I never understood how people find a beautiful spot to fish, and turn it into a trash dump . this video should be played in elementary schools, keep up the good fight brother
I agree, I get ticked off when I go to the woods or water and find trash, Dove fields are the worst, I pick up bags of trash every time I visit a dove field. I once had a hunting partner, we would go every weekend, He would go his way I would go mine, One day he didnt show up so I decided to hunt his area, I found trash all over from his hunting, I picked it all up and kept it in my hunting vest and a small trash bag, The next week we went out, I got to his truck before him and put all of the trash inside his truck, Yes he was mad, But I told him it was BS we come to a beautiful area and you toss trash on the ground , He got the message
Preach brother. I've got some nice little ponds about a mile from me. Garbage everywhere. I picked up two full trash bags in a couple hours. Infuriating.
i feel ya, the place i fish is always trashed bc theres a pier near that gets alot of traffic. some days i dont even fish and i dedicate my day to cleaning trash out of the water. sad but yea ppl are shitty. they would rather throw it in the water than wait till they get to a trash can. worse part is theres a trash can on the pier thats empty most the time.
One of the outdoors magazines claims that sportsmen are the first environmentalists. How then, is the generation that grew up with environmental awareness so seemingly unable to interact with the outdoors without leaving a mess?
Lol no Heavenly Father bro. Fake news. He has never showed up for anything ever. He didn’t show up for my son. He’s dead now. 24. Nice fish though. Gut it and fry it up. Tons of those things everywhere
@@karlbrown5764 Sorry to hear about your Son. But that doesn't mean that God doesn't exist. He certainly does. If he didn't, you wouldn't have any basis to grieve over the loss of your son since his life had no transcendent meaning or purpose. You can find joy, peace, and hope in Jesus, but not in a secular world.
Karl Brown I prayed for my aunt and saw her deteriorate right in front of me while her family waited around like a bunch of vultures and she still went. But that’s not to say god doesn’t exist, stop talking out of your ass because you’re hurt. I’m sure your son wouldn’t want you to be a cynical bastard after his untimely departure. Besides how can you be so sure if you ain’t dead yet? Till then don’t say it like a statement.
@@karlbrown5764 You misunderstand Gods purpose, man. He's not here to pick and choose who lives and die. Death cometh, for all of us. That's part of our struggle, and our journey.
@@karlbrown5764 Hello Karl. i apologize for the loss of your son. but instead of denying God, how about you give Him a chance? it’ll be worth it, in fact it’ll be the best decision you could ever make! just give Jesus a chance to improve your life, i know He can! you can start by reading Luke or John, just please, give Christ a shot. you’ll see, your life will change for the better! God bless you.
I tell people i know about my spots but only on conservation land on my property its different. On conservation land i dont have the right to keep a fishing hole to myself.
That was absolutely UNBELIEVABLE TIMING..truly awesome! Your story really touched me, thank you for sharing that. If only ALL fisherman were like you. Great video!😎🎣
When the end was nearing we went fishing together for the last time. After he was gone I spread his ashes over that same place, a favorite of his. I’m an old man now but I too still miss my dad.
Wow. I can't tell you how much I respect you for your willingness to share your story in such a open and heartfelt way to preserve a place and a species that obviously means so much to you.
We do the same thing when we hunt deer Some times you have to give that big buck a pass to continue to seed that deer population It's called conservation
I leased my property out to some deer hunters last year. I will never do it again! They pissed in plastic soda bottles and just threw them in the ground! They were all over the place. They would pee in the bottles because if they peed on the ground the deer would smell it and not come around but why I couldn't understand why they just left trash on my property and I didn't care why. I just called and told them to never set foot on my property again.
Uou have the absolute most informative but relaxing channel. I'm a nightshift RN and when I come home from a stressful code blue/rapid response 12 hour shift, I'm totally spent. Your videos allow me to just sit and before long I'm mentally 100% relaxed and in the boat catching those beautiful creations. I live the fact that you educate catch, photograph, and release. These are absolutely one of Gods most spectacular creation. Thank you for keeping it real. Much love.
@@colbyjohnson3793 first time I caught a gar I was tripped out. They literally look like partly reptile. Kinda freaky too. I'm like, I swim with these bastards? Lake Texoma has a bunch. Can you eat gar? Are they any good? I hear they're bony and some people compare it to Carp
Smoked gar can be pretty good. Some of the flesh is tougher than most fish. OTOH, the bones are much less a problem than with carp, IMO. But, gar are really hard to clean. A top notch aviation cutter or tin snips and very strong hands helps. (I myself am not Thor!) Or, get out a freakin' reciprocating saw with a metal cutting blade...
@@adamburdt8794 gar r fun to catch. I've eaten one. It was hard as hell to clean even using metal snips.. I didn't like it as the flesh was really strange. I later found out it is best to grind up the meat and make "gar balls" outta it kinda like hust puppies. I'll stick to crappie.....
I've made the same mistake, brother. I fished in this beautiful river when I was younger, caught big bass, up to 6 pounders, in a small creek with some minnows. My parents pressured me into keeping fish everytime I went on a trip, and I haven't cause a bass there in years. I still feel guilty about it.
@@lohhjjlohicv6829I'm the same way I catch and release trout when I go fishing on the White Mountain Apache Reservation in northern Az. But I let them go back cause I don't like trout to boney for me. As a young man my dad grilled into all 15 of his boys what u shoot or catch you eat and if you ain't gonna eat it don't shoot or catch it. When I go fishing for cats I only keep those up to 10 lbs everything else goes back into the water
I agree with you 100% . I too always wanted to catch the elusive Flathead catfish. I was extremely lucky on my first one , It was a 70+ lb. giant. (bottomed out 2x35lb scales LOL) I cleaned it and ate it and later found out that with their slow growth rate that that fish was probably 70+ years old. I have caught several since then but I don't keep any of them over about 10lbs. I release the others for the breeders they are. Thanks for the informative video and keep it up .
Mr.Flores ur one helluva troop sir, especially with our Latino community upbringing, I too was told to keep and eat all catches. So much respect for u and continued success and happiness. Hua!!
This is one of the most powerful fishing stories ever told..bless you brother..I too did the same thing when I was younger..I now throw back the elusive flat head catfish..their becoming harder and harder to get now .again thanks for the story ,your a true fishermen..
