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Submitted by Ned Kehde - June 25, 2001
Mother Nature hands angler and cameraman
setback
On June 17 Steve Hoffman and Rich Eckholm, both of
Brainerd, Minn., and
In-Fisherman, arrived in Lawrence with designs of spending four
nights on
the Kansas River. Their focus centered on Hoffman catching several
big
flathead catfish on a rod and reel and Eckholm videotaping these
catches for
a segment of In-Fisherman's television program, as well as some
footage for
a new In-Fisherman how-to videotape.
Weather forecasters predicted that northeastern Kansas would
be graced
with sunny and balmy weather during this visit. In addition,
several
limb-line anglers caught flatheads that weighed more than 80
pounds during
June's full moon. So the Minnesotans arrived in Lawrence with
an air of
optimism and immediately made plans to probe the river from Eudora
to De
Soto.
Hoffman, however, was a touch dismayed to discover that the
Kaw around
De Soto was running at the rapid pace of 19,900 cubic feet per
second, which
would limit the spots that he could work effectively with a rod
and reel.
Nevertheless, he speculated that the heavy current, coupled with
the effects
of the new moon, would motivate scads of flathead catfish to
make their
annual migration out of the Missouri River and up the Kansas
River in search
of coverts in which to spawn.
On June 18 Hoffman explored the river and found a dozen relatively
deep
lairs that he could probe with a rod and reel. These spots were
bordered by
a fast current and contained some submerged logs and slack water.
Hoffman's knowledge of the flathead is almost encyclopedic.
And if he
isn't already the savviest and most versatile cat fisherman with
a rod and
reel in the nation, he soon will be.
What's more, he is always well equipped and knows how to use
all the
accoutrements.
On this foray, for instance, he brought a jet boat that he
and Kevin
Turner of Hillsboro, Mo., and Turner Marine designed for fishing
shallow
rivers like the Kaw.
Besides this nifty boat, he wielded a seven-foot BWC 2202
Shakespeare Ugly
Stik Tiger rod and a Shakespeare Tidewater 30L reel. The reel
was spooled
with 50-pound-test, solar-colored Trilene Big Game monofilament.
To the
line, he threaded a three-ounce flat slip sinker and a red plastic
bead.
Then he attached a No. l barrel swivel on the line. To the swivel,
he tied
at 12-inch leader made of 50-pound-test, clear Big Game. An
8/0 Mustad Beak
hook, which has turned-up eye, was affixed to the leader with
a snell knot.
When fishing in a massive log jam, Hoffman often removes
the swivel and
leader, which allows the slip sinker and red bead to rest against
the hook.
With this outfit, he will make a short cast or even probe the
logs around
the boat, as if his rod and reel were a limb line.
To allure the Kaw's big flathead, Hoffman prefers to adorn
his hook with
either a seven-inch green sunfish or 11-inch bullhead. When working
these
bait fish in the eddies and slack-water areas, he hooks them
in the back and
behind the dorsal fin. In the faster areas, he hooks them in
through the
lips.
Hoffman has a knack for catching bait, but this time it became
a
formidable chore. Ultimately he did catch two dozen green sunfish
from Elden
Bailey's pond in Leavenworth County. Also Larry McGlinn of Lawrence
and the
folks at Lunker Tackle helped by catching several dozen sunfish.
Mother Nature, however, dashed all these endeavors. Shortly
after
Hoffman became acclimated to the river's flow and a 15-pound
flathead and
two smaller ones were caught and released, northeastern Kansas
became
besieged with continuous volleys of lightning, thunder and copious
quantities on rain. Stranger Creek flooded the countryside, and
at De Soto
the Kaw's flow jumped to 79,300 cfs.
Despite Hoffman's prowess and state-of-the-art equipment,
he couldn't
match Mother Nature's deeds.
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