Elk City Kansas

Eighty-pound catch shocks biologists at Kansas' El Dorado Lake

Last Friday, Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism biologists caught and released a huge flathead catfish at the lake.

"It's the biggest thing I've seen in my career," said Craig Johnson, the lake's fisheries biologist.

"The pictures don't do the thing justice, really. Not only was it a long fish, it was a really thick fish, too, with a huge head."

Johnson said biologist Sean Lynott told him it was the second-biggest flathead he'd ever seen. The only other was the 123-pound state and world record caught at Kansas' Elk City Lake in 1998.

Johnson and others conservatively estimated the fish at 80 pounds. That number could change quickly.

Asked whether he thought Moby Catfish could swallow a 5-pound carp, Johnson chuckled and said, "Absolutely no problem."

Johnson and others were electro-fishing the lake that day, sending jolts of electricity into the water to hopefully stun blue catfish. After reaching the surface, the blue catfish were measured, weighed and released unharmed.

The shocking boat was in water about 30 feet deep over the old Walnut River channel when the big flathead floated to the surface.

Biologists put the huge fish into a large holding tank of water, where it got plenty of oxygen and quickly recovered. After a few photos it was released into the lake.

Flathead catfish are currently the largest fish in Kansas, living in most river systems and in sizable lakes. Kansas fishermen regularly catch 60- to 70-pounders using hand-sized or bigger live fish for bait.

Occasionally, anglers fishing for walleye or bass will tie into a sizable flathead while fishing with lures.

Several years ago a flathead weighing about 60 pounds was added to an aquarium with other Kansas fish at the Cabela's store in Kansas City, Kan. True to the species, the fish spent most its time resting on the bottom.

Cabela's staff said every few days, though, they would count the fish and there would be a 2-pound crappie or nice- sized bass missing.

Because they mainly eat live fish and are so passive, the meat of flatheads is mellow-tasting, tender and white.

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