His Biggest Channel Catfish to Date

That's how Joe V., another one of my regular readers whom I just heard from today, described the fish in this picture. He caught it this past Sunday afternoon while fishing for four hours in the lake behind his house in the Indian Lakes section of Kempsville. The 10-lb. cat was so strong it took Joe about 10 minutes to land him on bass spinning gear.

The 55-year-old Joe says his dad got him hooked on fishing as a kid. "When I was old enough, he would take me, spring and fall, to Mill Dam Creek, Snake Creek, Blackwater River, and various spots in Back Bay," he explained. "I got the bass-fishing bug early and, until my late teen years, spent almost every spare moment bass fishing." He went on to say that he almost stopped fishing altogether during college and his early married years. He eventually picked it back up again but lacked a boat to get to the waters he really wanted to fish.

For the past five years or so, Joe has become an avid carp fisherman. "I'm trying to break the 20-lb. barrier but, so far, only have made it to the 15.5-lb. mark," he said. Why carp? "Because they are plentiful, large, and a lot of fun to land on bass tackle or lighter gear."

Last summer, Joe visited West Neck Marina a couple times and bank fished. As he related to me, "I caught 20 to 30 bluegill and other small fish in just a couple hours of fishing that point near the boat launch."

Like a lot of other folks, Joe also reads Charlie's blog and has been talking to him about the possibility of getting a kayak this summer so he can get out to some of those spots he fished as a kid. He especially would like to be able to check out a canal in Southern Shores, just off the Currituck Bridge at Nags Head, where he once boated a 6-lb. 12-oz. bass--his biggest one to date--on a Mepps minnow spinner.

Joe said he anxiously checks both Charlie's blog and mine daily for new posts.

Here's wishing you "Tight Lines!" no matter what species you're after, Joe. And good luck in saving up for that kayak, too.