the world? Does any one know about that Black catfish in the Amazone with the red tail? What are the fish like? I thought about going fishing down there and catching a few of these....

I believe the world's heaviest catfish is the Mekong catfish of Aisa that has been recorded at over 650 pounds and 8 feet long. I think the longest is the Goonah of India that can get up to 12 feet long and weigh as much as a man.
The red-tailed or Cajara catfish can grow over 150 pounds but once they get much more than 90 they seem to be totaly uncatchable.
Those wells catfish sure are ugly. To me they look alot like a flathead and I would not be suprised if thier feeding habits were similar. They are known to eat birds and dogs swimming at the surface. Certain local legends in europe tell of them swallowing small children whole.
-Scott

Hey maybe that is what people have been confusing for Nessie up in Loch Ness. Hmmmm!

Bob

Wanna see some big cats? Go to ESPN Outdoors. Some guy caught a 65 lb. blue at Lake Texhoma. A short while later he caught a 121 lb. blue. Never underestimate an American!

You say these red tailed catfish when they get over 90 lbs they are "uncatchable" what does that mean?

I'm not sure exactly. My catfish book I had said that the larger ones "simply cannot be caught." Mabie they just get really smart or something?

Hey Bob Koerber. The second picture you posted looks like the recent 121 lb. blue cat that was recently caught in Lake Texoma on the Texas Oklahoma border. It is 5 ft. long, 121 lbs, and currently at a Texas Park and Wildlife facility. A TV interview said it is a new Texas record and if everything holds up is a new world record. They x-rayed it and found no sinkers, etc. in it. Of interest is that it is estimated at 30 years old and they said the normal life span of a blue cat is 20 to 25 years.

Dave Davidson,
Is the fish still alive? How are they keeping him? How di they transport the fish after it was caught?

big_pond, here's the link to the espn coverage of the catfish. they have a pretty lengthy article about the catch and everything as well as some great photos. you maybe able to go to the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center webpage (if they have one) and get even more info about it. I know they have it on display there.

http://espn.go.com/outdoors/fishing/s/f_fea_cat_blue_record_121-8_Burkhead.html

Chris

tritonvt, Thanks for a great article! What a magnifacent animal! I was real glad to read that they gave the fish to an aquarium to let him live intstead of just killing him and eating him. Boy I wonder how they kept him alive, and transported him?

Big_Pond, They hauled it to a local bait shop and put it in water there. The TP&W people showed up with a fish hauling truck to get it. Should be on exhibit soon.

Yea, I read on the TP&W site that they are acclimating it to aquarium life and are treating it for stress. They also said it should be on exhibit in about 2 weeks. I wish I lived in Texas.

Chris

Well I hope this big fellow turns out all right. I hope they keep us updated on how it is doing..

Does anyone know where he is? Doesn't the TPWD have an big aquarium south of Dallas? I want to go and if he's there, this would be a good time.

I know it is in Athens, but I'm not familiar with Texas so I couldn't tell you where that is.

Chris

Athen's is located about 30 miles south of Dallas. Really nice place. I was there about a month ago.