It was 9 p.m. on May 22 when Andrew Karsten and a small group of friends were fishing for big catfish in Michigan’s St. Joseph River. Located below the Berrien Springs Dam, the river is near the southwest Michigan town of Berrien Springs — and is locally known as the “Fisherman’s Haven.”
The 36-foot-high hydroelectric dam created Lake Chapin in 1908 and is a popular spot for fishing and boating.
“We were below the dam and catching a few flathead catfish in the river tailrace from shore,” Karsten told Wired2fish. “We had a couple small flatheads under 10 pounds, and one 15-pounder, which all were released.”
“The Big Catfish Swarmed In”
Around 9 p.m., a dam gate opened near the shore, creating swift current in a hole 25- to 35-feet deep, Karsten explained. When the gate opened, he cast a giant live rock bass bait into the swirling water.
“As soon as the dam gates opened, the big catfish swarmed in like Pavlov’s dogs coming to a dinner bell,” said the 37-year-old angler from Eau Claire, Michigan. “All kinds of food wash out of the lake into the river, and that triggers fish to feed. It’s a great place to catch a ‘Michigan Monster’ catfish.
“I had a giant rock bass hooked in the back near the dorsal fin and cast it toward the hole. The bait never reached bottom before a flathead took my bait.”
Fighting a Flathead
Karsten used a 7.5-foot heavy action Zakk Royce spinning rod, with a Quantum 80-series reel. It was spooled with 50-pound test Slime Line monofilament and a 30-pound test mono leader. A 10/0 Sumo circle hook barbed the catfish when it took Karsten’s oversize rock bass bait.
“With that heavy tackle, I can turn a fish fast — even when standing on rocks near shore,” he explained. “It’s real power fishing, and I’m confident everything will hold during a fight with a huge catfish.”
Karsten said the fish fight lasted only about five minutes. He had no trouble getting the flathead near the bank, where he grabbed the oversized flathead and hauled it onto shore.
A Little Help from His Friends
Several nearby pals came to help Karsten with his catch, measuring and weighing the fish, while taking some photos and videos.
They measured the massive flathead at 46 inches in length, with a 48.1-pound weight. Then the fish was promptly released back into the St. Joe River.
Karsten will enter his big cat for a Michigan Master Angler catch-and-release award, which requires a 35-inch long or better flathead to qualify, he said.
“It’s not near a Michigan record for catch and release flathead catfish,” he said. “My goal is to catch a 50-pounder. And when I do, I’ll get a mount made of that ‘Michigan Monster.’”
