30 minutes later, Paula encountered the 88-pound catfish! Europe – Wels Catfish This species of catfish is native to the central, eastern and southern areas of Europe. All three major catfish species call Barkley home, with oversized blues getting the attention of trophy-cat specialists. Tennessee. It took Anderson about 45 minutes to land the giant blue catfish, whose size surprised Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries chief Gary Martel. It can reportedly weigh up to 350 kg (770 lb). "I've caught from 38 pounds on up each week over this past year," Smith said. Somehow, however, the 45,000 acres of the lake's main body in Kentucky tend to get overlooked by catfishermen. He has a dose of catfish fever and the only treatment seems to be frequent trips to Kentucky Lake where the stalks the deep dark waters for monster catfish. After the monster fish was caught, Paula released it back into the wild. If you're looking for a Kentucky Lake restaurant, you can't go wrong with Catfish Kitchen. 725 S. Floyd StreetLouisville, KY 40203(502) 585-2201. Here is the full story on their day in Chase Hunnell’s own words. In 1985, an angler pulled in a 58-pound, 4-ounce striped bass, the largest bass fish of any species in the state. If you caught a big fish would you really turn it back or take it home and brag to your buddies? They are the largest member of the catfish family. They can be caught 12 months of the year and they live in a variety of aquatic locations that make them accessible to many fishermen. Generally in mid to late October lakes have turned over, water temperatures have stabilized and fishing picks up quickly with not only excellent numbers of catfish being caught but big trophy class catfish as well. If you use a depthfinder to locate the deeper holes in the Kentucky River, usually that's going to be where catfish can be found right now. Maximum life span for blues is unknown but is probably 20-25 years. Hunnell managed to catch not one but two fish weighing more than 10 pounds and the duo was able to land a limit roughly between 39 and 40 pounds. January 3, 2019 at 6:15 PM EST - Updated January 5 at 3:59 PM, Focus on Health - American Senior Communities, Here’s how a vaccine distribution will affect Louisvillians, BREONNA TAYLOR: New videos, audio recordings, documents reveal more from March 13th shooting. She caught the fish about 5 miles from her home in about 25 feet of water near Mason's Boat Dock in Waverly. A Tennessee woman had the catch of a lifetime last weekend when she hauled in an 88-pound catfish on the Tennessee end of Kentucky Lake. Blues may grow to lengths of over 55 inches and may weigh more than 100 pounds. The record blue catfish was caught in 2011 in Kerr Lake, Virginia by a man named Richard Nicholas Anderson. Copyright 2019 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Kentucky has 18 species, including the White Catfish, which has been introduced. Blue catfish can be caught year-round in the tailwater. There was also a record set in 1991 for the hybrid striped bass, checking in at 20 pounds, 8 ounces. A woman is getting a lot of attention online after catching a whopping 88-pound catfish on Kentucky Lake. The record for largest flathead catfish ever caught in Tennessee is one that is surrounded in a bit of controversy. WESTERN KENTUCKY (KFVS) – There is a new new record for the largest blue catfish in Kentucky and it was set over the weekend. All rights reserved. Data and analysis of the Pfizer vaccine was made public, and the 53-page document will now be presented to the FDA on Thursday. Blue catfish grow faster and live longer than channel catfish. Attaining an unconfirmed length of 3 m (9.8 ft), the Mekong giant catfish grows extremely quickly, reaching a mass of 150 to 200 kg (330 to 440 lb) in six years. TWRA confirmed the river monster is a real fish, but it doesn't break the state record! The Tennessean newspaper reported that Smith hadn’t caught a big catfish in recent weeks due to heavy rains and being sick. The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency posted a photo on its Facebook page of Paula Cathey Smith holding her personal best before she released it back into the lake: January 3, 2019 at 6:15 PM EST - Updated January 5 at 3:59 PM (WAVE) - A Tennessee angler reeled in the catch of a lifetime while fishing on Kentucky Lake. Paula Cathey Smith caught an 88-pound blue catfish last week, according to Lexington television station WKYT. The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency shared a photo Monday, showing Paula Cathey Smith with her “personal best” catch. Detailed requirements are listed on the third page of the application . Paula Smith and her husband, Ken Smith, went out on Mason boat's dock Sunday, in need of an adventure. Best fishing is during late spring and summer along deep river channels. The catfish Gentle caught weighed in at 33.57 pounds, securing the record at Clear Lake and giving onlookers a sight of the biggest of its kind in the lake. The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency posted a photo on its Facebook page of Smith holding her personal best before she released it back into the lake: River Monster! There's no doubt some very high-quality fish in this waterway. Angler catches 88-pound catfish in Kentucky Lake. