I was fishing one Spring evening on the banks of the Kankakee, IL river by myself. I had been down on the bank with my hip waters casting a plastic craw for small mouth. Where I was is a pretty remote location. Just to give you an idea of the surroundings, I had to drive off the main road down to the river about 1/4 mile, then walk another 500 feet just to get to the bank. There are no houses around for miles. I have fished this location many of times by myself and with others.

This evening, I was alone. About 15 minutes into fishing I heard a noise in the dense wooded area behind me. I figured that someone else was walking down the bank to fish. I heard the noise getting closer and closer. Suddenly, out of the woods comes a very large black Rotweiller. As the dog came out it did not see me yet. I frooooooze. As the dog got closer, it finally saw me. With both lips lifted the dog started to snarl. I jumped into the cold swift river and immediately sank from my waters filling with water.

As I was panicking, with my rod still in my hand, I looked back, the sound of me jumping in the water, or being as startled as I was, he ran back into the woods. I was able to pull myself out of the cold water. I began to run, but my legs were heavy from the 50 lbs of water I had in each leg. I laid on my back and dumped all the water on myself. I ran back to my truck with my heart pumping. To this day I never go in a remote place without another angler or a cell phone with a good battery. I suggest everyone do the same.

Jason, Kankakee, IL
Mano--that must have been heart-pounding! In this case, we're glad you missed the "big one!" ;-)

[ Tell Us Your Fishin' Tale! ]

Just last night, my son and I went fishing at his high school biology teacher's farm pond. We were using bobber's rigged pretty deep and night crawlers hoping to land those hand-fed channel cats. He caught a 6-8 pounder and I was feeling that I needed to show him how the old man did things. Just as I was throwing a second line into the water, I hear him calmly say, "Dad, your bobbers gone." I started to walk over to the pole and realized that I had not turned my bail over. I made a desperate attempt to get to the pole but it took off extremely fast into the water. I was so mad that I lost my rod that I wanted to go home immediately. I threw a treble hook out there to try to snag the thing but it was no use.

Sure enough, after about another hour, I see my bobber pop up on the other side of the lake. Boy, I took off around the pond after it. When I got there, I threw a topwater minnow and snagged the bobber and reeled the thing in. I got the rod back for the sole reason that the line had broken after the cat, which I have assured my son was bigger than his, dragged it across the pond. It was hilarious!

Jeff Smallwood, Hamilton, OH
I bet the one that got away was => This Big! <= ;-)

[ Tell Us Your Fishin' Tale! ]

After a very stressful first week at college, my buddies and I decided to find the closest body of water and get away from it all. We headed to Cumberland Falls not really expecting to catch anything. After buying a couple dozen nightcrawlers and finding a decent spot a couple hundred yards down from the falls, we set up camp. About an hour passed and I landed a 5 pound channel cat. I gloated for a while and rubbed it in my friends faces but what happened following that was absolutely unbelievable.

I threw the cat back into the water and realized that the bail on my spinning rod was broken off and I had line out there still. Being the broke college student that I am, I did not want to lose my 40 cent rig to a snag. I tied the line to my BELT LOOP and took off running into the woods hoping that by retrieving the line fast I would avoid a snag. The line started to get extremely heavy after about 30 yards into the woods. I thought, "Oh great, now I'm snagged and my reel's broken!" I looked back at the bank and saw both of my friends on the ground cracking up laughing and screaming for me to come quick. I ran back to the water and to my astonishment their was a 4 lb. flathead attached to my line. I still have not cut the line off that built loop as living proof that I am all that is man and can catch catfish from dusk till dawn using just my levi's.

Ty Smallwood, Hamilton, OH
LOL! You're the man in my book, Ty! ;-)

[ Tell Us Your Fishin' Tale! ]

My ex-husband was an avid fisherman and was gone all time. Well, one day I asked if I could go along too, he agreed, but told me not to get in the way. After a few hours of me getting bored and him losing bait, he finally caught a nice size trout. Not having anything to put it in, he put on a stringer and put in back in water, then he went a little furter down the bank of the lake to continue to fish. I was standing on the edge of the bank and looking down I could see this poor fish just swimming back and forth on this line. So being the humanitarian that I am I took the stringer off of the stake and commenced to walk up and down the bank with it. My husband saw and came running up to me shouting "What's the matter!!" I replied "nothing honey" he said "Then what are you doin" I told him "nothing much, just walking the fish". Well I guess you know that was the last time he took me fishing.