That kind of care should be taken with every wild place for hunting, fishing, hiking, whatever it is you do...... Take care of them so they remain for everyone to enjoy.
me everytime I see a shining and shimmering shattered pcs of glass in the lake/reservoir, I pick it up and put it on a small box so I can dump em in the trash when im done fishing, I even bought a garbage picker and I think my county should reimburse for that jk! lol. cuz I stepped on a pcs of glass when I was a kid while playing in the lake. my feet got swollen and I got hospitalized, so I don't want to be on that situation again especially my kids. there are some irresponsible ppl and they think its cool to break the bottle and just leave it there.
A man that's passionate about sport, conservation, and preserving today what our kids will inherit tomorrow. I commend you, fellow angler. I was JUST having this conversation with a friend this morning. Good on you!
Couldn’t have said it better myself, and I fully agree, cpr, clean up after yourself, respect that the key, respect the water land/landowner, each other, and mostly the fish.
What if you have to drop a #2 on the water? How do you suggest handling that situation? I don't fish often but I was always told over the edge is OK. Is that still the case or has things changed?
I agree with you Muddy River. I have fished all my life. Mainly for Largemouth Bass. I joined B.A.S.S. in 1968 and have always released my bigger fish. Some weighing 6 to 9 pounds. I have kept smaller fish to eat when I was younger but now I release all Bass. The upper sought after fish like Large and Smallmouth Bass, Stripers, Trout and other Trophy fish are very delicate to fishing pressure. My wife will not eat Catfish so I return all I catch back to the environment. If I catch a Rainbow Trout or Brown Trout I might keep a small 1 or 2 to make a dinner. But I practice mainly catch andrelease to assure the species is not depleted and over fished. I just hope orher people do the same. If people want to eat more fish then what they should catch are Blue Gill, Crappie and Perch. Those species are more plentiful. But again don't over fish them.
I spent much of my youth in SW NM. I have been in the area you fish . You are right in the earlie to late 80s it was so different. Cabillo and Elephant Bute were full of water and the Rio Grand ran most of the year. I havent been back in a few years now but I did notice how much change had taken place. Im so glad you noticed that you needed to change your way of thinking. I was raised the same way . Now I keep half a dozen fish in an entire year for eating. Sometimes I dont keep any. I now live back in my home state of Missouri and have for the past 22yrs. I still have lots of friends and family in NM and El Paso. I hope you and your familia are doing well.
I fished in my youth...loved it so much...unlike most, I guess, I ALWAYS caught and released...never wanted to do what was necessary to clean the fish to eat them, it kinda grossed me out, so I would just catch the bluegill, carp, and catfish in our local creek, then release them...made me feel good to know I was not "interrupting" the life cycle of the creek i fished....good memories, thanks for your video, it made me feel good reminded me of youth....
Amen Kris you are one of pioneers on UA-cam who taught me to respect the fishing hole my area I know how you feel it hurts to see the fishing resources in your area dry up all we can do is become the teachers much respecting you Kris
Am a "Trotliner". Been doin' it most ma life. Am an ol' Man now. Learned many years ago what u said. Live on Toledo Bend Reservoir in Louisiana. Have 100 hooks out on 4 lines. Usually catch a couple each day from 20 to round 60lbs. Every now n' then catch one lot bigger. I net em n' the release them. Many years ago i began seeing the number of fish being caught by commercial fishermen on the lake wit they hoop nets n' it was unbelievable. Toledo is 72 miles long but...damn. Realized that probly only way to sustain the fishery here was ta release the big ones. I do that. And i leave the lake jus as i found it. Don't leave trash, cans, bottles, or anything there...wish others wud do tha same...sadly many don't. I love the land and waters more than i can say...it's what sustains us...Seems great minds DO think alike ma friend...
Our county opened up a great fishing dock with night lights, restroom amenities, fish cleaning tables, and kid swing set. It is hard to see people leave trash, abandoned fish, fish line, tag the place, broken glass block from restroom, stole swings. They've even have left water running at full in fish cleaning table. The county the increased the price of park entry and people complained but it had deterred those things from happening. The increased fees have allowed the county to hire park enforcement to monitor the park. I go fishing there from time to time and pick up after others and it still gets to me when others can't take care of it. I'm with you in preserving what we have and protect our fishing environment.
All we can do is try to keep it up by cleaning up after those who don't care. I took it upon myself to install PVC rod holders and so far they're still there. I must admit I was surprised.
Green Hulk -- The problem is, not all on tight budgets are irresponsible, and the solution at "your" park probably makes it impractical for a lot of decent people to go there. IMO, a better response would be to increase FINES and add concealed video surveillance; maybe see if some locals would agree to organize and be "park monitors" in exchange for reduced or free entry -- no "enforcement" authority, but would be identified (boldly marked jackets, t-shirts, caps) and CAN report violators. It should be possible to find an "equilibrium" where fines support the enforcement & monitoring, and little enforcement is needed. Very visible signs announcing the program, AND the steep fines, should be included too. Get local media to report violators caught & fines imposed. Fines not paid get you jail time. Ie., "Hang 'em (violators) out to dry!!!"
@@SpringIsBACK People who do these things have no respect for the environment or what is right and wrong. They selfishly take and destroy simply for the joy of doing evil and getting away with it. Just look at our current president. There's no respect or consideration for others or what is right in our society today and police are too busy covering their own asses to bother with arresting and jailing litterers and people who abuse our natural resources. To implement and enforce fines you would have to have a whole bureaucratic enforcement division and concealed video surveillance is expensive and requires constant monitoring and maintenance. The only solution I can see is for good people to band together and enforce what is right through peer pressure and even violence if necessary. Of course that would mean a group would have to devote themselves to living in these areas 24/7 and our current economic system won't allow decent people to do that. You gotta go to work and make that money to live in our society. Nature be damned, the money is all that matters. Never mind that we lived off the land for hundreds of thousands of years before the industrialization of our society. Fortunately there is a man emerging from the herd who wants to change this. Andrew Yang proposes a universal basic income of a thousand dollars a month for every American citizen over the age of 18. This would enable those who are so inclined to actually live off the land and still afford the amenities our modern society can provide. Yang proposes this be paid for by a tax that the rich cannot evade with their accountants, tax shelters and tax write offs, called a Value Added Tax. This is not an income tax, but a consumption tax levied on things like jets, yachts and corporate purchases. Imagine if the billions of dollars of taxes Donald Drumpf has evaded over the years were put into conservation of our public lands instead of wasted on casinos, jets, yachts and hookers for his own selfish personal pleasure, vanity, and delight in doing wrong and getting away with it? Maybe then we could even afford video surveillance and a concerted conservation effort for and expansion of our public lands. But all the good people have to join together and push our society out of the fear and darkness that is overtaking it and out into the light and progress of the future. I hope you all read this and search for Mr. Yang's videos here on UA-cam and listen to his ideas for our future for yourselves.He has given me some hope I have not had in a long time. Perhaps you will feel the same.
