The Ohio river is predicted to jump nearly 18' from a few days ago. I have been doing fairly decent with nets and jumper lines. However with the big jump in water came a big jump in hoss catfish. I had three like the one in the pic in the same net along with a 40+ flathead today. The current makes raising nets a total back breaker. Add a few decent cats and the work really begins. I have caught several big blues like the one in the picture in the same net all week long.
Also check out my new plate boat in the background. When my wife took the pic I had the catfish's fin sticking in my arm is why I am kinda bent out of shape.

Randy

AWESOME!! Brooks is gonna be headed north!!!

Nice!! We hauled 11,000lbs of bigheads this morning, wish they were worth what those cats are!!

how about some more pics of that mochine in the background looks like a fine rig. nice cat to!

super sweet brother!!! love them big cats....also sweet rig...thats a boat right there!!!

beautiful cats bro... get da red gravy ready!!!!!

sweet !!!!!!!!!

Did Clark build that boat for you? I have been looking at plate boats lately.

Long as my wife doesn't find out......

The boat came out of Dallas City,Illinoise. Its 23' long and has a inside 72" floor. All 3/16" alum. The builder had a ad on ebay and I called him about the design before building it. There are some things I have done to my other boats to make it easier for me to run nets both hoop and gill. I had this extras done from the start. 28" sides at 27 degree flare. I was kinda wanting a more up and down side and thought 27 degrees was near straight up. However after running nets with it for about a month now I think the side flare is about perfect. The boat runs very quite and rides really smooth on rough water days. It has really made running nets alot safer and easier. I built and welded in a live fish box for keeping my fish alive until I get the knife on them.

Nice!!!

I had an old jon boat with stearing setup like that. It works good and keeps the cost down.

If you know anybody in your area looking for a good rig i got a 2054 that i can bring that way Sept 10th.

nice rig Merta!

local river fisherman have cathead winches powered by small engines mounted on their bows to haul their nets up... don't know if u ever seen anything like dat but I can get u sum pictures of a setup if u want.

Ben could you take some pics for me. I would appreciate that. I have no problems pulling hoop nets when the river is down but when up and running hard[ great fishing] its a down right back breaker and blister maker like no other. I generally pull my nets on the rise if going up to flood stage but miss alot of fish like posted at the top. I would really like to see the winch system. Thanks
Randy

no problem... I'll get u sum pics.

Damn!!!!!!!! You use some big hooks.What you bait them things with.

Where is the stering wheel?

That thing is a tank!!! Is a 90 big enough for that??? Very cool!!!

X2 on the steering wheel..... or is there a stick?

The stick steering is made onto the fish box. I have a alum handle to run the boat with. On the back of the fish box is my steering arm , cable and pulleys. For those that have run this type of steering can agree that it will do a 180 degree turn in a micro second. By using cable and pulleys the steering is smooth but not floppy. I can run the boat and let go of the stick and grab stuff and do whatever and the boat tracks in a straight line. Its very smooth and takes no effort to steer.
Randy

Randy ~ You was ... and still is ..... "The Man" !!!!

Dang thats nice ...... !!! How's Pop doin' ?

damnnnn 3 axles...? you must be haling in some fish lol

Wow! You ain't playin around. Nice rig and nice cat you got there.

That's a freakin tank Randy!! Looks like a fish hauling machine, nice man

My wife told me to build a boat that I will not have any 'shoulda's , coulda's or woulda's. I wanted a boat in the 22-24' foot range and I fell right in between. The ninety pushes it nicely. However in a couple years when its wore out I will have a 150/175 on it. Its really nice to work out of. I have hauled some nice loads of catfish with it so far and it boats nice with a load and goes down the road nicely too. I put in a Rule 1500 bilge pump to fill the fish box . I'm in the process of putting in the Lowrance graph in it.
Brooks my dad is doing very well and Thanks for asking. I jumped some trot lines out of it before the big water hit and had a 400lb blue cat day. I had one nice flathead that was caught eating a drum that was on the line. The drum was around five pounds. The flathead had the drum about half way down when I pulled the line up and dip netted him. The flathead had the drum all the way consumed by the time I got home. When I filet him I showed my wife the drum that was in its belly. She could not believe how big the drum was. I opened the belly up and got my hook back from the drums mouth. I will tell you that of all the flatheads I have caught they have small drum in their belly more than any other fish.
Randy

How big was that flathead?

Do you guys get paid per live weight, or do you have to fillet the fish?

Brian the answer is both. I sell some live weight but mainly filets. I am working on building up the live market.