Next catfish record?

[mateo]

I was just curious where you all thought the next state record catfish was going to come from. Utah lake, willard, flaming gorge? How big are the cats in Echo?
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[icefool]

We have caught only a couple of nice cats out of Echo. They ran from about 20 inches to 22 inches.The funny thing was that I caught mine on powerbait.
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[Shrimpboy]

I think it's in Utah Lake or Lake Powell. I saw a 25 pounder come out of Utah Lake three years ago. The guy caught it on a 6"X6" slab of carp meat.

I've been told that Echo and Flaming Gorge are too cold for them to get too big. In fact, I heard once that the Gorge is too cold for them to even be able to spawn and that all the cats in there are planted.
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[TubeDude]

[cool][blue][size 1]I might question the stats on the Gorge cats. They live in far colder lakes and climates than the Gorge and do just fine in the spawning department. You find healthy populations of spawning cats in northern Minnesota and up into Canada. In fact, the Red River, which comes out of Lake Winnepeg, is well known for its large population of big cats...many over 20 pounds.[/size][/blue]

[#0000ff][size 1]Anybody out there have anything definitive from the DWR on that?[/size][/#0000ff]
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[Kayote]

I know of a sleeper water for big channel cats, Pelican Lake. I have seen several in Pelican that were close to the record, but they are few and far between. For some reason they don't reproduce in there (?). I think they are transplanted individually by anglers coming up from the Green River at Ouray. I have never seen a juvinile channel cat there, but I found a skull and spine on the beach at ice out once that would have easily been the Utah state record. In low water years you can see them sitting inside the old tires some nimrod has dumped in the lake. Just my dos centavos.

Good Catfishing, Kayote
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[mateo]

I've never been to pelican, but from the sounds of it, it's my kind of lake. I think I'll have to take a trip this year.
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[cat_man]

I think it would definitely have to be Utah Lake, with a possibility of Lake Powell. All the cats I ever caught in powell though were tiny skinny little critters. Utah Lake they're always FAT no matter how long they are.
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[TheJensenKid15]

I'd have to say either Pelican or the Jordan river. Both are sleepers for huge channels. Especially the way lower jordan.
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[Coldfooter]

I agree,, cold water climate's do grow some large cats,, but its my feeling that Utah Lake or Powell will produce the next state record Big Blue. However,, the lower Green River has to rank near the top of trophy water for big cats in Utah also..

One problem I find with Powell and it cats population is that Powell merely has to many kitty mouths to feed.. Anyone thats ever toss cat bait at Powell knows there is no tricks needed to have a channel cat fry,, but a big one isnt easy to come across.. But hey,, those small ones are good eatin' and far less fatty!
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[TIBBZZ]

I agree, the Jordan River or Utah Lake. The Jordan is very under fished.Some kids on the news a couple years ago pulled one out in the 20 pound range. You can also pull 24" ers fairly regular night fishing in the middle of summer.
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