It isn't just your river - this applies to every fishery in the country. I see people catch and keep flathead which are pretty rare here in central Iowa too. It is so easy to catch, photo, release those bigger fish. The big trophy fish are the fish that contribute the most to reproduction and are vital to maintaining the population. Every person has a smartphone with a great camera on it and every fisherman should have a way to properly measure or weigh the fish. There should be no reason to keep those bigger fish - good taxidermists can make a perfect replica mount if that is what you want. Thanks for the great message, hopefully we can all learn a lesson from your personal story!
ViralHeadcase agree with you there.. it also doesn’t help when you see 3 bank lines for 3 different people in the same brushpile every 200 yds on the Iowa river..
Very interesting, i am 49 years old and use to love to go out in the quiet waters and fish all the time. People don't know what a blessing it is to be able to enjoy that and show it to your children.
LouB that's why we need immigration control...atleast charge an entry fee? To compensate for not having to pay taxes the 1st 7 years so that way America's resources wont get depleted in general...not just the fish.
This reminds me of the movie, Grumpy Old Men, chasing after old "Catfish Hunter". They released it acknowledging its perseverance to be allusive. Respect the cycle of life.
Thank you for sharing your opinion about your spot we all have a place we like to fish and somewhat we call our favorite spot and then see it get trashed. I'm 70 years old and in my younger days, I was all over the place here in central California. Lately, I did a tour of some of my spots with some family members and like you said it's not our spot are not what I remember fishing. And feeding fish to friends and family well those days are gone. As their now they are covered with broken glass, cans and old tires and whatever else you can think of. No matter what you do you are one and it will never be the same and you can only tell the next generation on how it used to be. But you can't feed and share what it use to be. Now only faded memories and a smile in an old man's mind. Once again Thanks for sharing and your right that was a nice flathead cat.
Thanks for reading for my input to our fish buddies. I would have like to have more fish buddies who under stood that you sow what reap. A great place to even joy and pass on to the future.
It's so amazing to watch videos like this. And it's truly emotional cause it's not gonna be there forever and it's hard to know that humans can prevent it from vanishing but with the way some humans are today it's only time before its trashed and gone..
All respect brother, you no maybe like a year ago I posted on fishbrain about a video you posted, about cleaning your fishing spots, taking a trash bag out and filling it up challenge, and I got not one like about it. And I really put my heart into what I wrote about it, and what you said then, about fishing spots getting closed. Idk some people just have no respect now a days. But keep up the awesome work brother I appreciate your work and the fight.
Don't apologize for something you feel so strongly about. I had a place something like your spot when I was much younger and a couple years later it got so trashed out by idiots and their liquor bottles. Broken beer bottles, food trash etc... The county went in and cleaned the mess up and said no more. The closed it off to the public and I'm so glad they did. Keep talking about saving the fish, keeping rivers clean and the environment around them. Thanks for speaking out. That was a beautiful flathead you caught. Love your video man.
Awesome video Kris. Hopefully your message sinks in and people realize how important cpr and selective harvest are. Would be great if future generations are able to enjoy catching these fish as much as we do.
A man not only with common sense, but with a heart as well....I love fishing, catch and release most, so others can enjoy too...Thanks guy, for this video....Good for the soul.
I don't even trust most of my friends with spots. Loose lips sink ships. Keep it to yourself. Let them be discovered by people like yourself that take chances and have the motivation.
@@brandonwachter2264 It's a real shame too, because I'd love to share these places with people that will actually appreciate them. Last time I took a friends word that they wouldn't advertise an incredible location, was the last time. Unfortunately changed the friendship as well since that was a major violation of trust. The place is still there, but it's more like a public park now.
This is why potato sacks come in handy. Throw one on their head drive around in some circles then take em to the spot. Then on the way out do the same thing. Oh wait wrong profession..
Screw that. I worked hard for my spot. Share it and then blabbermouths want to impress their friends with "their spot" and soon it is ruined. I don't even tell what lake I am fishing. Most times I won't post pics cause some can figure out the lake from the size of the fish I am getting and knowing where I am and where I spend a lot of time fishing. Happened in 2016 and won't happen again.
My favorite video. Could not have said it better myself. We take care of our environment, our environment will take care of us. I am a fisherman myself, I always release what I catch.
Amen brother!! I learned the same lesson very young in a native trout stream. Took about 5 years before I could catch trout the same.... I always turn them back now and stress how important catch and release is. And the trash.... places I fished out in the passed are posted property now and people wonder why.
THANK YOU MUDDY, FOR SHARING YOUR THOUGHTS AND EFFORTS TO PRESERVE YOUR SPOT AND ALL THE OTHER SPOTS THAT PEOPLE HAVE BEEN THERE FOR YEARS AND NOW WE HAVE TO BECOME MORE AWARE OF OUR RESPONSIBILITIES 🤗💚💚💚
Mr Kris you truly inspired me to catch and release ,what strikes me the most is that I can see how humble and responsible you are as a man who loves and respects the fishing world . I'd really would like to to see u come up north to storrie lake in Las Vegas New Mexico and try to land these monster channel cats, state record has not been broken it's clear game and fish set up there gill nets pulled up 40+lb channel cats
Love for the land . Brother . Your story hit me in the heart. Thank you for taking if the land. Our mother that many people forget about..... And again. Thx for sharing
subscribed just because of this video. not because of the fish but because of your love for the land and the heart you put in to wanting to preserve it and the wildlife. its truly heartbreaking to go out to places to enjoy the wilderness and find mans garbage everywhere.
I've seen one of my favorite big bass lakes(mind you i'm around chicago so they're not many of them) get pillaged in one season by one guy and 2 of his friends. It's heart breaking.
I wish more folks had your mentality. The world would be a better place. Too many people just use and destroy until there is nothing left. It's a shame. Keep up the good work Brother.
Talking from your soul it’s something that we all need to find. Thank you for the in sights, it’s a great story and thank you for your time on the water.
