Crystal, Karoline (5 years old), and I went catfishing on Watts Bar this evening. We took off from the dock, and I got good bait (6 -8" gizzard shad) in the cove that cuts back into the Southwest Point Golf Course just before the Hwy. 58 bridge. We anchored up at one of my favorite big cat spots on the Tennessee River - just off the rock point at Bell cove where the main river channel drops to 70'+. I was armed with my Ambassadeur 7000 spooled up with 50 lb test Big Game Trilene on the 8' St. Croix Cat Rod. The bait was presented on a Carolina rig - 6 ounce egg sinker and a 12/0 Gamakatsu circle hook. Just before dark ~9:00 p.m. I had a monster bite and there was no doubt I just entered a battle with one of the biggest fish I had ever had a chance to land. After just a few minutes of tug of war, the ole boy surfaced. Crystal and Karoline were beside themselves, and when he finally showed up Karoline was wide eyed and stood back as if she didn't know what to do. She was excited but at the same time a bit scared, I guess she didn't know there were any fish in the lake that big. I weighed him on my 50 lb max Rapala digital scale and the scale maxed out. I measured him at about 47", so I estimated he weighed right at 50 lbs. After a few pictures I sent the trophy back on his way to the deeps of the Tennessee. Thanks for the thrill Lord!