Barbara Jones, Clarsville, WVA
Thanks for the story Barbara - you made us LOL! Goes to show what some folks will do when they are bored! ;-)

[ Tell Us Your Fishin' Tale! ]

Well, I was with my Dad at lake Accotink, fishing off of a tree in the creek running off from the dam. We were catching a lot of sunfish and small catfish off of corn. So, my Dad baits three pieces of corn on the hook and casts it out about four feet away from the tree. He watches the bobber, and after about ten seconds, he has a bite. He tells me to hold the rod to feel the fish fighting, so I do. All I feel is a snag. I tell him that I don't believe him, until the snag starts to move. I screamed: "Oh my God!" and gave the rod back to my Dad. He fights the fish and reels it in. Then, the head of the monstrosity comes out of the water and the line snaps. There were some foreign people in the background that were cheering. It was a good day, the day my Dad almost caught a two foot carp.

Nick Sampson, Springfield, VA
Just shows Nick, listen to your Father! ;-)

[ Tell Us Your Fishin' Tale! ]

Once my cousin and I went fishing at the Lake of the Ozarks. We had been fishing for a while but we had only caught some 10-15 inchers (about 5). We thought we were pretty much done for the day so we casted out our lines and went up to eat and left the poles down on the shore in rod holders. We ate for about 30 minutes,then we came back down my pole was bending down halfway toward the reel my cousin picked up the pole but could not reel it in. At first we thought it was snagged then I took the pole from him and reeled I could after about 20 minutes of pulling and reeling we got in a 20 pound flathead . We released it with a picture to bad we lost the picture.

Ryan, St. Charles, MO
Great story Matthew, thanks for sharing!

[ Tell Us Your Fishin' Tale! ]

One morning me and my dad went fishing at a local lake. We ran up stream for about a mile, we sat there for about 10 minutes. One of our lines kept going slack. Well I reeled it down and jerked and the pole bent and the fish ran - it was only a 2 lb catfish. So after a while we moved to a new spot and we had caught about 4 good sized catfish, when I casted my line right near the dock we were fishing. Once again in about 5 minutes I had a bite, I jerked it and I hooked 'em. Well I kept saying that it was a small bluegill, cause the bluegill kept stealing our bait. When it got a foot under the surface I saw this big huge cat fish. Right as I got him to the surface he ran straight down 30 feet! I kept yelling to my Dad to get the net! About 5 minutes later I finally got the fish to the surface again, and I told my Dad to net it. We finally got it in the boat. When we got back to shore it turned out to be a 10 lb channel cat. That was the best day of my life. Now I love to catfish and I always keep that day in my mind.

Matthew, Claremont, NC
Great story Matthew, thanks for sharing!

[ Tell Us Your Fishin' Tale! ]

O.K., so for my 14th birthday me and my Dad went up to Trout Lake in Canada for a week. The whole week we were catching good sized pike and a couple of nice sized walleye so it rocked. On day I was fishing off the peer for perch. I caught a nice sized one and hooked him up good and within 5 minutes I had a 7 pound walleye - it was a beast. The day after that we were out trolling for walleye with jigs and minnows. We passed through a little bay area and I had a huge bite - I set the hook but it was not there - a pike had bit through it. (We were not fishing with steel leaders.) I was pretty mad so I tied on a new jig head on - it was pink. My Dad did not think it was going to work but I had other plans. I threw on a minnow and we started trolling again. We passed through the bay and I had a tiny bite... I set the hook and began the fight off my life. At first I thought it was a walleye but then I saw it surface it was the biggest pike I had ever seen! After I a good 15 minute fight I landed the thing - it was 43 inches long and weighed 25 pounds!! The day after I caught a 36 inch pike. The trip to Bois Island was amazing.

