The Legend of Big Moe

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muddy
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Re: The Legend of Big Moe

Unread postby muddy » Thu Jul 30, 2020 9:14 am

Boogieman1 wrote:
muddy wrote:He must be related to the volkswagon sized mudcats below the dam rollers


Ha! I take it that story is popular on every lake. I remember a while back you posted a pic holding 2 biggens. I believe u said you worked for some fish agency but I’m not positive. I’ve always been curious of what are the best conditions for a flathead to reach its full potential? I only ask cause for whatever reason they get way bigger here than in other neighboring lakes. Blue cat to. But other species like bass, Crappie etc.... seem to grow bigger in the neighboring lakes. Just always been curious to the why



I worked for Iowa department of natural resources, primarily in the fisheries section.

Big cats need big water and big food to become true giants. Lack of fishing pressure ultimately puts the giant fishery into the one that produces the pole and hand breakers. A well implemented catch/ size limit would be ideal to produce "trophy cat fisheries " but most places don't consider cats in the trophy realm. I used to joke with bass and walleye fishermen that if they didn't release their trophy game fish my baby cats wouldn't have nuttin to eat. Always a great ice breaker at the boat ramp.

I remember we shocked up a nice sized flathead, maybe 25 pounds, that night he yacked up a 14" largemouth in the holding tank. I laughed my but off.

Really what makes a fishery into a big cat place are the fishermen and how willing they are to release those 40-50 pounders on hopes they catch them down the road when they're monsters


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Hawthorne
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Re: The Legend of Big Moe

Unread postby Hawthorne » Thu Jul 30, 2020 9:18 am

That would be a good one to get then mount him on your wall
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Boogieman1
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Re: The Legend of Big Moe

Unread postby Boogieman1 » Thu Jul 30, 2020 9:49 am

muddy wrote:
Boogieman1 wrote:
muddy wrote:He must be related to the volkswagon sized mudcats below the dam rollers


Ha! I take it that story is popular on every lake. I remember a while back you posted a pic holding 2 biggens. I believe u said you worked for some fish agency but I’m not positive. I’ve always been curious of what are the best conditions for a flathead to reach its full potential? I only ask cause for whatever reason they get way bigger here than in other neighboring lakes. Blue cat to. But other species like bass, Crappie etc.... seem to grow bigger in the neighboring lakes. Just always been curious to the why



I worked for Iowa department of natural resources, primarily in the fisheries section.

Big cats need big water and big food to become true giants. Lack of fishing pressure ultimately puts the giant fishery into the one that produces the pole and hand breakers. A well implemented catch/ size limit would be ideal to produce "trophy cat fisheries " but most places don't consider cats in the trophy realm. I used to joke with bass and walleye fishermen that if they didn't release their trophy game fish my baby cats wouldn't have nuttin to eat. Always a great ice breaker at the boat ramp.

I remember we shocked up a nice sized flathead, maybe 25 pounds, that night he yacked up a 14" largemouth in the holding tank. I laughed my but off.

Really what makes a fishery into a big cat place are the fishermen and how willing they are to release those 40-50 pounders on hopes they catch them down the road when they're monsters

That’s good stuff Muddy, thank you for your time. I first gotta ask how was the job for Dept of natural resources? Just is one of my dream jobs but sometimes what appears sweet isn’t all roses.

I agree as an angler on a lot that u said. I also disagree or atleast have questions about other aspects that are just opinion based.

Had a guy ask me not to long ago why I just don’t target a big flathead with reel an rod. My answer matches exactly what u said about spitting up that giant bass. A giant catfish eats big fish, subsequently it causes them not to feed often. In my area, a 50+ pound flathead is truly a once in a life time of hard fishing type trophy with traditional tackle. Yet in a single summer with a partner or 2 if we really got after it it. We got get 50 or 60 that size or bigger noodling.

My lake isn’t all that big and certainly isn’t very deep. The deepest part is 35’. It’s basically a mudd hole with creek channels dumping in from every direction. I assume most rod anglers do nothing to affect the population and most noodlers let the biggens free. I don’t know how bait fish play into the equation. But will say if there’s a noodling tournament going on. Which is normally a 3 state deal spread out over a weekend. I will bet on my home town mudd hole every time. Believe the lake record (and I didn’t look so don’t quote me) is around 115lb. The neighboring lakes are like in the 50s and get less pressure. Crazy ordeal and certainly don’t complain about it. But something is going on here.
Life is hard; It’s even harder if you are stupid.
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Boogieman1
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Re: The Legend of Big Moe

Unread postby Boogieman1 » Thu Jul 30, 2020 9:51 am

Hawthorne wrote:That would be a good one to get then mount him on your wall

Most taxidermist in my area won’t mount a catfish due to the thin skin. Usually u just get a replica of its original measurements which kinda looks goofy to me. But a big ole smiley picture will suit me just fine
Life is hard; It’s even harder if you are stupid.
-John Wayne-
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muddy
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Re: The Legend of Big Moe

