04-05-2003, 11:48 AM
[cool]Hey, Mr. Hunter, nice of you to drop in...scattering your potshots and wisecracks as usual. You always pick on us little guys (snicker snicker). And by the way, ALL of us "cats" fit just fine in "J.J.". That's the moniker for "Jimmy Junior", our second GMC fishmobile. I fit just fine in the captain's chair. I fit much better in a small Jimmy than most of the foreign full size. I have not yet perfected the ancient art of leg braiding.
As for the size of the crappies in Arizona, I think the state record is around 4.5 pounds. My biggest is about a pound under that, but I lost count of the ones I have taken over 3. In fact, in most of the better crappie waters in Arizona, I am disappointed by any under 2. Eat your heart out Northern Boy.
I'm posting up another pic, with another flathead taken from the Caddis craft that my Utah friend Mike just inherited. It also was taken while light tackle fishing for smaller species. I have wrestled with several over twenty and bunches over ten. Notice the basket of mixed crappies and "eatin' sized channel cats"
By the way, for those who have never eaten flathead cats, you have truly missed out on some fine eatin'. They feed exclusively on live prey...like crawdads, fish, worms, etc. This produces a delicious mild flesh that is hard to beat. The best bait for them is usually a large sunfish or small carp or sucker. They have big mouths and large ones can gulp fish or several pounds in weight.
They pretty much lay dormant at the bottom of deep holes throughout the colder months. When they first begin waking up in the spring (crappie time) they will bite almost anything that swims in front of them. They are not active enough to successfully chase larger prey until the water gets over about 75 degrees. So, they will munch smaller lures early in the season, but once they hit full form, you need MEAT to interest them. Although there are a lot of surprised bass fishermen who get bit on standard bassin plastics and hardbaits. Many is the bassman who is already counting the prize money for a world record bass who finds an ugly whiskerface attached to the end of his string.
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As for the size of the crappies in Arizona, I think the state record is around 4.5 pounds. My biggest is about a pound under that, but I lost count of the ones I have taken over 3. In fact, in most of the better crappie waters in Arizona, I am disappointed by any under 2. Eat your heart out Northern Boy.
I'm posting up another pic, with another flathead taken from the Caddis craft that my Utah friend Mike just inherited. It also was taken while light tackle fishing for smaller species. I have wrestled with several over twenty and bunches over ten. Notice the basket of mixed crappies and "eatin' sized channel cats"
By the way, for those who have never eaten flathead cats, you have truly missed out on some fine eatin'. They feed exclusively on live prey...like crawdads, fish, worms, etc. This produces a delicious mild flesh that is hard to beat. The best bait for them is usually a large sunfish or small carp or sucker. They have big mouths and large ones can gulp fish or several pounds in weight.
They pretty much lay dormant at the bottom of deep holes throughout the colder months. When they first begin waking up in the spring (crappie time) they will bite almost anything that swims in front of them. They are not active enough to successfully chase larger prey until the water gets over about 75 degrees. So, they will munch smaller lures early in the season, but once they hit full form, you need MEAT to interest them. Although there are a lot of surprised bass fishermen who get bit on standard bassin plastics and hardbaits. Many is the bassman who is already counting the prize money for a world record bass who finds an ugly whiskerface attached to the end of his string.
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