I loved the video! I agree with you about releasing the flatheads and not trashing the area. When I was young we kept everything we caught. We even run trotlines. I catch and release. If we dont take care of our resources it will be gone in the future. I always say if you pack it in, pack it out. Don't litter! I have a lot of respect for you Sir after that heart to heart video!
Amen brother I'm with you 100% I feel the same way about the waters I fish in. It is rare for me to keep anything at all. Let them go and let them grow...Good luck and God bless..
Thats what I love about fishing the most, I find time to reflect on alot of things without even trying. i was like you when I was young but also evolved to do the same. I am amazed that some people just dont get it! I agree with you brotha!
The river I fish in here in northern Indiana used to be pretty plentiful for flatheads. "Pay lakes" and "pay ponds" have pretty much taken a toll on the flathead population. I remember being young and one of my dads buddies from work had me come over to his truck. In the bed he had a diamond plate tool box in the bed that was filled with water and inside was a massive flathead. He said it was around 30 pounds. Id never seen a fish that big in my life.....my dad says are you gonna eat it? He said hell no I'm gonna put it in my pond for the grandkids to catch. And he had done this many times. He said he had a pond that had many fish like that in that he had caught from the Wabash River. Sad thing is those fish probably starved. I dont think people realize that fish that big need to have a good food supply. Anyway I'm 26 now and realize I might not ever get to catch one of these fish, and if they are still out there, they may not be for much longer. Good vid good story and nice fish!!
@@captainkayakdiver6693 what stretch of the wabash are you talking about? The wabash is known for flattys but not so much in my area. Its pretty shallow. I fished it down by Lafayette once and caught a bunch of channel cats. Plenty of cover for them. I'm sure theyre in their. But the water was around 7ft. There.
Dillon Hoffman we run trot lines in the area by Mt Carmel IL, where the wabash and white river meet. We had a camp on the Indiana side heading towards Princeton indiana
@@captainkayakdiver6693 thats cool man you fish where the wabash meets the white. I fish where the wabash meets the eel. Or the eel meets the wabash however you want to look at it. Lol
come on over to the maumee and st Joe river in new haven and fortwayne and Woodburn area. we catch many 20-40# flat heads every season. water is stupid high right now but if the water recedes enough by the end of the month we will be out every weekend chasing them.
You've done well - a month ago when you made this video you said you were getting close to 100K subs and as i watch this today, you are over 105K. Congratulations. This is the first video of yours that I've watched and I just wanted to say that I enjoyed it, I appreciate it, I respect it and I will be sharing it. The fact that I live in an entirely different country and will never make it to your fishing spot, is irrelevant. The principle is key - respect the environment, the habitat and the creatures in it so that people after us can enjoy it. No species or 'resource' as some call it, is safe from becoming over-harvested. It is up to us to only take what we need. Great video - great message. Heather🇨🇦
you taught me how to fish with love bait many many years ago. I respect you as a man very much. thank you for blessing me and the future generations with your knowledge and kind aura. youre the man
Good video. 👍 Particularly enjoyed the warning about over-fishing and trash. It always pisses me off to see trash around picnic areas, the banks, and especially if it's actually down in the water. Keep it up.
Not everyone is as conscientious as you. That's why it's necessary to have things like the Endangered Species Act, the Clean Water Act, and a strong Environmental Protection Agency. Good on you for being part of the solution.
You right in a way but the problem with those organization is that its more political then you think. Money talks and those organizations fill their pockets before they "do what is right."
A big flathead cat doesn't get oily like other catfish. They're good to eat no matter the size. Also they don't scavenge they eat live food. They're the best of all catfish to eat.
Outstanding Video sir! Stumbled upon your channel and I thank you for your story that opened your eyes and I hope many others. I have seen a lot of UA-cam fishermen from around the world and they are practicing keep a some amount of fish for the table and release the rest. And here is the keynote; harvest the young adults and let the breeders go free. Just a side note; Wikipedia lists the flathead catfish as an invasive species in the Lower Great Lakes to Northern Mexico.
Great video. Im from the Netherlands. Its all the same , dont matter where you live. Take this man seriously, he's sharing a beautiful spot in his video's, he loves it to death, and talking out of his own experience! Handle it with care & love! Embrace it protect it & enjoy it!
I've lost so many spots that way , I only have one good catfish stronghold left and only I know where it is , never have seen 1 person there in the 5 years I've been fishing there
Dirty Bay Adventures I’m not sure I agree with this statement. In the short run you might lose your spot but in the long run the more people we can get to experience and fall in love with fishing and enjoying America’s waterways the more social and political influence we have. Public land is basically paid for by hunters and fishermen so with more ethical hunters and fishermen paying into the system we could afford to put more money into public land. Won’t happen overnight but its something we are building for our kids. People are very quick to blame other fishermen for a spot that has been “fished out” but the truth is the overwhelming reason for not catching fish is a host of environmental factors. Humans think on such a short time scale “oh I fished all year and didn’t catch a single flathead”. To a person a year is a long time but to the cycles of Mother Nature a year is an almost imperceptible blip in its eternally changing roller coaster.
I hate seeing people at my outdoor spots because I want to feel alone with my thoughts out in the wilderness part of the cast wild unknown but I’m not worried when I see people that they are going to steal all the fish or something. The answer to having vast wild areas where you can go for days without seeing another person is MORE PUBLIC LAND, not having fewer people.
@@nothingnewtome1 No, it ruins spots. Friends bring their friends who arent as responsible and leave trash out. And keep all the fish. I see people coming Into my friends private property and keeping fish despite mandating c&r.
God bless you Brother! I wish we had 10,000 more just like you. If we could ever get the point across that you have made so clearly, fishing and hunting would be so much better for EVERYONE and EVERYTHING! Thank you Sir - it's been a pleasure. Take care.
Well spoken, and a conservation message for the ages. As a lifetime member of Trout Unlimited, a man who is lucky to have spent over a decade working in the fishing industry in addition to making a side-hustle as a fishing guide and professional fly fishing instructor, your message rings so true, resonates so deeply, and I thank you for your clear and heartfelt message. We're all after the same thing - an experience to interact with a water-born leviathan, connected by just a thin line and a fishing rod. Your humble message captures the true essence of the sport. Tight lines, and let's keep this amazing resource healthy and vibrant for future generations!