Matt Burke, Naperville, IL
Now that sounds like a fishin' trip! Have any pictures?

[ Tell Us Your Fishin' Tale! ]

I've been fishing at Rock River for about 6 years now but my parents and grandparents have for over 20 years. We usually use bluegill, perch, or suckers as bait but this time I decided to use goldfish. At about 11:30 PM, my rod starts shaking. I look at it and nothing. About 5 minutes later, I thought maybe the bait was taken so as I started to reel in the line I feel a bite that almost pulled me into the river! I knew I had hooked a big one. The fight lasted about 20 minutes. Amazingly, on a 24 lb. test line, I caught a monster 52 lb. Flathead Catfish. It was amazing. Nothing beats an overnighter at Rock River. Other big Flathead I've caught at Rock River weighed 50, 45, 38, 25, and 16 pounders.

Slavko The Catfish Killer, Chicago, IL
Wow! What a name - bet those cats fear thee!

[ Tell Us Your Fishin' Tale! ]

I fish from a stream near my home for sunfish and bass. Well, it started out When I arrived at my hole with rod/reel & bait (worms). Almost every time I go there I get a bite right away. Well, the fishing had been good and I had my bobber right by the shore. I decided to reel it in after I stopped getting bites but just then my line started shaking and this largemouth comes splashing out of the water, flashing its white belly. I was all exited because it was the biggest largemouth I had caught out of that stream. The biggest largemouth I caught, though, was out of a lake and it measured 12" in length, this one measuring only about 9". But I hadn't even got a chance to put it on the stringer when it squirmed out of my hand and tumbled down the steep bank and into the water. I couldn't believe it. But I did end up catching 14 fish and bringing 7 home to eat as an appetizer with my family.

Jonathan, Franklin, TN
Bringin' home the bacon, er...bass!

[ Tell Us Your Fishin' Tale! ]

Well, I had just arrived at the creek we fish in and couldn't wait to try out a cricket I had caught. As we were walking to the spot where we fish, I noticed a longnose gar not to far from the shore so I hooked my cricket and by mistake cast out way beyond where I had seen the gar. I started reeling in when my bobber jumped then BAM! it shot under.

The fish I had hooked was strong, after all it was my first REAL strike, so I handed it over to my dad and he took over.

It turned out to be a small cat about 10" long and he was hooked from the side! We couldn't get the hook out of his leathery skin so we cut the line. We released him afterward.

Jonathan, Franklin, TN
Unexpected catches - what a blast, huh? ;-)

[ Tell Us Your Fishin' Tale! ]

I was out bass fishing the other day on a creek that I heard the bass were really working. About an hour went by with absolutely no luck when I started to hear some splashing up the creek. By this time, I was not at all worried that I would miss the big one if I moved, so I got up and went to investigate.

I finally got to where I could see a lot of ripples in the water and assumed that this was the spot where the splashing had originated, so I sat down to watch for a bit.

Now God's creatures I know are smart, but what I saw next really convinced me to remove any doubts I might have had back in my mind.

A squirrel was out on a limb trying to retrieve and acorn from a stump in the water. This little rascal would not give up, and finally figured out a way to get it's prize. It went out on the limb, to the very end, and bent it over the stump. It then dropped down onto the stump from the limb and started eating the acorn, when all of a sudden, one of the biggest largemouth bass I have ever seen broke the water and took the squirrel from the stump.

I was awe struck at how smart both creatures were. But as I got up to leave, I heard another big splash and looked back to see that Big Ole Bass putting another acorn on top of that stump.

Just thought I would share ... after all, it's a TALE.

Reginald Murray, Tulsa, OK
Thanx for the laugh, Reg! ;-)

[ Tell Us Your Fishin' Tale! ]

One summer I was out fishing on the Kankakee River. I had a couple of poles baited with corn waiting for the big cat or carp. Well I got bored and threw a rapala rattler on a pole and started casting. Within minutes I landed a hammer-handle northern pike. It was the first pike I had ever caught so I put it on a stringer (very carefully) so I could show my Dad. I left it for a while and when I went to show my Dad I pulled the stringer up and only the head remained! To this day I am trying to land the big one with the big appetite.