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Kentucky also holds the world record for the biggest smallmouth bass, caught in 1955 and weighing in at 11 pounds, 15 ounces. Two anglers broke state records for catfish in North Carolina in July. Mail completed form and a photograph of the fish to KDFWR, Record Fish Program, #1 Sportsman’s Lane, Frankfort, KY 40601. NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — A woman is getting a lot of attention online after catching a whopping 88-pound catfish on Kentucky Lake. For Paris angler Jerry Holmes it s pretty much catch and release on all his outings. While Morris’ big cat didn’t make the record books it certainly put him on top of the fishing world here at Kentucky Lake. The Channel Catfish is one of America’s most popular gamefish. (WAVE) - A Tennessee angler reeled in the catch of a lifetime while fishing on Kentucky Lake. Look for good flow in the lake for best fishing conditions. Both have deeply forked tails. The record was set back in June of 1956 by Esker Carroll. Since it was posted, the photo has been shared more than 1,000 times on Facebook. Channel catfish are known for their strong sense of smell, spunky attitude, and delicious flavor. The Mekong giant catfish once held the Guinness World Records' position for the world's largest freshwater fish in 2005. Paula Cathey Smith shows us you can catch fish in the winter with this "personal best" 88 pounder caught and released safely back into KY Lake. Cave Run Lake Muskie Fishing Video Trone’s fish … The next time you’re at Kentucky Lake, Lake Barkley, Land Between the Lakes – promise me you’ll visit the Willow Pond Catfish Restaurant in Aurora or the Willow Pond in Calvert City. Fishing Techniques. The folks around Howell’s Grocery will talk about the big catch for years to come. Up to that time his largest catch had been a 20-pound catfish on his trotlines. One caught a 121-pound, 9-ounce blue catfish in Lake Gaston and the other caught a 78-pound, 14-ounce flathead catfish … Muskie fishing on Cave Run Lake is particularly strong. A Tennessee woman had a lot to celebrate before the New Year after she reeled in an 88-pound catfish on Kentucky Lake. According to the Western Kentucky Fisheries Facebook page, officials verified that Glynn Grogan of Arlington, Ky. caught a 106.9 pound blue catfish on Saturday, Oct. 20. Blue catfish – Good numbers of 10- to 20-pounders with the occasional 50+ pounder. While it was a great winter catch, The Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources states that the biggest blue catfish in the area was caught on … flathead catfish caught in Kansas. Channel catfish can also be caught year-round in the tailwater. Kentucky Fish and Wildlife also recognizes a sub-species of the Blue catfish called the White catfish. The record for the heaviest catfish caught in Tennessee was in 1998, when Robert E. Lewis hauled in a 112-pound catfish on the Cumberland River, according to Tennessee fishing records. Channel catfish closely resemble blue catfish. The bullheads and larger catfishes are important to anglers and commercial fishers. Paula has been fishing since she was a little girl but this was unlike anything she's ever caught before, "I cannot believe I got a 88 pound fish," said Paula Smith, "when I first seen it I said 'Oh my God!". The back is blue-gray with light blue to silvery-gray sides and a white belly. The largest portion of this family is represented by the small-sized, secretive species called madtoms. NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — A woman is getting a lot of attention online after catching a whopping 88-pound catfish on Kentucky Lake. This large blue catfish weighed in at 143 pounds (64.86 kilograms) and was 4.75 feet (1.45 meters) long. The largest catfish ever caught in a tournament was caught on Kerr Lake in Virginia and it was caught by Dale Lowe, Jr. in the Ice Bowl Tournament. Smith’s previous personal-record was an 82-pounder, the newspaper reported. After having it officially weighed, he released the fish back into the lake. Supposedly, the record is a 123 lb. The picture shows Paula Cathey Smith holding an 88 lb. If any questions or problems arise, call the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife at 1-800-858-1549. In fact, the Kentucky state record muskie (as of this writing) was caught on the lake. A Gray Media Group, Inc. Station - © 2002-2020 Gray Television, Inc. Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear advised district superintendents to create a list of staff willing to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. Channel catfish swim in ponds, rivers, lakes, and creeks making them accessible to anglers across the country. They have a small, narrow head. The current state-record blue catfish, the 104-pounder taken by Bruce Midkiff about five years ago, came out of the lower Ohio. He caught the 97-pound behemoth on Kentucky’s Green River and has held the record for biggest flathead catfish ever caught in the state ever since. We have three main variations of catfish: the Channel catfish, the Blue catfish, and the Flathead catfish. Barkley Lake's tailwater is famous for its catfish offerings, as is the head of the lake in Tennessee. tnwildlife.org. The biggest catfish caught in the world for this species weighed 121.5 pounds and was captured at the Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge on Lake Texoma. Heck, don’t wait until you’re in the area – just GO. Sarah K. Terry caught the record fish, which weighed in at an impressive 47 pounds, in 2008. Paula Cathey Smith caught an 88-pound catfish on Kentucky Lake Copyright 2019 WAVE 3 News. Chase Hunnell and Tyler Patterson had the fishing trip of a lifetime on Kentucky Lake on Saturday March 16, 2019. Ohio native Kyle Estep was fishing the river during late spring in 2004 when he hooked the giant. 3. It just barely broke the previous record of 33.33 pounds. Lakes with a thermocline will be faced with a fall turnover which can mean especially challenging fishing during that time. How big catfish commonly found in North American waters can actually get is widely disputed. Barkley and Barren River lakes are perhaps the most well-known catfishing locations, but the state record for biggest channel catfish ever caught in Kentucky comes from the Ohio River. Channel Catfish. According to the Western Kentucky Fisheries Facebook page, officials verified that Glynn Grogan of Arlington, Ky. caught a 106.9 pound blue catfish on Saturday, Oct. 20. Tennessee's state-record blue, which is only a few … The record was originally set by Larry Kaylor, who landed a giant 85 … The current world-record blue catfish recognized by the International Game Fish Association is a 143-pounder caught in June 2011 on Kerr Lake, Virginia. Do what we often do.. we go for Willow Pond catfish and see the sights while we’re there! catfish caught in the Kentucky Lake on Dec. 30. However, channels have a rounded anal fin with 24-29 rays and scattered black spots along their back and sides. 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