Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2020 - 21

The author caught his first Flathead Catfish in Sarah Furnace, Clarion County.

sundry of other baits, such as chicken livers, potent pastes, bait was capable of escaping beneath river rocks and
and classic nightcrawlers worked, Channel Catfish seemed other snags. Though I never landed a Flathead Catfish of
legendary proportions, I caught a few that had the rod and
to prefer a menu with minnows. The constant flow of
heart pumping. We could count on a few Flathead Catfish
water rendered our glowing rod tip tactic useless. Heavy
to make the trip interesting.
weights secured to heavy line was the ticket. Once the bait
settled, line was collected carefully until taut.
Summers come and go, and with their departure, the
Hits were abrupt and exhilarating. With a Channel
dog day's bark and bite often. Yet, during those dog days, I
Catfish well over 10 pounds and 30 inches behind it, the
find myself daydreaming of cat nights.
medium to heavy rod looked like it would
snap. Tangling with a Channel Catfish was
an unfair fight; the lone angler must fight
the fish, the current, and the darkness.
The biggest of Pennsylvania catfish is
the Flathead Catfish. Flathead Catfish
were the final catfish species to swim into
the waters of my youth, prior to a career,
a family, and a mortgage. Late night road
trips to the Allegheny River targeted this
notorious predator.
Hundreds of sunny drifts for
Smallmouth Bass yielded not a single
encounter with a Flathead Catfish. As
if discovering a new species, we started
to work the midnight shift. Our crew
would punch in at dusk and return home
after dawn. Though our destination was
a deeper, slow pool of the Allegheny
River, some nights offered fast action.
As darkness trumped light, our group
would set up shop atop one of the many
large boulders strewn along the Allegheny
River. Balancing personal experience with
conversations of knowledgeable locals, we
found large and local baitfish were crucial
to catching these wily catfish. Such sizeable This Flathead Catfish was caught while fishing in Sarah Furnace, Clarion County.
www.fishandboat.com

Pennsylvania Angler & Boater * July/August 2020

21


http://www.fishandboat.com

Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2020

Contents
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2020 - Cover1
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2020 - Cover2
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2020 - Contents
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2020 - 4
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2020 - 5
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2020 - 6
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2020 - 7
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2020 - 8
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2020 - 9
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2020 - 10
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2020 - 11
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2020 - 12
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2020 - 13
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2020 - 14
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2020 - 15
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2020 - 16
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2020 - 17
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2020 - 18
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2020 - 19
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2020 - 20
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2020 - 21
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2020 - 22
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2020 - 23
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2020 - 24
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2020 - 25
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2020 - 26
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2020 - 27
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2020 - 28
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2020 - 29
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2020 - 30
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2020 - 31
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2020 - 32
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2020 - 33
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2020 - 34
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2020 - 35
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2020 - 36
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2020 - 37
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2020 - 38
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2020 - 39
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2020 - 40
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2020 - 41
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2020 - 42
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2020 - 43
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2020 - 44
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2020 - 45
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2020 - 46
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2020 - 47
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2020 - 48
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2020 - 49
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2020 - 50
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2020 - 51
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2020 - 52
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2020 - 53
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2020 - 54
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2020 - 55
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2020 - 56
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2020 - 57
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2020 - 58
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2020 - 59
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2020 - 60
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2020 - 61
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2020 - 62
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2020 - 63
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2020 - 64
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2020 - 65
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2020 - 66
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2020 - Cover3
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2020 - Cover4
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20240102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20231112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20230910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20230708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20230506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20230304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20230102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20221112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20220910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20220708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20220506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20220304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20220102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20211112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20210910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20210708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20210506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20210304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20210102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20201112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20200910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20200708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20200506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20200304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20200102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20191112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20190910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20190708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20190506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20190304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20190102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20181112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20180910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20180708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20180506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20180304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/201780102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20171112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20170910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20170708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20170506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20170304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20170102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20161112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20160910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20160708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20160506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20160304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20160102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20151112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20150910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20150708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20150506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20150304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20150102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20141112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20140910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20140708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20140506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20140304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20140102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20131112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20130910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20130708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20130506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20130304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20130102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20121112
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com