How durable are catfish

[FishingLunatic]

So I caught one around 21 or 22 inches and although it wasn't huge, it fought very hard. He raced up river, jumped several times, etc before I got him in. When I got him in, I put him on the ground and he just would not lay still and was jumping and rolling in the rocks and dirt as I was pulling out my flashlight so I could see what I was doing. I took a picture of him and then proceeded to remove the hook which turned out to be quite difficult. I hooked him kind of weird, the hook went through his lips and through his skin near his eye! So my pliers were useless and must have gotten broken so I had to get the hook out by hand in the dark. So I by hand, I pushed really hard.

He seemed fine as I carried him back to the water but when I let him go, I did several minutes of that swimming back and forth motion you're supposed to do and when he left, he didn't shoot off like most of the fish I release do. He didn't belly up or swim weirdly, he just really took his time and even when i push my hand in the water next to him, he didn't get scared or anything, he just swam leisurely back into the middle. I thought that was strange considering how crazy he was going on the fight in and then on the shore. There's no way in the world he would that would have ever came lose if I let him go like that, so I thought getting the hook out would be the best thing to do.

Do you guys think he's gonna be alright and should I have left the hook in him or no? He didn't even end up bleeding, but I had to be pretty rough with a firm grip around him and push really hard since he was being so squirmy. Oh and here's the pathetic picture of him.
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[SkunkedAgain]

Cats seem to be pretty tough, I'll bet it will be fine. Nice job, those cats are fun. Later J
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[TubeDude]

[#0000FF]Catfish ARE tough...much tougher than trout or some other species. Most seasoned catters have their own tales of seeing cats survive some tough treatment.

Will that catfish you caught survive and prosper? I suspect it will. But I can guarantee it had a better chance of survival with you releasing it than if you took it home.
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[setthehook]

I have seen catfish come back to life after being out of the water for several hours. They for sure are the cockroaches of fresh water.
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[FishMcFisherson]

The catfish will be fine. I left one out of the water for 6 hours once in the middle of summer and when I got home to filet it, it was still alive.

Your future in photography however, is quite dead.
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[Troll]

I kow of a guy who was fishing Willard one day several years ago. He got into the cats pretty good and as was his normal, he threw them into the back of the truck for the ride home to the fryer.
He stopped and bought some oil and crumbs and a 12ie at the Smiths and continued home to Salt Lake.
When he got home and was cleaning the fish his son came out and took one, his son put it into the plastic pond in the back yard.
The guy thought he was a fish short but it wasn't until the next week while cleaning the pond that he knew why.
By now the fish had a name and was being fed by his son. He had not intended to break the law by transporting live fish and thought that the ride home in the back of the truck in 100 degree heat would have him covered, not so.
He got rid of 'kitty' and told his son that a racoon must have gotten him. Broke the little boys heart.

Catfish are tough, real tough, until you take the skin off them and dip in batter.
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[FishingLunatic]

Well that's good to hear cause I never keep them and don't want it waste. Hahaha about the photo...that's what u get when your a broke 19 year old. To poor to afford a iphone or even a decent camera lol. What little money I do make goes towards overpriced college and fishing gear [fishon]
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