Monday night flathead 5/17/09

[jsl]

I got back early this morning from a flathead excursion in the town of Calipatria( spelling ?). It was my first time there and quite an experience to boot. We fished from 5pm to about 1am in the small canal/irrigation ditches off of hwy111. I ended up with my first ever flathead which weighed in at 9lbs and farmed another. In addition to that, I caught a small channel cat and a huge softshell turtle, both of which were released.

On a side note, it was amazing how such large fish can be caught in such an unexpected place. I thought my buddy was kidding when we pulled up to the spot because it was a tiny little irrigation ditch in the middle of a farm. The width of that thing wasn't any larger than my swimming pool. Plus, the water was gushing down from a dam and couldn't be any deeper than 5 or so feet. Yet, according to my buddy, a gentleman pulled in 4, 30-40lb flats from that little place just yesterday! Sorry but no pix this time.

Scott

[Coach D']

Nice goin Scott! Isn't it amazing. I fished that area recently and caught my 2nd flathead (11lbs). Just make sure your not fishing (more importantly-EATING) in the New River. I hear it is pretty toxic! What were u using for bait. Caught mine on a bluegill (dead).

If you really wanna learn and catch more, then you should check out the West Coast Cat Masters event in Blythe coming up June 18th weekend.

[DockRat]

Good ole Calipatria. Check out the flag pole; 'Top is at Sea Level'
I worked on the Gas Mini Mart, Taco Bell there next to the Calipatria Inn.
Then a Geo Themal power plant next to the Sea. That was a 3 1/2 years lost.

The “World’s tallest flagpole” stands in Calipatria, CA or so the sign at the flagpole’s base says. At 184 feet tall, though, the flagpole is dwarfed by poles in Aqaba, Jordan (400 feet) and even in Sheboygan, Wisconsin by the Acuity Insurance Flag (338 feet; tallest in the US).

The crazy thing is that the Calipatria flagpole stands 184 feet tall and its top is at sea level. Calipatria is in fact the lowest city in the Western Hemisphere and likely better known as home to the Calipatria State Prison.


Imperial dam, All-American Canal Project, Calif. and Ariz., Feb. 22, 1939. View upstream along channels 2, 3, 4

DR

[jsl]

Nice goin Scott! Isn't it amazing. I fished that area recently and caught my 2nd flathead (11lbs). Just make sure your not fishing (more importantly-EATING) in the New River. I hear it is pretty toxic! What were u using for bait. Caught mine on a bluegill (dead).

If you really wanna learn and catch more, then you should check out the West Coast Cat Masters event in Blythe coming up June 18th weekend.

Thanks for the info regarding wccm. We used live goldfish. I have heard about the New River but had no idea where it is. Does it run through that town? We fished the little irrigation ditches just below the little dams. I hope that wasn't the new river.

Scott

[jsl]

Cool pics Docrat, Thx for sharing!!

Scott