Brad Stapleton of Greenfield, Ohio caught this 62-pound blue cat in
West Virginia’s Kanawha River. Not only is it his personal best, it was just a few
pounds shy of setting a new state record as well. (Courtesy of Brad Stapleton)
Why We Catfish: A Guest Editorial
by Brad Stapleton
Chasing catfish with your fishing and hunting buddies and their dads can be an unforgettable experience, especially if you’re a boy growing up in a single-parent household where the father is absent.
My love for fishing started when I was just a little boy. I was by myself and had no idea what I was doing, but I grabbed a pole, tackle box and some worms, then walked to a pond across the field at my grandparents’ house.
The first fish I caught was a little mud cat. I was scared to touch it. I remember thinking, what am I gonna do now? After a minute or so, I released it. I was hooked after that!
Growing up without a dad, I had to learn everything about the great outdoors on my own. My mother was very supportive of my hobbies. I was an only child. Mom worked hard to make sure I had what I needed.
I spent a lot of time reading fishing magazines with my two buddies, brothers Jesse and Justin Miller. We would spend all summer in the creek catching minnows and snakes. During winter, we were in the woods trying to get a buck. We were obsessed with outdoor activities, to say the least.
Fast forward a few years later and I was in high school. There I met Cory Canfield, and we clicked instantly. We both loved to fish and hunt. Cory’s dad Jeff Canfield was like a father to me. He taught me so much about fishing and hunting, taking us with him every chance he got. Dads don’t get much better than Jeff.
Now, Cory and I both have kids of our own, and we do the same for them. There is nothing better than watching your child reel in a fish! That smile says it all.
A few years ago, another friend of mine, John Howell, told me about the Kanawha River in Point Pleasant, West Virginia. He explained how great the fishing is for big cats because West Virginia protects their waters from commercial fishing. Commercial fishing in the Ohio River is becoming a huge problem. The fish are ending up in pay lakes where they die soon after being released.
Now, I try to go to the Kanawha every chance I get. Luckily, my wife is very supportive and understands me and my hobbies.
I’ve caught a few nice ones, but, on September 24, 2023, I caught the fish of a lifetime. I picked up my buddy Brandyn Burgess at 7 a.m. and we headed to the Kanawha River, arriving at 9.
The bite was slow. At first, we only caught a few small ones. We were dragging bait up the river with no luck and were talking about moving to a new spot. That’s when Brandyn exclaimed, “Hey, your pole!”
I looked over and saw my rod in the side rod holder was bent all the way to the water. My small boat started to spin, and my trolling motor started to ramp up. I set the spot lock and started reeling.
At first, it seemed like I was snagged. Then I felt a tug on the line. I knew instantly this wasn’t an average fish.
Once we landed it, we couldn’t believe it. We were pretty much in shock. Luckily, there wasn’t a barge coming because it would have probably run over us.
My scale said 62 pounds, not far off the state record. Finally, all our hard work paid off. This is why we catfish!
