Hello, Readers!
I'm bringing you guys the results of the 1st Catfish Tourney on the Banks that was held on the Schuylkill Banks (tidal Schuylkill River) yesterday form 9-3 p.m. It was a little bit windy; however, the weather turned out to be super nice, not to mention that the fish were biting good!
The number of participants on yesterday's competition were pretty low (less than 10), as expected. After all, it is memorial weekend (lots of people away). Unfortunately, I wasn't able to change the date of the competition because of the permit - the date on the document must match the date of the competition. Even though, the tourney was still a blast and the participants had lots of fun!
The results are below, and they were posted yesterday on EPF's Facebook page as well:
The winners of the first Catfish Tourney on the Banks (05/26) were:
1st Place - Kevin W. with a bag of 16.09lbs (4.12, 3.94, 3.46, 2.77, 1.80)
1st Place - Kevin W. with a bag of 16.09lbs (4.12, 3.94, 3.46, 2.77, 1.80)
2nd Place - Linda Z. with a bag of 12.98lbs (4.05, 2.61, 2.57, 2.30, 1.45)
3rd Place - Don G. with a bag of 10.84lbs (3.32, 3.10, 1.96, 1.25, 1.21)
Big Fish - Kevin W. - 4.12lbs Channel Catfish (22 inches)
For the whole competition (less than 10 participants), a total of 25 Catfish were caught, totaling 57.53lbs. The photo of the three winners are below:
The Winners: Kevin W. on the center with his Berkley Powerbait bag, Linda Z. on the left with her Daiwa Reel/Rod combo, and Don G. on the right with his Rap-X X-walk lure.
The 1st Catfish Tourney on the Banks was a great success. One of my fears was that people wouldn't catch fish! However, most participants got at least one Channel Catfish, and the winners got a full bag (5 biggest)! Not only that, there were some rare catches during the competition as well - a Striped Bass and a Flathead Catfish (this one was added to Kevin's bag). The spot where the Tourney was held certainly didn't end up disappointing me!
It was a lot of fun to see people catching fish down on the Schuylkill Banks - each with their own fishing styles and gear. After all, the general public often tends to believe that Catfishing is pretty simple and dull - that "anyone can do it." The truth is that the big ones are always harder to catch, doesn't matter which Species they belong to. Therefore, selecting the bait, rig, presentation, gear...these are all small factors that contribute for better results. It's with these arguments that I am able to say that Catfishing for big Cats is certainly a challenge, and a Catfish competition is nothing but the best way to see who is on top of the game!
I took some pictures during the competition. Enjoy:
Keith S. Sr. with a 2.93lb (18.5 inches) Channel Catfish.
Kevin W. with a 3.94lb (20 inches) Channel Catfish.
Although it wasn't part of his bag, Keith S. landed this Striped Bass while fishing for Catfish during the Tourney.
Linda Z. with a 2.61lbs (19.5 inches) Channel Catfish.
Joe M. with a 2.36lbs (17 inches) Channel Catfish.
Don G. with a 3.32lbs (20.5 inches) Channel Catfish.
Highlight picture of the competition goes to Kevin W. (1st place) for this Flathead Catfish, caught right under the Walnut Street bridge! Although the fish wasn't a monster (3.46lbs, 20.5 inches), it was still a great addition to his bag of 16.09lbs.
Kenny A. with a 3.10lbs (20 inches) Channel Catfish.
The 1st Catfish Tourney on the Banks was a blast! It you weren't able to participate in it, don't worry. The 2nd Catfish Tourney on the Banks will be held on June 23rd, 2013 (Sunday). Therefore, don't feel bad if you missed the first one! If you want to join us and participate on the 2nd one, send an e-mail to sheng12182527@gmail.com for the application form.
- The competition will be held from 9-3 p.m.
- 2 Rods per participant/team.
- $20 dollars entry fee.
For prizes and additional rules/information, click here.
I wish to see you all on the 2nd Catfish Tourney on the Banks! I'm sure it will be a blast.
Best of luck for all of us,
Long Days and Pleasant Nights,
Sincerely,
Leo S.