Thanks for posting. You seem to be the right kind of sports person that can enjoy nature and wildlife. Most places I fished as a child and young adult have been completely fished out and in some cases, trashed out as well. Nature and wildlife is a gift that can only be enjoyed if taken care of and not casually taken for granted.
Been practicing catch and release all my life, I only keep the ones I kill, because sometimes shit happens. Good on you brother, keep up the good fight.
Makes sense, I always catch & release. Fish will always B N my favorite spot when I go back 2 catch them again & they grow bigger . Better fishing for U & yours, take a picture if U want to & return the fish so U can catch it another day. Thanks Bro for passing the word along 😊
I never understood how people find a beautiful spot to fish, and turn it into a trash dump . this video should be played in elementary schools, keep up the good fight brother
I agree, I get ticked off when I go to the woods or water and find trash, Dove fields are the worst, I pick up bags of trash every time I visit a dove field. I once had a hunting partner, we would go every weekend, He would go his way I would go mine, One day he didnt show up so I decided to hunt his area, I found trash all over from his hunting, I picked it all up and kept it in my hunting vest and a small trash bag, The next week we went out, I got to his truck before him and put all of the trash inside his truck, Yes he was mad, But I told him it was BS we come to a beautiful area and you toss trash on the ground , He got the message
My parents always taught my brother, sister, and I, if you pack it in, you pack it out. It is all a matter of respect.
Preach brother. I've got some nice little ponds about a mile from me. Garbage everywhere. I picked up two full trash bags in a couple hours. Infuriating.
i feel ya, the place i fish is always trashed bc theres a pier near that gets alot of traffic. some days i dont even fish and i dedicate my day to cleaning trash out of the water. sad but yea ppl are shitty. they would rather throw it in the water than wait till they get to a trash can. worse part is theres a trash can on the pier thats empty most the time.
One of the outdoors magazines claims that sportsmen are the first environmentalists. How then, is the generation that grew up with environmental awareness so seemingly unable to interact with the outdoors without leaving a mess?
This man is a steward of the earth. May The Heavenly Father Bless you and all yours. So few people understand your wisdom.
Lol no Heavenly Father bro. Fake news. He has never showed up for anything ever. He didn’t show up for my son. He’s dead now. 24. Nice fish though. Gut it and fry it up. Tons of those things everywhere
@@karlbrown5764 Sorry to hear about your Son. But that doesn't mean that God doesn't exist. He certainly does. If he didn't, you wouldn't have any basis to grieve over the loss of your son since his life had no transcendent meaning or purpose. You can find joy, peace, and hope in Jesus, but not in a secular world.
Karl Brown I prayed for my aunt and saw her deteriorate right in front of me while her family waited around like a bunch of vultures and she still went. But that’s not to say god doesn’t exist, stop talking out of your ass because you’re hurt. I’m sure your son wouldn’t want you to be a cynical bastard after his untimely departure. Besides how can you be so sure if you ain’t dead yet? Till then don’t say it like a statement.
@@karlbrown5764 You misunderstand Gods purpose, man. He's not here to pick and choose who lives and die. Death cometh, for all of us. That's part of our struggle, and our journey.
@@karlbrown5764 Hello Karl. i apologize for the loss of your son. but instead of denying God, how about you give Him a chance? it’ll be worth it, in fact it’ll be the best decision you could ever make! just give Jesus a chance to improve your life, i know He can! you can start by reading Luke or John, just please, give Christ a shot.
you’ll see, your life will change for the better! God bless you.
This is the most honest outdoor discussion from the heart. I've ever heard on any UA-cam channel ever!
This dude nearly made me cry. He's like a messenger.
Definitely don’t fish out your own spot, or any other spot. I don’t always tell people where I fish, but when I do, I lie!! Lol
Same!
I tell people i know about my spots but only on conservation land on my property its different. On conservation land i dont have the right to keep a fishing hole to myself.
So do I ... Never do I tell anyone of my spots...
I tell everyone that wants to know
In the water
I only share spots from the bank since not everyone has a boat but when im in the boat i will never tell you where i fish.
That was absolutely UNBELIEVABLE TIMING..truly awesome! Your story really touched me, thank you for sharing that. If only ALL fisherman were like you.
Great video!😎🎣
MY DAD LOVED CAT FISHING. HE,D SIT WITH A POLE IN EACH HAND AND THE STRING OVER HIS FINGER ALL NIGHT LONG. MISS U DAD
Robert Cowan mine does that same thing!
I make it 80 thumbs up . 👍
Miss my dad too. Rip
Dual wielding legend
When the end was nearing we went fishing together for the last time. After he was gone I spread his ashes over that same place, a favorite of his. I’m an old man now but I too still miss my dad.
Wow. I can't tell you how much I respect you for your willingness to share your story in such a open and heartfelt way to preserve a place and a species that obviously means so much to you.
We do the same thing when we hunt deer Some times you have to give that big buck a pass to continue to seed that deer population It's called conservation
If you want to manage numbers and conserve, its the does / females that count...
I have often wondered why people won’t keep big fish but want to kill the biggest deer
I leased my property out to some deer hunters last year. I will never do it again! They pissed in plastic soda bottles and just threw them in the ground! They were all over the place. They would pee in the bottles because if they peed on the ground the deer would smell it and not come around but why I couldn't understand why they just left trash on my property and I didn't care why. I just called and told them to never set foot on my property again.
Some people ruin it for everyone!
Rob, sorry to hear your story. Real sportsmen leave the wild in the same or better shape than before they entered.
No good deed goes unpunished unfortunately....
I'm a deer hunter and I pee in the woods rite around my stand and I still see and kill deer
Disrespectful
I tip my hat to you, sir, because you are a responsible angler and true sportsman. 👍👍
Uou have the absolute most informative but relaxing channel. I'm a nightshift RN and when I come home from a stressful code blue/rapid response 12 hour shift, I'm totally spent. Your videos allow me to just sit and before long I'm mentally 100% relaxed and in the boat catching those beautiful creations. I live the fact that you educate catch, photograph, and release. These are absolutely one of Gods most spectacular creation. Thank you for keeping it real. Much love.
Well said. As I write, 78 people turned thumbs down on what this man is saying. Catfish ain't the only creatures with big bony heads.
Possibly they thought it took him to long to say what he did. He is doing a good thing.
There's always going to be assholes out there. This gentleman is a true conservationist. God bless him.
they might have left a thumbs down for a reason other then that, they just might not like the length or something like that
You could do a video about rescuing puppies and you will get downvotes. I think some of them are actually bots.
