Other Sports New record catfish caught in Missouri - Page 2

Radar Chief · 07-22-2010, 06:48 AM

Florissant man catches record-setting catfish in Missouri

BY JOEL CURRIER> jcurrier@post-dispatch.com | Posted: Wednesday, July 21, 2010 12:25 am
ST. CHARLES COUNTY • It was a dead night on the Missouri River. Hardly a nibble on the line for hours. So as storm clouds rolled in about 12:45 a.m. Tuesday, Greg Bernal and his girlfriend decided they'd head for shore after 15 more minutes.
Then, suddenly, came a pull on the line stronger than Bernal had ever felt.
"That rod just started screaming," said Bernal, 47, of Florissant. "I knew he was big. It raced out, I set the hook and there was no movement at all. I just kept the pressure on him and finally I could feel him thumping."
Bernal landed the 130-pound blue catfish that officials say is big enough for a world record held since May 2005 by Tim Pruitt of Alton. Pruitt caught a 124-pound blue catfish on the Mississippi River near Alton.
The Missouri record, until Tuesday, was a 103-pound catfish caught with a pole and line in 1991 on the Missouri River.
Bernal fought his big catch for 15 minutes and spent another 30 minutes — with help from his girlfriend, Janet Momphard — pulling it into their johnboat as rain pelted them and lightning flashed. The fish's teeth snagged Bernal's hands and drew blood.
Bernal and Momphard, 47, a nurse from St. Charles, said they used 40-pound test fishing line and Asian carp as bait.
"I am still numb," said Bernal, a lifelong fisherman. "That's the biggest fish I've ever seen."
Bernal's fish was at least 25 to 30 years old, officials said. It was 57 inches long and 45 inches in girth. That's one inch shorter but also one inch fatter than Pruitt's catch.
Bernal wouldn't reveal the exact location of his fishing spot, saying only it was near the Columbia Bottom Conservation Area.
Bernal's fish was weighed Tuesday morning at the Straatmann Feed Store in New Melle. Manager Jim Blair said he brought a portable scale out to the store's front porch, a spectacle that drew a crowd and caused a small-town traffic jam.
"It was total chaos," said Blair, 61. "Everybody was jumping for joy. People were getting out of their cars and taking pictures."
Bernal's catch will have to be certified before it becomes an official record.
Pruitt, 38, the outgoing record holder, had hoped to profit from catfish fame by selling DVDs about his catch on his website, www.timpruitt.net. But he says he lost more money in that venture than he cared to discuss and no longer offers catfish merchandise.
"It didn't work so good," Pruitt said. "Catfishermen don't like to spend too much."
Pruitt said he is happy for Bernal and isn't bothered that his five-year reign as catfish king is ending.
"Records are made to be broken," he said. "I've held it long enough. It's time to pass the torch."
Bernal, an unemployed land surveyor, says he won't eat the record-breaking fish, but plans to mount a reproduction in his home, next to a 79.12-pound catfish he caught in 1995. He hopes there's room for another someday.
"I'm going to go out there and catch a bigger one," Bernal said. "They're out there."

http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/m...7a4a78c22.html

Rooster · 07-22-2010, 08:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sofa King

I would like to know if anyone could determine what made that fish get so damn huge. (other than the obvious lots of food, stress free area to live in stuff) genetics? raw sewage? nuclear waste?

Well it was caught in MO so I would bet raw sewage.

LOCOChief · 07-22-2010, 08:40 AM

I'll bet that's not the largest blue in that river.

KCUnited · 07-22-2010, 08:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Radar Chief

Bernal, an unemployed land surveyor, says he won't eat the record-breaking fish, but plans to mount a reproduction in his home

[death metal voice]
Give me back that filet o fish
Give me that fish
Give me back that filet o fish
Give me that fish
[/death metal voice]

Radar Chief · 07-22-2010, 08:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Reerun_KC

I couldnt imagine a fish that old and heavy putting up too much of a fight.

I wouldn’t think that.
If he was fishing from shore he probably wouldn’t have landed it with the light gear he was using.
Fishing from a John boat he probably just held the line tight to keep it’s head up and let it drag the boat around until it wore out. At least that’s what I would do.

Reerun_KC · 07-22-2010, 09:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Radar Chief

I wouldn’t think that.
If he was fishing from shore he probably wouldn’t have landed it with the light gear he was using.
Fishing from a John boat he probably just held the line tight to keep it’s head up and let it drag the boat around until it wore out. At least that’s what I would do.

My guess too....

Still would of been a rush when you pulled it out of the water.

Rooster · 07-22-2010, 09:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KCUnited

[death metal voice]
Give me back that filet o fish
Give me that fish
Give me back that filet o fish
Give me that fish
[/death metal voice]

Damn it dude.. Now that song is stuck in my head.

Fish · 07-22-2010, 10:07 AM

I found this pretty funny.. Guy catches a big fish and thinks he's on easy street.

Quote:

Pruitt, 38, the outgoing record holder, had hoped to profit from catfish fame by selling DVDs about his catch on his website, www.timpruitt.net. But he says he lost more money in that venture than he cared to discuss and no longer offers catfish merchandise.

boogblaster · 07-22-2010, 10:07 AM

Nice fish, biggest I've ever seen was 89 pounds ....

**gblowfish** · 07-22-2010, 10:08 AM

Why would anybody eat anything pulled out of the Missouri River? Its just a giant open sewer.

Param · 07-22-2010, 10:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rooster

That will be one hell of a fish fry.

heh, ya no kidding! I'd stuff it and mount that thing on my trailer.

CoMoChief · 07-22-2010, 10:29 AM

Damn that's a big catfish. I've seen some huge blue and flat heads while I worked at Lake Jacomo, ones that have been 70+ lbs, almost as big as the people that catch them. But this one's huge.

