Go Back   Winnipesaukee Forum > Winnipesaukee Forums > Fish Tales
Home Forums Gallery Webcams Blogs YouTube Channel Classifieds Calendar Register FAQDonate Members List Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 08-29-2010, 08:51 PM   #1
Diver1111
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Exeter NH
Posts: 596
Thanks: 0
Thanked 1,027 Times in 224 Posts
Default 3 foot catfish?

While diving off Welch I encountered what I think was a catfish-easily 36 to 40" long. Sitting in a bowl-shaped depression just staring at me. I approached and he didn't flinch. Brown, and blended in with the bottom color-wise but he was easy to see. Large head maybe 10" across, body tapering to a tail that was about 4" in diameter-this 4" diameter was about one foot from the tail. His jaw (and body) were on the bottom vs. swimming so I couldn't see if there were any whiskers. I saw him at a depth of 71 feet.

Do catfish-if that's what it was-get that big? This was the biggest fish length and girth-wise I have ever seen in Winni. I've seen 4 foot carp and 7 foot eels in the CT River but nothing like this in Winni.

Curious.
Thanks.
Diver1111 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-29-2010, 09:19 PM   #2
trfour
Senior Member
 
trfour's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: The Lakes, Central NH. and Dallas/Fort Worth TX.
Posts: 3,694
Blog Entries: 3
Thanks: 3,069
Thanked 472 Times in 236 Posts
Default I Think That Our M/S Mount Washington Has The...

Largest Cats here on Lake Winnipesaukee!

Yes, catfish get very large!

Here's at least a four footer.



Terry
____________________________________

Here's a puppy.
Attached Images
 
__________________
trfour

Always Remember, The Best Safety Device In The Boat, or on a PWC Snowmobile etc., Is YOU!

Safe sledding tips and much more; http://www.snowmobile.org/snowmobiling-safety.html

Last edited by trfour; 08-30-2010 at 08:08 AM. Reason: Add-a-line
trfour is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-29-2010, 09:49 PM   #3
Jonas Pilot
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Wolfeboro, New Hampshire is my home, 24-7-365
Posts: 1,686
Thanks: 1,047
Thanked 336 Times in 189 Posts
Default

I wonder if it was a burbot. Other common names; cusk, ling, lawyer, eelpout and freshwater cod.

for pic,
http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=...ed=0CBgQ9QEwAA
Jonas Pilot is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-30-2010, 02:11 AM   #4
ApS
Senior Member
 
ApS's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Florida (Sebring & Keys), Wolfeboro
Posts: 5,780
Thanks: 2,078
Thanked 735 Times in 530 Posts
Post

1) A tenant at my Florida lakefront location told me of his releasing a "lawyer" about 4' long. I thought back then, that it was another "trash" fish, 'til I connected burbot (cusk) with it.

Days later, I saw a floating ~3-pound bass moving oddly under the dock in the murky water, and walked over to take a look at it. All motion ceased when I peered over and in the next moment, all I saw was a huge dark-brown head gulp down the remainder of the bass and swim off.

2) Environmentally-sensitive fishermen might want to look at this page:
http://www.in-fisherman.com/other-fish/burbot

In addition to a large alligator gar photo, there are a few interesting fishman articles. One article concerns the performance of a "sorta" laparoscopy on your fresh-caught fish to release it unharmed from a hook. (New to me, anyway).
ApS is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-30-2010, 06:41 AM   #5
topwater
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 302
Thanks: 85
Thanked 116 Times in 48 Posts
Default

Hauns, chances are what you saw was a CUSK. It is a bottom dweller and does like deep water. People fish for them exclusively in the winter because they make a great chowder. They use a 1lb weight with dead bait, and put them on the bottom. During the winter, if you have ever seen a row of ice mounds on the lake with a stick in them , they are cusk lines, and I believe you are allowed 6 of them, thats why you see them all in a row. Hope this helps.
However, I did see a ambulance once being brought out to a island on a barge. following closely behind the barge was a pack of large cusks, so they might be called lawyers too. Not really sure on that one.
topwater is offline   Reply With Quote
The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to topwater For This Useful Post:
ApS (08-30-2010), Jonas Pilot (08-30-2010)
Sponsored Links
Old 08-30-2010, 08:04 AM   #6
hilltopper
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Meredith
Posts: 714
Thanks: 25
Thanked 105 Times in 66 Posts
Default

The state record cusk, caught in Winni in March of 2007, was 34.5" long and weighed in at 12 lbs. 3.52 oz. You're saying the one you saw was 36" to 40" long so I gotta ask...GPS coordinates?
hilltopper is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-30-2010, 08:56 AM   #7
Diver1111
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Exeter NH
Posts: 596
Thanks: 0
Thanked 1,027 Times in 224 Posts
Default Not a cusk

Based on the photos, no way this was a cusk. Head was massive, like a catfish, and everything tapered from there to the tail. I know catfish get huge (ever seen them "noodle"?) but I was wondering if they get that big in Winni.

The largest circumference of this thing was at the head. As I said, maybe 10" across.

Found off East/NE Welch looking at the Ossipees.
Diver1111 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-30-2010, 09:46 AM   #8
Jonas Pilot
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Wolfeboro, New Hampshire is my home, 24-7-365
Posts: 1,686
Thanks: 1,047
Thanked 336 Times in 189 Posts
Default

The largest cat fish, a white, ever caught in NH was 23" long. The largest burbot on record was 34.5" in length. It's highly unlikely you would find a cat fish in water 71 feet deep. This is a burbot. It was around 20" long.
Attached Images
 
Jonas Pilot is offline   Reply With Quote
The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to Jonas Pilot For This Useful Post:
ApS (10-18-2010), secondcurve (08-30-2010)
Old 08-31-2010, 07:23 AM   #9
Mink Islander
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2004
Posts: 753
Thanks: 59
Thanked 271 Times in 129 Posts
Default Cusk for sure!

I caught an 8 pounder a couple of years ago (unfortunately the week PRIOR to the Rotary Fishing Derby). Huge head -- I had to chisel the hole open further to get it through the ice.
Mink Islander is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-31-2010, 09:17 AM   #10
Grant
Senior Member
 
Grant's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Pennsyltuckey, Tuftonboro, Moultonborough
Posts: 1,485
Thanks: 337
Thanked 212 Times in 116 Posts
Default

I agree that it could've been a cusk. Senter Cove Guy and I saw two good sized cusk on the speedboat wreck you pointed us to in early June. They, too, didn't scare easily, and hung around quite close while we explored the wreck for a good 30-40 minutes. They are deeper/colder fish, and get pretty big. The wide, flat head could be mistaken for a cat.
__________________
"When I die, please don't let my wife sell my dive gear for what I told her I paid for it."
Grant is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-18-2010, 12:21 AM   #11
ripley
Senior Member
 
ripley's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Posts: 55
Thanks: 0
Thanked 3 Times in 2 Posts
Default

This the largest catfish you ever see ,even if you live another 199 years !!

633 pounds !

ripley is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Bookmarks

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is On

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 05:00 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.

This page was generated in 0.60458 seconds