@@mrexists5400 thats what she said🤔
I keep some of my fish. Love my wild catfish. However, in the case of a lot of these old fish, i always release. Respect for surviving so long
I gar fish alot and that's the reason I dont keep or kill big gar. Gar grow really slow and get super old
@@colbyjohnson3793 first time I caught a gar I was tripped out. They literally look like partly reptile. Kinda freaky too. I'm like, I swim with these bastards? Lake Texoma has a bunch. Can you eat gar? Are they any good? I hear they're bony and some people compare it to Carp
Smoked gar can be pretty good. Some of the flesh is tougher than most fish. OTOH, the bones are much less a problem than with carp, IMO. But, gar are really hard to clean. A top notch aviation cutter or tin snips and very strong hands helps. (I myself am not Thor!) Or, get out a freakin' reciprocating saw with a metal cutting blade...
@@adamburdt8794 gar r fun to catch. I've eaten one. It was hard as hell to clean even using metal snips.. I didn't like it as the flesh was really strange. I later found out it is best to grind up the meat and make "gar balls" outta it kinda like hust puppies. I'll stick to crappie.....
Yessir
I've made the same mistake, brother.
I fished in this beautiful river when I was younger, caught big bass, up to 6 pounders, in a small creek with some minnows. My parents pressured me into keeping fish everytime I went on a trip, and I haven't cause a bass there in years. I still feel guilty about it.
My parents presured me to ceep trout but i never would they would be like why do you go fishing if you dont want to take it
@@lohhjjlohicv6829I'm the same way I catch and release trout when I go fishing on the White Mountain Apache Reservation in northern Az. But I let them go back cause I don't like trout to boney for me.
As a young man my dad grilled into all 15 of his boys what u shoot or catch you eat and if you ain't gonna eat it don't shoot or catch it. When I go fishing for cats I only keep those up to 10 lbs everything else goes back into the water
Why would anyone give thumbs down to this vital, sage and unselfish information? Thank you brother...I see your passion and your heart. Well said.
People do the same thing up here in the north with Walleye and Brook Trout. I wish more people had the sense you do. God bless.
I agree with you 100% . I too always wanted to catch the elusive Flathead catfish. I was extremely lucky on my first one , It was a 70+ lb. giant. (bottomed out 2x35lb scales LOL) I cleaned it and ate it and later found out that with their slow growth rate that that fish was probably 70+ years old. I have caught several since then but I don't keep any of them over about 10lbs. I release the others for the breeders they are. Thanks for the informative video and keep it up .
The world record was 120 plus pounds and biologists later determined that it was 23 years old. Nice fish but no way was it 70 plus
@@BrackishWaterC I caught a 50 lber with a revolutionary war musket ball embedded in its side. It must have been a bazillion years old.
@@marklemist6928 so cool! more details please!
@@JackLeeTheFirst ask your mom!
@@marklemist6928 very original XD
Mr.Flores ur one helluva troop sir, especially with our Latino community upbringing, I too was told to keep and eat all catches. So much respect for u and continued success and happiness. Hua!!
Gives me a whole different outlook on my own fishing habbits really eye opening love your story.
This is one of the most powerful fishing stories ever told..bless you brother..I too did the same thing when I was younger..I now throw back the elusive flat head catfish..their becoming harder and harder to get now .again thanks for the story ,your a true fishermen..
I'd drink a beer with this fella. Good ol' boy.
Arky West Hey Arky just started a Fishing Channel and would love any support hitting my goal, thanks bro.
I would steal his boat and dump that motor in the lake.
That kind of care should be taken with every wild place for hunting, fishing, hiking, whatever it is you do...... Take care of them so they remain for everyone to enjoy.
Thanks for sharing the awesome fish catch and your heartfelt message. I agree with all your sentiments...great message!
I had a cousin that took me hunting in the '60's. He taught me to pick up trash in the woods and we always did. I'll never forget that.
me everytime I see a shining and shimmering shattered pcs of glass in the lake/reservoir, I pick it up and put it on a small box so I can dump em in the trash when im done fishing, I even bought a garbage picker and I think my county should reimburse for that jk! lol. cuz I stepped on a pcs of glass when I was a kid while playing in the lake. my feet got swollen and I got hospitalized, so I don't want to be on that situation again especially my kids. there are some irresponsible ppl and they think its cool to break the bottle and just leave it there.
I completely agree. Once a local fish population is gone,it might not be replaceable. This is especially true in the southwest.
A man that's passionate about sport, conservation, and preserving today what our kids will inherit tomorrow. I commend you, fellow angler. I was JUST having this conversation with a friend this morning. Good on you!
Jason Buis Hey just started a Fishing Channel and would love any support to reach my goal😁, thanks..
Couldn’t have said it better myself, and I fully agree, cpr, clean up after yourself, respect that the key, respect the water land/landowner, each other, and mostly the fish.
What if you have to drop a #2 on the water? How do you suggest handling that situation? I don't fish often but I was always told over the edge is OK. Is that still the case or has things changed?
I agree with you Muddy River. I have fished all my life. Mainly for Largemouth Bass. I joined B.A.S.S. in 1968 and have always released my bigger fish. Some weighing 6 to 9 pounds. I have kept smaller fish to eat when I was younger but now I release all Bass. The upper sought after fish like Large and Smallmouth Bass, Stripers, Trout and other Trophy fish are very delicate to fishing pressure. My wife will not eat Catfish so I return all I catch back to the environment. If I catch a Rainbow Trout or Brown Trout I might keep a small 1 or 2 to make a dinner. But I practice mainly catch andrelease to assure the species is not depleted and over fished. I just hope orher people do the same. If people want to eat more fish then what they should catch are Blue Gill, Crappie and Perch. Those species are more plentiful. But again don't over fish them.
Do your thing, I'll do mine. Don't impede on my Freedom and vise versa.
Specially the fish ignore the people they don't deserve a guy like you but the wildness does amen bro
Danny Jett no one cares kid. Stop posting to UA-cam begging for attention
Good for you and the wonderful message you're trying to convey. Respect what is precious.
I spent much of my youth in SW NM. I have been in the area you fish . You are right in the earlie to late 80s it was so different. Cabillo and Elephant Bute were full of water and the Rio Grand ran most of the year. I havent been back in a few years now but I did notice how much change had taken place. Im so glad you noticed that you needed to change your way of thinking. I was raised the same way . Now I keep half a dozen fish in an entire year for eating. Sometimes I dont keep any. I now live back in my home state of Missouri and have for the past 22yrs. I still have lots of friends and family in NM and El Paso. I hope you and your familia are doing well.