Stewart, Romadka, IL

[ Tell Us Your Fishin' Tale! ]

I was fishing with my Dad. It was about 6:45a, which is pretty early for me. Anyway, I cast my bait out into a deep hole that I knew of using muscle and squid paste. After about a 1/2 hour tap, tap... BANG! My rod went shooting in towards the water, thankfully I just grabbed it in time. It took me about 45 minutes to land it - a 56lb 10oz blue cat. I had the greatest time that day.

Tom Brannen, Savanah, GA

[ Tell Us Your Fishin' Tale! ]

Well, me and my buddies were out fishing early in the spring. I was using a spinner bait, just having a great time. Next thing you know, I got what felt like a huge bite. I am just fighting this thing in, finally, I get it in.....it was more than I bargained for. It was a plastic sack full of dog feces. When I pulled the sack out, the bag split and shot the greenish-brown excrement all over the place. I even got some on my friend, Matt. What a day, that will go down in history as the best catch ever.

Nick, Lakewood, Colorado
Pheweee! Did you guys attract any carp? ;-)

[ Tell Us Your Fishin' Tale! ]

Fishin' in NY at Seneca Lake in a canal. About 6:30am I saw some fish so I casted to them w/one pole while the other with corn. I herd a splash and saw my other pole in the water slowly sinking. I casted to it and snagged the pad on the grip. I got the pole to me. I thought the fish was off but it was right under me! It was a huge CARP! I was lookin' for someone in a boat with a net but no one was around. Then all of a sudden the hook snapped. That's what happened to me.

Nick, Elmira, NY
What a drag Nick! Maybe next time!

[ Tell Us Your Fishin' Tale! ]

We have a lake up by McPherson Kansas. I had heard rumors they were catching cats on sugar pops cereal. So I bought a box, took milk and flour to make it into a dough bait. I caught my limit of 8 in about an hour - 2 to 5 pounders. Then started throwing the smaller ones back.

Ken, Salina, TX
Thanx, Ken!

[ Tell Us Your Fishin' Tale! ]

C'mon readers, let's get a little more detailed about our updates, I'm still (as of 10-29-01) crushing the crappies like I never have before, (I've been fishing the Chain 24 years, many slabs are available from Pink Harrisons (on Pistakee Bay) down to the southern end of the bay, with many bite offs (northern), and a few keeper eyes, but if you like crappie go now. From Pistakee Lake head towards the bay, you'll pass Pink Harrisons on the right, it'll be about 6-8 ft. deep, start here and drift a double jig minnow combo 'til you hit the 10-15 ft. depth, hold between 10-15, and you cant miss. Well usually you can't but you know how fishing goes, the main thing is that you're in the right area, and this right now is a good start, approx-100 yards south of Pink Harrisons west shoreline is a shelf that's got plenty of Christmas trees on the bottom, lots of crappies, but lots of snags, nothing a good steady pull on your line won't take care of (use wire hooks), if you do locate a school, quietly drop anchor and use slip bobbers while bouncing a jig off the bottom with your other rod. Keeper eyes are not plentiful but I can attest to a 9#,7#,and 6 or 7 under that in the month of October-01. Hope this helps you, good luck and safe boating to you.

Dan, Chicago, IL
Hey, Dan - keep us posted on Chain activities - we get requests all the time for fishin' updates! ;-)

[ Tell Us Your Fishin' Tale! ]

One night the wife and I went fishing (got lucky the wife likes to fish too) and my wife likes to catch blue gill. Well, I had her line set at 2 feet deep and a small hook and low and behold she set the hook on a fish. It started striping the line off her Zebco 33 and the only thing she said to me is "no way" and handed the rod to me! 20 min. later I was putting my hand into a monsters mouth - a 58 pound flat head! When I went to get the hook out it was already out and never touched the thing but the funny thing is she will take full credit for landing that monster, and being a good husband I will give it to her!! (DARNET!)

