It was too late to pick up minnows, but I have a bunch or worms I've been collecting for our yearly trip up North in a couple weeks, so I "borrowed" some. Though worms aren't my ideal bait for big channel catfish, I know they work for multispecies in the St Lawrence River.
We got out on the water close to 8:00 PM, my 9 year old won the coin toss for the first fish. Sure enough, the baitrunner reel starts screaming withing the first 15 minutes or so, he sets the hooks and the fight is on... He lands his first eel after a minute or so. Nothing big, probably 22-24 inches and kind of thin.
About 1/2 hour later, the catfish rod starts bouncing, time for my 7 year old to step up to the plate... I hookset for him, and know that he's going to have a hard time fighting the big catfish, as that rod and reel combo is the heaviest I have, and he's a short lefty using a tall right handed set up. Surpisingly, he manages to bring the fish to shore, but can't lift the rod high enough to land it.
I help him out, and his eyes almost pop out of his head when he sees the 8 lb + channel cat.
After a couple snags and small fish eating off our worms, we head home around 9:30 as I'm out bait. Glad to see the channel cats are back just in time for the summer. Hope to catch many more this season.
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