About Cats
 
Adventures of Bill: The Great Dead Weight

Article By Mike Gore
   
Bill Johnson fished the great stilling basin of Lake Conroe on a windy November day. As he cast his 6 wt. fly rod, in the hopes of catching a nice sized bluegill, the mouth of a large fish appeared in the basin. The fish was soon identified as a flathead catfish that was gasping for air. The old fish was seeing his last days, maybe even hours, pass him. Bill decided to try and take advantage of the aged, helpless, dying lake monster. He
flipped his fly in the direction of the big cat, and almost hooked the pectoral fin. However, he managed to get his fly loose, and recast, this time near the mouth of the catfish. As the flathead gulped for air, the fly gradually worked its way into its mouth. Finally, confident that his hook set would be true, Bill raised the rod tip and began his fight with the large catfish using a ten-pound leader.
The flathead fought with the last bit of strength that it had while Bill kept his line taut. Bill horsed the fish around the weir and rocks in hopes that his great catch would not break the line and escape. To lose such a magnificent fish would be a great disappointment, but not the end of the world for someone who regularly caught a buzz from the cans of beer that he took on his trips to the great outdoors when he had an unsuccessful day. For forty minutes the two earthly, not to mention homely creatures struggled to out last one another. His fishing buddies could tell that neither one of them was going to give up easily. At last, Bill could tell the catfish had finally given up, and felt that he could now pull the fish into shore, still being mindful of the jagged rocks.
He pulled a handkercheif from his back pocket and proceeded to step into the water to grab the mammoth fish. Bill could easily put both hands into the mouth of the fish, and did so to land the fish. With both of his hands in the fish's mouth, fly rod tucked under his arm and a crowd of people watching and not helping, Bill picked up the flathead and dragged it to shore. It was a relief to Bill to have landed such a large fish. Bill, known as "the little man with the big fish stories," had finally proven that he could catch large fish with his fly rod. Talked buzzed as the crowd began to tell the tale of the great fight. The catfish weighed a mere 53 pounds, and measured 48 inches in length. No one present will ever forget the fight between Bill and the half dead fish. Even today the fish story is told with excitement, and new half-truths.