Jason Young, Arlington, TX
Hey, Jason - not only are you a good husband - you're a smart one! ;-)

[ Tell Us Your Fishin' Tale! ]

When I was twelve, my father took me on a fishing trip to Canada. We flew into a place called Viking Island, were we spent the next two weeks traveling to various lakes and fishing all day. One of the lakes we went to was called Oni Lake. I remember the trip took several portages, but it was well worth it.

We were catching one big walleye after the other. My dad kept picking up the stringer, looking at the fish, and smiling. Finally, he picked it up one time to many. When he set the stringer back down it just kept going. Somehow, it had been unhooked from the boat. We spent two hours circling over that spot trying to snag that stringer. My dad felt sick, but the look on his face was priceless.

The next day, we began trolling once again. Instead of the large walleye of the day before (5 - 7 lbs.) we began to pull in very small ones (12" - 16") one right after the other. I remember hooking another small one and bringing it in when my line just stopped. It was like the fish on the other end of my line ran into a wall. I yanked and pulled and finally said, "Dad, I'm snagged." As he began to circle the boat around the line started to move. This was no snag!

My dad cut the engine and the fight began. When the fish swam at the boat I remember thinking it looked like an alligator. Instead it was the largest Northern Pike I had ever seen alive. It swam under the boat and my Dad yelled, "Stick the pole in the water!". I dipped the tip down below the surface as the fish made a long run. Dad swung the boat around and the fight continued for ten minutes. With the fish along side the boat my Dad picks up the landing net. We both notice a large hole in the bottom of it. What else could go wrong!

Dad grabs the bottom of the net in his hands (closing the hole) and with the other reaches out and scoops the 37" fish out of the water in one motion. At that point we see the small walleye in the boat as well - with my hook hanging out of its mouth. As I lowered my rod fishing line began to unravel from around the head and gills of the Northern. In a second it was loose and tried to toss us both out of his boat. Needless to say he failed and now hangs on the wall. The biggest fish I have ever landed in my life, a fourteen-pound Northern Pike and I never had a hook in him.

John Borys, Wonder Lake, IL
Thanx for taking the time to share that story with all of us John! What great memories kids have when their father's take 'em fishin'. ;-)

[ Tell Us Your Fishin' Tale! ]

It was fall and I was fishing on tributary of Lake Ontario for King (Chinook) salmon. I was using chartreuse power bait and 14 pound line. The eggs were great but the line was stupid since most of the salmon are over 20 pounds. I hooked one though and fought it for over 30 minutes! I could hardly reel in the line because the fish was so heavy. I finally got it to shore and it was 40 lbs! A challenge at the provincial record!

Milan Panic, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
How exciting! Talk about a workout! ;-)

[ Tell Us Your Fishin' Tale! ]

First of all you have to know a little about me to appreciate this story. I am 18 and have been fishing all of my life. (My grandparents would literally baby-sit at the lake.) I live about a mile from Canyon Lake and during the summer we (me and the guys) decided to go fishing down at the boat ramp. My friend Daren had some shrimp and we decided to give it a go. After fishing for a while I sat down by one of my rods that I call the broomstick. Its an old thick fiberglass one. Nothing had happened so I decided to check my bait. I gently picked up the rod and gave it a little jerk (for fun). Well the fish on the other end decided to jerk back! My friends say this but I told them it was just a little one. As I said this the fish took off and peeled off a good 10 to 15 feet of line. My friends heard this and came over as I was standing up. I started to reel and it took off again. That's when I remembered how easily I broke the line with my hands early that day and re-tied the old rig that was on there from a previous fishing trip. My friends were surprised to see me have trouble with a fish as I do tend to become a little conceited at the lake. Then everything stopped . . . the line went slack and then snagged. My other friend, Justin, offered to swim out past it and pull the other direction. This did the trick and the fight was on once again. After the longest 10 minutes of my life we finally saw what looked like a log suspended in the water. After a few more moments and everyone praying for the line I landed a 26 pound flathead on 17 pound line.