Radar Chief · 07-22-2010, 10:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Param

heh, ya no kidding! I'd stuff it and mount that thing on my trailer.

Right next to the Boogie Bass.

Fish · 07-22-2010, 10:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gblowfish

Why would anybody eat anything pulled out of the Missouri River? Its just a giant open sewer.

I've boated up and down the Missouri down by the Rivermarket here in KC. There are a few places next to the industrial buildings down there that will downright make you sick. We found a huge pipe that was pouring the most rancid smelling brown sludge into the water. It really made me sick. The smell was so bad I couldn't stay there long. Like rotten yeast or something. It took your breath away. There were a bunch of asian carp in the area too, and they would jump 3 feet out of the water when they heard the boat motor. We had several jump into our boat. All the fish were also covered with the same nasty slimy brown sludge. I'm not really a hardcore environmentalist by any means, but that moment really made me sob for mother Earth. There's no way it's legal to dump whatever that was into the water.

I would never ever ever eat anything from the Missouri river after seeing that.

jbwm89 · 07-22-2010, 10:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LOCOChief

I'll bet that's not the largest blue in that river.

I bet your right there are some huge holes in that river.

Fish that large have so much red meat its not even worth frying them. I caught a 36lb blue in the Missouri took a few pictures and threw her back.

Radar Chief · 07-22-2010, 10:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KC Fish

I found this pretty funny.. Guy catches a big fish and thinks he's on easy street.

I know, a coworker and I were laughing about that also.
Pruitt’s conclusion is exactly right though: cat fishermen are cheap.

07-22-2010, 06:48 AM
Radar Chief Wearing ballistic dog goggles. Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: In the box. Casino cash: $5231503	New record catfish caught in Missouri Florissant man catches record-setting catfish in Missouri BY JOEL CURRIER> jcurrier@post-dispatch.com \| Posted: Wednesday, July 21, 2010 12:25 am ST. CHARLES COUNTY • It was a dead night on the Missouri River. Hardly a nibble on the line for hours. So as storm clouds rolled in about 12:45 a.m. Tuesday, Greg Bernal and his girlfriend decided they'd head for shore after 15 more minutes. Then, suddenly, came a pull on the line stronger than Bernal had ever felt. "That rod just started screaming," said Bernal, 47, of Florissant. "I knew he was big. It raced out, I set the hook and there was no movement at all. I just kept the pressure on him and finally I could feel him thumping." Bernal landed the 130-pound blue catfish that officials say is big enough for a world record held since May 2005 by Tim Pruitt of Alton. Pruitt caught a 124-pound blue catfish on the Mississippi River near Alton. The Missouri record, until Tuesday, was a 103-pound catfish caught with a pole and line in 1991 on the Missouri River. Bernal fought his big catch for 15 minutes and spent another 30 minutes — with help from his girlfriend, Janet Momphard — pulling it into their johnboat as rain pelted them and lightning flashed. The fish's teeth snagged Bernal's hands and drew blood. Bernal and Momphard, 47, a nurse from St. Charles, said they used 40-pound test fishing line and Asian carp as bait. "I am still numb," said Bernal, a lifelong fisherman. "That's the biggest fish I've ever seen." Bernal's fish was at least 25 to 30 years old, officials said. It was 57 inches long and 45 inches in girth. That's one inch shorter but also one inch fatter than Pruitt's catch. Bernal wouldn't reveal the exact location of his fishing spot, saying only it was near the Columbia Bottom Conservation Area. Bernal's fish was weighed Tuesday morning at the Straatmann Feed Store in New Melle. Manager Jim Blair said he brought a portable scale out to the store's front porch, a spectacle that drew a crowd and caused a small-town traffic jam. "It was total chaos," said Blair, 61. "Everybody was jumping for joy. People were getting out of their cars and taking pictures." Bernal's catch will have to be certified before it becomes an official record. Pruitt, 38, the outgoing record holder, had hoped to profit from catfish fame by selling DVDs about his catch on his website, www.timpruitt.net. But he says he lost more money in that venture than he cared to discuss and no longer offers catfish merchandise. "It didn't work so good," Pruitt said. "Catfishermen don't like to spend too much." Pruitt said he is happy for Bernal and isn't bothered that his five-year reign as catfish king is ending. "Records are made to be broken," he said. "I've held it long enough. It's time to pass the torch." Bernal, an unemployed land surveyor, says he won't eat the record-breaking fish, but plans to mount a reproduction in his home, next to a 79.12-pound catfish he caught in 1995. He hopes there's room for another someday. "I'm going to go out there and catch a bigger one," Bernal said. "They're out there." http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/m...7a4a78c22.html
Posts: 25,234

07-22-2010, 08:40 AM	#17
LOCOChief True Chiefs Fan Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Bull Bay Casino cash: $6605791	I'll bet that's not the largest blue in that river.
Posts: 5,453

07-22-2010, 10:07 AM	#23
boogblaster MVP Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Verdigris Valley Campsite Casino cash: $10004900	Nice fish, biggest I've ever seen was 89 pounds .... __________________ WR or S please
Posts: 10,305

07-22-2010, 10:08 AM	#24
gblowfish Be Kind To Your Pets Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Glorious Independence, MO Casino cash: $17666178 VARSITY	Why would anybody eat anything pulled out of the Missouri River? Its just a giant open sewer.
Posts: 40,834

07-22-2010, 10:29 AM	#26
CoMoChief Mahomes Dynasty Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Parts Unknown Casino cash: $8052254	Damn that's a big catfish. I've seen some huge blue and flat heads while I worked at Lake Jacomo, ones that have been 70+ lbs, almost as big as the people that catch them. But this one's huge.
Posts: 39,156