Yesterday was the second time I’ve caught a big channel catfish on a fly rod while bass fishing at Kill Creek Lake near DeSoto, KS.
I knew immediately it wasn’t a big bass. Bass are close-in fighters. They like to slug it out up close and personal with lots of head-shaking top water acrobatics. Old Mister Catfish just heads back home to the bottom thinking, “Dang! I wish I hadn’t bit that thing!” He also makes long runs like a big trout. This one took me all the way into my backing. Hadn’t seen that since my last trip to the San Juan. Ten minutes later he was flopping in the boat and posing for a picture before being released. I love to eat catfish if somebody else cleans them.
The fly? Same pattern that fooled the last big cat at Kill Creek only this time white instead of purple: My own creation, the Conehead Buddybou. For a bass fly it catches lots of catfish.
The evening would have been complete if Larry Lunker had been with me, but I believe he was there in spirit.