Unread postby muddy » Thu Jul 30, 2020 10:40 am

Boogieman1 wrote:
muddy wrote:
Boogieman1 wrote:
muddy wrote:He must be related to the volkswagon sized mudcats below the dam rollers


Ha! I take it that story is popular on every lake. I remember a while back you posted a pic holding 2 biggens. I believe u said you worked for some fish agency but I’m not positive. I’ve always been curious of what are the best conditions for a flathead to reach its full potential? I only ask cause for whatever reason they get way bigger here than in other neighboring lakes. Blue cat to. But other species like bass, Crappie etc.... seem to grow bigger in the neighboring lakes. Just always been curious to the why



I worked for Iowa department of natural resources, primarily in the fisheries section.

Big cats need big water and big food to become true giants. Lack of fishing pressure ultimately puts the giant fishery into the one that produces the pole and hand breakers. A well implemented catch/ size limit would be ideal to produce "trophy cat fisheries " but most places don't consider cats in the trophy realm. I used to joke with bass and walleye fishermen that if they didn't release their trophy game fish my baby cats wouldn't have nuttin to eat. Always a great ice breaker at the boat ramp.

I remember we shocked up a nice sized flathead, maybe 25 pounds, that night he yacked up a 14" largemouth in the holding tank. I laughed my but off.

Really what makes a fishery into a big cat place are the fishermen and how willing they are to release those 40-50 pounders on hopes they catch them down the road when they're monsters

That’s good stuff Muddy, thank you for your time. I first gotta ask how was the job for Dept of natural resources? Just is one of my dream jobs but sometimes what appears sweet isn’t all roses.

I agree as an angler on a lot that u said. I also disagree or atleast have questions about other aspects that are just opinion based.

Had a guy ask me not to long ago why I just don’t target a big flathead with reel an rod. My answer matches exactly what u said about spitting up that giant bass. A giant catfish eats big fish, subsequently it causes them not to feed often. In my area, a 50+ pound flathead is truly a once in a life time of hard fishing type trophy with traditional tackle. Yet in a single summer with a partner or 2 if we really got after it it. We got get 50 or 60 that size or bigger noodling.

My lake isn’t all that big and certainly isn’t very deep. The deepest part is 35’. It’s basically a mudd hole with creek channels dumping in from every direction. I assume most rod anglers do nothing to affect the population and most noodlers let the biggens free. I don’t know how bait fish play into the equation. But will say if there’s a noodling tournament going on. Which is normally a 3 state deal spread out over a weekend. I will bet on my home town mudd hole every time. Believe the lake record (and I didn’t look so don’t quote me) is around 115lb. The neighboring lakes are like in the 50s and get less pressure. Crazy ordeal and certainly don’t complain about it. But something is going on here.


I thoroughly enjoyed working Fisheries. The main reason I did it was because I loved hunting more. Once I started fishing with electricity I quit using rod and reel and still haven't really fished in the 11 years since I quit my job to stay home with the kids.

Well each lake is different but if yours has deep creek channels then that's what probably sets it apart from others. No habitat and you ain't gonna have places for big fish to live.

I'd love to see a wild cat over 100#s. I see pics of them quite often but that's nothing compared to real life and getting to pick one up, even if it was someone else's fish.
http://www.iowawhitetail.com
Leading the way for habitat and management information

"It's a good thing you don't need commas and colons to kill deer" -seaz
matt1336
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Re: The Legend of Big Moe

Unread postby matt1336 » Thu Jul 30, 2020 12:23 pm

Boogieman1 wrote:
matt1336 wrote:....man. Sounds cool and scary at the same time. As far as Ik, nobody noodles up here. We have some nice flatheads too. I probably should just stick to pulling smallmouth out of the river.

Matt I don’t wanna scare you from trying a hobby u might really enjoy. Just saying a lot of guys watch a catch on YouTube and assume that guy is sticking his hand up in anything. They can’t see what’s under the water and don’t understand the guy approached the spot knowing exactly where he would stick his hand. The worst I recall ever being hurt was while wrestling a big fish out of a ball of tree roots. I felt something jab in my forearm like something fierce. I thought I had been snake bit. I tried to let go of the fish but he kept grabbing and tugging digging whatever farther in my arm. Fish finally let go but I was still stuck to the tree roots with my head barely above water. I grabbed it with my other hand and ripped it free from the roots. Was a big rattletrap someone broke off. Had that treble buried in my arm past the eye. Freak stuff can happen.



Nah....I have too many hobbies anyway. I’d need a teacher. If I’m down by you in summer I’ll pm you. Thanks bro
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Huntress13
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Re: The Legend of Big Moe

Unread postby Huntress13 » Thu Jul 30, 2020 12:40 pm

Fun to read. But that would certainly not be for me. Gives me the heebie jeebies. :lol:
Twigs in my hair, don't care.


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