# Oppopotamus on Conroe!! (long)



## SEA PRO 210 (Jun 11, 2004)

Well, I finally caught the elusive Lake Conroe Opelusa I have been searching for my whole life. I have fished Conroe my entire life and have only caught 2 Flatheads ever. One was about 3 years ago on ron-n-reel about 18.5 inches and the other was about 15lbs in a castnet. I kept the 18.5 incher in a 60 gal aquarium for 2 years and finally let it go in my buddies pond and let the 15 pounder go cause it was not a legal catch.
Anyways I have always loved big Flatheads since I was a kid and wanted a big one of my own out of Conroe. I have caught them up to 30lbs on limb lines in the Nueces River but never out of Conroe. 
Well after my brother caught a 54lb one on rod-n-reel a few months ago out of Conroe I have been on a "mission" to bring a monster from the depths of this lake.
Sunday night I got my wish with a 40lb one on a jug. After setting the jugs and putting a four man limit of hybrids in the boat in just over an hour we went back to run them and see what was in store for us. We ran 15 jugs and did pretty good on the first 13, but the last 2 were tangled together so we knew there was fish on them. 
My buddy grabs one jug and breaks the mainline at the jug. He tells me that it was hung up and just broke the line. We swing back around and grab the second one and pull up a 10ft x-mas tree with 2 jugs tangled all up in it and 5 good Channel cats dangling like ornaments.
We all start laughing about how we got catfish for presents and begin cutting/picking them out of the tree while my buddy is holding it whining the whole time about how heavy this thing is. 
Well I am taking my time removing the Channels trying to save what was left of my jugs and get the last one off when we look down and see "The Beast" in all her glory just laying there nice and quiet. My net was not made for a cat this size so I went in with my hand under her gill plate and slowly put the grip on her. She offered little resistance until I got her in the boat and even then it was not much. 
I wrestled with keeping her and unbelievably my friends were all in agreement to let her go because her belly was so swollen with eggs and her fins were all red and tore up. 
So with no camera on the boat we all said our goodbyes and after a quick revival she made her way back into the depths. Not even 3 minutes later my buddies in another boat pulled up with a camcorder and camera. Oh well, that's the way it goes but I finally got my Opp. Ended the night with 15 Channels to 4 lbs, 3 blues to 12lbs, 20 fat hybrids, 5 whites and 1 lifelong quest fulfilled.......Evan


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## Gorda Fisher (Aug 19, 2005)

Great report, i enjoyed it. Good job on letting the big girl go. I hate when i forget my camera.


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## LIONESS-270 (May 19, 2005)

Congrats, you have your memories and friends who shared them, you did a wonderful thing in letting that big girl go.

greenie and my respects to you.

Robs


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## SEA PRO 210 (Jun 11, 2004)

My first Greenie!!!!!! 


Thanks Lioness for my first one and your kind words. I have been reading yours and Chief's reports for some time now and I have the utmost respect for the both of you. Your deer hunting reports this past fall kept me on the edge of my seat until you put one on the ground. Nice mess of crappie a few weeks ago I saw too. I not only love big catfish but big cats as well and your avatar makes me smile everytime I see it. Thanks again for my first greenie......Evan


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## CFARMS (Apr 22, 2005)

*Fantastic*

Nice post, congratulations on the catch and release. Greenie coming your way. GC


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## Rog (May 27, 2004)

Good story! Greenie from me as well.


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## Bucksnort (Jun 29, 2004)

great story...man I wish I could have seen a pic of that fish...congrats on a great trip


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## NightTrain (May 21, 2004)

*SeaPro....*

Good job,hoss......and a well written account.Didja get to weigh her?Kinda made ya feel good to watch that behemoth swim away....didn't it?And some eaters in the boat as well....


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## Gorda Fisher (Aug 19, 2005)

*Hey*



SEA PRO 210 said:


> My first Greenie!!!!!!
> 
> Thanks Lioness for my first one and your kind words. I have been reading yours and Chief's reports for some time now and I have the utmost respect for the both of you. Your deer hunting reports this past fall kept me on the edge of my seat until you put one on the ground. Nice mess of crappie a few weeks ago I saw too. I not only love big catfish but big cats as well and your avatar makes me smile everytime I see it. Thanks again for my first greenie......Evan


Did you not get my greenie?


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## SEA PRO 210 (Jun 11, 2004)

*Weight*

Gorda, I see now that I did but I didn't know you gave me one when I was replying to Lioness. I went from none to 4 on one post so I'm feeling pretty good about now. Glad to know others share my love for big girls.

Nightrain, 
Yes we weighed her on a Rapala digital scale that goes up to 50lb. She bounced between 38.10 lbs and 41.2 lbs so we settled on an even 40. I can't begin to tell you how good it felt to see her "waddle" back into the abyss. I remember catching 40-70 pounders on Toledo Bend with my grandpa as a kid and have always been fascinated with them. 
Funny how things like that stick in a person's mind all these years. You never heard of cpr on big fish like that back then. I always assumed when I finally caught one I would drive it around town for a week and show everyone I know, but it just felt right to let her do her duty. Hopefully my grandkids will catch one of her offspring in 20 years...Evan


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## OxbowOutfitters (Feb 17, 2006)

Evan..you did the right thing lettin her go..Next year there will be lil Opps loose & abound.
If I ever figure out how to give a greenie, Your 1st on my list.
Great story..

Oxx..


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## Gorda Fisher (Aug 19, 2005)

SEA PRO 210 said:


> Gorda, I see now that I did but I didn't know you gave me one when I was replying to Lioness. I went from none to 4 on one post so I'm feeling pretty good about now. Glad to know others share my love for big girls.


Thats cool. I figured thats what happened. I just wanted to make sure you got it. Keep up the good reports.

GF


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## Freshwaterman (May 21, 2004)

Not Bad Master Eeeeeee


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## Hogpaw (Mar 26, 2006)

Congrats on the Catch and Release.


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