Daric, Canyon Lake, TX
Yikes! You just never know what those fish will chomp on! ;-)

[ Tell Us Your Fishin' Tale! ]

One night, nearing dark, I was bass fishing off the shore. I hooked onto a huge one. I reeled for a good 5 minutes, but then all of a sudden, my line broke. I was bummed!!! Just for the heck of it, I tied on one more lure, for one last cast, and prayed to God that I could hook him once more. God is good, God is great, and he let that big fish take my bait. He took my lure, and ran. It reeled for what seemed for an hour, but it must have been only about 7 minutes. Finally, I got to net it. I grabbed the scale out of my tackle box and weighed it. A 4 pound 3 ounce large mouth bass. I was totally happy!!!!

Kurt, Master Angler
Wow! That must have been exciting! Thank you for sharing your story with us!

[ Tell Us Your Fishin' Tale! ]

I was 8 years old when me and my Grandma went fishing. I got a cane pole and put a worm on the hook and tossed it out. I waited and it was lunch time. We stuck the pole as far as I and my Grandma could in the pond bank. We went and ate, came back and my pole was gone. It floated up and we fished it out with a stick. I set the hook on the monster and the fight was on! I was pulling backwards and the ole monster pulled me into the water but I was not giving up that easy! I pulled it in it was 15 pound catfish!

Josh Owens, TN
Thanx for sharing your story Josh! Fishing memories from when we all are kids are some of the best memories of all!

[ Tell Us Your Fishin' Tale! ]

Me and my buddies went fishing and we used one of your recipes and we were all thinking that none of them would work. I cased my blood bait out and let it sit for about 1/2 hour. I looked up and my pole was gone!! I then was very angry. The next day I went back to the lake and I saw my pole off the shore and half of the pole was in the water. I ran and grabbed it and praise the Lord a 12 pound blue cat was at the end of the line and still alive! I ran as fast as I could home and I showed my Mom and Dad and I called my buddies and they all were amazed. I heard that was the biggest cat ever caught out of that lake!

Tony Smith, Naperville, IL
Thanx for sharing your story Tony! Glad our recipes worked!

[ Tell Us Your Fishin' Tale! ]

The Big CAT. Last year I was fishing at a local small lake. I had a bait caster on an old muskie pole I didn't think there was any really big cat's there but there was 50 lbs. on it so I left it on thank god I did. So I put on some corn and casted it out there. I sat away from my pole cause I was talking to my friend then all of a sudden my pole flew in the water really fast I was watching it so I jumped in the water grabbed it and set the hook then stared reeling it in and I knew it was big cause my pole was bent really bad I finally got it in after what seemed like a year but it really was about an hour I got it up to shore I was in the water and saw it really fast as soon as it came up to shore then I got it up on land weighed it and it was 66 lbs. Now I hold the lake record for a bullhead.

Dan Schafer

[ Tell Us Your Fishin' Tale! ]

I was fishing in Seneca Lake when I had a bite. It didn't jerk down hard or anything but I fought it for 3 hours. I would try and real it in but it just kept dragging my boat around the lake. When I finally got it up to the boat, my father helped me get it inside the boat it was a 30 lb. muskie! It scared me with its huge teeth. That was 10 years ago and it still hangs on my wall.

Dirk Holmes

[ Tell Us Your Fishin' Tale! ]

My dad and I went out trout fishing. When we got out there it was about 4 o'clock. We got down stream and there was a deep hole, and my dad went and threw his nightcrawler out there about 5 times. I decided to fish there after he moved up stream. I threw my worm into the water and I hooked a fish. I was the only one to catch a fish. We had a good time.

Mike Dahlen

[ Tell Us Your Fishin' Tale! ]

I still can't believe it. I was fishing in a creek in Pennsylvania the leads to Lake Erie. I was only catching blue gill when it happened I threw my line out with a red worm with a sizes eight hock. I looked over at my dad and back at my bobber and it was gone. I jerked but not anything happened I reeled in some slack and jerked again. There it was I said, I had a fight on my hands! We had to reel in all our pools so we would not get them got up. This fish was running right for the lake. I fought it for a while and then he got tired and so was I. We got it to land and it was a thirteen pound catfish! I was only ten years old. Now I am fourteen and looking for a bigger cat.

Will Schoemer, Monongahela, PA
Good Job Will! Let us know when you catch the "bigger" one!
;-)

[ Tell Us Your Fishin' Tale! ]