I fished in my youth...loved it so much...unlike most, I guess, I ALWAYS caught and released...never wanted to do what was necessary to clean the fish to eat them, it kinda grossed me out, so I would just catch the bluegill, carp, and catfish in our local creek, then release them...made me feel good to know I was not "interrupting" the life cycle of the creek i fished....good memories, thanks for your video, it made me feel good reminded me of youth....
You are to be commended for your “ SPORTSMANSHIP “ . I am with you on your philosophy . Great vid . 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
Amen Kris you are one of pioneers on UA-cam who taught me to respect the fishing hole my area I know how you feel it hurts to see the fishing resources in your area dry up all we can do is become the teachers much respecting you Kris
I believe this video is your best yet,, thank you for being a good stewart to the land and waters and the fisheries .Bless you Chris
Am a "Trotliner". Been doin' it most ma life. Am an ol' Man now. Learned many years ago what u said. Live on Toledo Bend Reservoir in Louisiana. Have 100 hooks out on 4 lines. Usually catch a couple each day from 20 to round 60lbs. Every now n' then catch one lot bigger. I net em n' the release them. Many years ago i began seeing the number of fish being caught by commercial fishermen on the lake wit they hoop nets n' it was unbelievable. Toledo is 72 miles long but...damn. Realized that probly only way to sustain the fishery here was ta release the big ones. I do that. And i leave the lake jus as i found it. Don't leave trash, cans, bottles, or anything there...wish others wud do tha same...sadly many don't. I love the land and waters more than i can say...it's what sustains us...Seems great minds DO think alike ma friend...
Hell yeah brother. Conservation and preservation is what it's all about.
Also, I have no idea why...
But, I read your post in a Scottish accent. ,
I use to fish by that there sunkin house by the dam
You are a wise fisherman. The kind of guy I enjoy having on my boat👍
Our county opened up a great fishing dock with night lights, restroom amenities, fish cleaning tables, and kid swing set. It is hard to see people leave trash, abandoned fish, fish line, tag the place, broken glass block from restroom, stole swings. They've even have left water running at full in fish cleaning table. The county the increased the price of park entry and people complained but it had deterred those things from happening. The increased fees have allowed the county to hire park enforcement to monitor the park.
I go fishing there from time to time and pick up after others and it still gets to me when others can't take care of it. I'm with you in preserving what we have and protect our fishing environment.
All we can do is try to keep it up by cleaning up after those who don't care. I took it upon myself to install PVC rod holders and so far they're still there. I must admit I was surprised.
@Janga Lang Than you do as well.
Green Hulk -- The problem is, not all on tight budgets are irresponsible, and the solution at "your" park probably makes it impractical for a lot of decent people to go there. IMO, a better response would be to increase FINES and add concealed video surveillance; maybe see if some locals would agree to organize and be "park monitors" in exchange for reduced or free entry -- no "enforcement" authority, but would be identified (boldly marked jackets, t-shirts, caps) and CAN report violators. It should be possible to find an "equilibrium" where fines support the enforcement & monitoring, and little enforcement is needed. Very visible signs announcing the program, AND the steep fines, should be included too. Get local media to report violators caught & fines imposed. Fines not paid get you jail time. Ie., "Hang 'em (violators) out to dry!!!"
@@SpringIsBACK People who do these things have no respect for the environment or what is right and wrong. They selfishly take and destroy simply for the joy of doing evil and getting away with it. Just look at our current president. There's no respect or consideration for others or what is right in our society today and police are too busy covering their own asses to bother with arresting and jailing litterers and people who abuse our natural resources. To implement and enforce fines you would have to have a whole bureaucratic enforcement division and concealed video surveillance is expensive and requires constant monitoring and maintenance.
The only solution I can see is for good people to band together and enforce what is right through peer pressure and even violence if necessary. Of course that would mean a group would have to devote themselves to living in these areas 24/7 and our current economic system won't allow decent people to do that. You gotta go to work and make that money to live in our society. Nature be damned, the money is all that matters. Never mind that we lived off the land for hundreds of thousands of years before the industrialization of our society.
Fortunately there is a man emerging from the herd who wants to change this. Andrew Yang proposes a universal basic income of a thousand dollars a month for every American citizen over the age of 18. This would enable those who are so inclined to actually live off the land and still afford the amenities our modern society can provide. Yang proposes this be paid for by a tax that the rich cannot evade with their accountants, tax shelters and tax write offs, called a Value Added Tax. This is not an income tax, but a consumption tax levied on things like jets, yachts and corporate purchases. Imagine if the billions of dollars of taxes Donald Drumpf has evaded over the years were put into conservation of our public lands instead of wasted on casinos, jets, yachts and hookers for his own selfish personal pleasure, vanity, and delight in doing wrong and getting away with it? Maybe then we could even afford video surveillance and a concerted conservation effort for and expansion of our public lands. But all the good people have to join together and push our society out of the fear and darkness that is overtaking it and out into the light and progress of the future. I hope you all read this and search for Mr. Yang's videos here on UA-cam and listen to his ideas for our future for yourselves.He has given me some hope I have not had in a long time. Perhaps you will feel the same.
@Janga Lang Well, I can't say anything. Thank you, though. You're the most calm person I've met online in ages.
It isn't just your river - this applies to every fishery in the country. I see people catch and keep flathead which are pretty rare here in central Iowa too. It is so easy to catch, photo, release those bigger fish. The big trophy fish are the fish that contribute the most to reproduction and are vital to maintaining the population. Every person has a smartphone with a great camera on it and every fisherman should have a way to properly measure or weigh the fish. There should be no reason to keep those bigger fish - good taxidermists can make a perfect replica mount if that is what you want. Thanks for the great message, hopefully we can all learn a lesson from your personal story!
Not to mention that the bigger fish don't taste as good as the younger ones.
@@denrizza only true if your talking 20+ lbs and its skinned wrong. Cut the red meat.
Flatheads..rare in Iowa..🤣 far from rare.
@@typical250 Rare in my tributary in central Iowa, yes. Particularly the large fish.
ViralHeadcase agree with you there.. it also doesn’t help when you see 3 bank lines for 3 different people in the same brushpile every 200 yds on the Iowa river..
