catfishnation

Ron Lewis of Point of Rocks , Maryland out for a day of fishing lands new
State record bluecats.
Ron after finding the catfish nation web site stated reading alot of the post
about the potomac river. Along with all the help and pictures other
members have offered up on the site Ron used that information to set
himself in the right spot at the right time and ended up with the new
Maryland State record blue cat.
A monster of a fish 51" long with a 34 1/2 " grith and tipping the scale at 67
.10 lb. The Old Records was set back on Sept 30 2006 when Catfish Nation
member Josh Fitchett boated a 65.8 lber in the same waters. Josh's fish has
been in the Bass Pro Tank in Hanover Maryland and will be moved to a
new Bass Pro Shop soon to open in Virginia..
Ron fish still need to be checked out by Maryland Fisheries but should be
set as the new record Bluecat in the next day or so. In about 30 days or so
Ron fish will then be added to the Bass Pro Shop Tank in Hanover and at
that time Ron and a few officers from the Catfish Nation will be there to
welcome anglers and show off the fish.

I would like to thank Ron for letting me help with the care of moving this
fish from the river to the BPS store. I have been luck to find a boat with a
big livewell that can handle a fish of this size. But even more I have a great
unit that will keep a fish of this size alive and well.

The AWKA-LUNG stay a live unit has been a live saver for me now 2 times
in the last week. This time I got a call from Ron and was told he had what
maybe a new record fish so I asked a few questions and I was off with the
boat to help out a member. When I pulled into the ramp the fish was
showing alittle signs of wear so we put the boat in the water and filled the
livewell. Turned on the awka-lung unit and the air bubbles was on. We then
put the fish into the live well and within a short time the fish was moving
all around.
Because it was not only sunday but Easter sunday at that getting people
from Maryland Fisheries was not going to happen. For this to be a state
record that need to see the fish, For us killing a fish of this size will not
happen. So state making calls and who better to call then Ken Freeman
telling Ken what Ron had and no way to get anyone to chech this fish Ken
makes a few calls. Next thing I know I am talking with the Head man at bass
pro shop in Missouri and he has set up a place for the fish in Hanover.
But they don't have a tank to move the fish but we done so fresh water in
the live well and the awka-lung unit running we hit the road. 80 miles later
we are at BPS in hanover and a check of the fish he looks as if he just came
out of the water. Now we need to get him onto a holding tank at BPS but
its not ready. 2 later we move the fish to the holding pond. In all this big
monster of a catfish us in my live well for almost 5 hours with over 1 hour
of that on the road. The fish was a good when it came out of the live well as
is was when it came out of the water.
If you are into tournament fishing of any kind where the fish need to be
alive or just looking to keep bait alive look into the AWKA-LUNG unit.