The Battle

In the middle of June a heat wave swept over much of the heartland. The temperatures were topping into the one hundred degree mark and it was just downright miserable to be outside. One day after work I decided to head out to the lake and do a little bass fishing. My wife and kids were gone and even though it was hard to breath outside the desire to go fishing was just too strong. By the time I got to my first spot I had already drank one bottle of water. I thought to myself that there was no way I am going to catch a thing. Within fifteen minutes I boated a solid four pounder that fell victim to a Series Six Sexy Shad crankbait. Thinking I could do this the rest of the afternoon I started running from spot to spot cranking everything. It was not happening. Maybe that fish was just a fluke. Three bottles of water later I took a cast and bumped a stump. The rod loaded up and I knew it was a giant. After about fifteen seconds I knew something was not quite right. It was not a bass so it had to be a muskie. The fight continued on for several minutes and I began to wonder if I was ever going to get this thing in. My arms were starting to get sore. The sun was beating down on me as this huge fish was winning the battle. Ten minutes into the fight I knew this was not a muskie. My ten pound Vicious Ultimate was holding up and usually a muskie will cut the line with his teeth so I knew it could not be one of those toothy critters. By now I had a pontoon boat watching me get pulled around by whatever I had. The battle continued and I was not gaining anything. The fish would not come up and show himself. Now I am fifteen minutes into the fight and I am starting to win. I see the fish about six feet under the water and realize that I have got a giant flathead catfish. I drag the fish close to the boat and net the giant. I lay on the deck as the people on the house boat clapped and cheered. I was exhausted. I unhooked the beast and held him up to the boat. My arms were shaking. I filled my livewell and crammed him inside it. My girls had to see this fish when they get home. The catfish weighed in at twenty five pounds. The fish had actually tried to eat my crankbait. I have never caught a catfish on a rod and reel that size before. What was even more amazing is that I put my Vicious Ultimate ten pound test line to the absolute hardest test and it passed. I still have no idea how I got that fish in. He wipped my butt for fifteen minutes by I eventually won the battle. This is one fish I will remember for a long time.