I went cat-fishing this evening and though the catch was not plentiful, this one catch was memorable.

I did not actually get a tape measure or scale on it but I can tell you that it was close to 40" and 40 lbs.

It came from the Schuylkill River in Phoenixville. Our catfish around here seem to get bigger and bigger every year with the flathead movement but I think this has to be a record breaker for the Schuylkill or at least, very close. I am pleased to say that I will never know, he is back in the river waiting for someone else to catch him.

Just for reference in this picture, I am 5'-6" and 190 lbs. Yeah yeah yeah, I could stand to lose a couple but seriously, this fish is huge!

Troy McClure

Nice fish!

They are fun to catch... it's unfortunate though that they are actually an invasive species on some of the Pa waters... Although it's recommended they be harvested I would have a hard time doing that also... but they can do a lot of damage with their eating habits!
Whatever the state's opinion... Still a great catch for you! Congrats!!

Heres the state standing on them from the state web site...

fishandboat.com/catfish_flathead.htm


In western Pennsylvania, flathead catfish are native to the Ohio, Allegheny and Monongahela river watersheds. Flathead catfish populations have since been introduced to eastern PA waters where they are not native and not wanted. They were first confirmed at Blue Marsh Reservoir in 1997, based on the age and size of the fish taken, it's likely flatheads had been in the reservoir for some time. Since then flatheads have spread to other non-native waters, including the Schuylkill, Delaware and Susquehanna rivers. Although angling is not expected to eliminate or control abundance of flatheads in eastern PA waters, anglers can help. If anglers catch flathead catfish in the Susquehanna or Schuylkill River basins, they are encouraged to take them and not release them, regardless of size....more.

Wow! what a monster.

I have heard about the commish's encouragement to "scourge" flats out of the skuke and susky. It seems silly!

there's an element of hypocracy to the whole issue. While the commish says it wants skuke free of "invasive" trophy flats; it absolutely litters Erie (and its tribe) with trophy, "invasive" rainbow trout (aka "steelhead"). (actually I spose there stocked, but depending on how you see it, trout/salmon have done well in the great lakes and weren't here, so aren't they "invasive"?)

of course, it claims steelhead are too cool and popular to discourage. $$$

anyways from my experience there are few fish like a larger flathead. (even though my PB is a long ways from the beast you caught). It encourages a certain commitment/obsession thats not easy to explain

although I give you full kudos for releasing a monster that might give another alot of joy, I don't know that I could do that. its highly likely that a skuke river record is prolly a state record. (state record is around 45#) I bumped into some talented skuke cat anglers that have regularly tied into #40. one day one of you is going to bring in the state record.

as a state that holds flatheads, 45# is kind of lightweight. and even a northern state like Ohio has given up flatheads quite a lot bigger.... but there's something about the upper Ohio and the skuke, that offer hope that one day PA will catch up. What do you think, was this a state record fish. should you catch a fish that you're pretty sure IS a state record fish, would you turn it in? Also, you know cabelas has bought trophy cats from anglers before...

anyway, I wish flathead were even more common. I'm to far upstream to really target them.