I do not fish but I love this video... This is a good man... Wish there were more like him.
listening to those birds is so peaceful. i totally agree that place needs to be preserved and cherished
Well said. People need to learn how to preserve our resources. I've also found plenty of trash where I fish and it's upsetting.
Very interesting, i am 49 years old and use to love to go out in the quiet waters and fish all the time. People don't know what a blessing it is to be able to enjoy that and show it to your children.
Thank you for passing along the truth of "Limited Resource".
As my brother says . . .
It is getting to be just too many people.
LouB that's why we need immigration control...atleast charge an entry fee? To compensate for not having to pay taxes the 1st 7 years so that way America's resources wont get depleted in general...not just the fish.
This reminds me of the movie, Grumpy Old Men, chasing after old "Catfish Hunter". They released it acknowledging its perseverance to be allusive.
Respect the cycle of life.
Me and my boys chased a giant carp we named Carpo Marx . Yeah carp , but he was huge . I caught and of course released him ( like all carp )
"Gustoffson you are one sick bastard"
@C Thygeson "looks like ole Chuck's takin the log to the beaver"
Those are the best movies ever!!
@@deanmlshredder hilarious!
I don't really care much for fishing, but I did enjoy your story and love nature, so this is for you.
*applauds*
Mega props to you brother, as a native New Mexican myself, I appreciate what you're doing....
This was a very powerful message.
Beautiful story, keeping spots quiet can be tough, but people will destroy anything they don’t respect, best of luck to you and “your spot”
Man, I love the way you think, you've got a good heart. I'd catch and release with you any day my friend.
😂😂😂🤦
@@victorj8152 really!?
When you do the work to become an expert on a species, there comes a responsibility to respect the resource! Hats off for recognizing!
Thank you for sharing your opinion about your spot we all have a place we like to fish and somewhat we call our favorite spot and then see it get trashed. I'm 70 years old and in my younger days, I was all over the place here in central California. Lately, I did a tour of some of my spots with some family members and like you said it's not our spot are not what I remember fishing. And feeding fish to friends and family well those days are gone. As their now they are covered with broken glass, cans and old tires and whatever else you can think of. No matter what you do you are one and it will never be the same and you can only tell the next generation on how it used to be. But you can't feed and share what it use to be. Now only faded memories and a smile in an old man's mind. Once again Thanks for sharing and your right that was a nice flathead cat.
Thank you for taking the time to read. I hope you pass this on to the next in line.
Thanks for reading for my input to our fish buddies. I would have like to have more fish buddies who under stood that you sow what reap. A great place to even joy and pass on to the future.
Keep preaching my dude,I hope u guys out there takes to heart what Kris said
It's so amazing to watch videos like this. And it's truly emotional cause it's not gonna be there forever and it's hard to know that humans can prevent it from vanishing but with the way some humans are today it's only time before its trashed and gone..
All respect brother, you no maybe like a year ago I posted on fishbrain about a video you posted, about cleaning your fishing spots, taking a trash bag out and filling it up challenge, and I got not one like about it. And I really put my heart into what I wrote about it, and what you said then, about fishing spots getting closed. Idk some people just have no respect now a days. But keep up the awesome work brother I appreciate your work and the fight.
TomTom R that’s been my way since I was little guy my dad always taught us that and my kids have been raised the same way
Don't apologize for something you feel so strongly about. I had a place something like your spot when I was much younger and a couple years later it got so trashed out by idiots and their liquor bottles. Broken beer bottles, food trash etc... The county went in and cleaned the mess up and said no more. The closed it off to the public and I'm so glad they did. Keep talking about saving the fish, keeping rivers clean and the environment around them. Thanks for speaking out. That was a beautiful flathead you caught. Love your video man.
We need a lot more sportsmen like you !!! Nothing but respect from me, thank you Sir !!! :)
I hope all of your watchers will take what you said to heart. Not just for "your" stretch of river but for every area that the fish.
Awesome video Kris. Hopefully your message sinks in and people realize how important cpr and selective harvest are. Would be great if future generations are able to enjoy catching these fish as much as we do.
We'll keep doing our part for sure. God bless brother.
Well said and so true! Some people can be so irresponsible.
You’re a great spokesperson for this beautiful fishery.. keep up the awesome work
A man not only with common sense, but with a heart as well....I love fishing, catch and release most, so others can enjoy too...Thanks guy, for this video....Good for the soul.
I don't even trust most of my friends with spots. Loose lips sink ships. Keep it to yourself. Let them be discovered by people like yourself that take chances and have the motivation.
You just cannot be sure that other's (Anyone,friends included)will be as responsible & respectful as you are yourself.
@@brandonwachter2264 It's a real shame too, because I'd love to share these places with people that will actually appreciate them. Last time I took a friends word that they wouldn't advertise an incredible location, was the last time. Unfortunately changed the friendship as well since that was a major violation of trust. The place is still there, but it's more like a public park now.
Well one thing for sure is you are the bad friend in your circle. Share the wealth why be selfish?
This is why potato sacks come in handy. Throw one on their head drive around in some circles then take em to the spot. Then on the way out do the same thing.
Oh wait wrong profession..
Screw that. I worked hard for my spot. Share it and then blabbermouths want to impress their friends with "their spot" and soon it is ruined. I don't even tell what lake I am fishing. Most times I won't post pics cause some can figure out the lake from the size of the fish I am getting and knowing where I am and where I spend a lot of time fishing. Happened in 2016 and won't happen again.
My favorite video. Could not have said it better myself. We take care of our environment, our environment will take care of us. I am a fisherman myself, I always release what I catch.
Amen brother!! I learned the same lesson very young in a native trout stream. Took about 5 years before I could catch trout the same.... I always turn them back now and stress how important catch and release is. And the trash.... places I fished out in the passed are posted property now and people wonder why.
THANK YOU MUDDY, FOR SHARING YOUR THOUGHTS AND EFFORTS TO PRESERVE YOUR SPOT AND ALL THE OTHER SPOTS THAT PEOPLE HAVE BEEN THERE FOR YEARS AND NOW WE HAVE TO BECOME MORE AWARE OF OUR RESPONSIBILITIES 🤗💚💚💚
That was a great illustrated story! Talking about big flatheads and voila! You catch one. Thanks for sharing Kris.
Mr Kris you truly inspired me to catch and release ,what strikes me the most is that I can see how humble and responsible you are as a man who loves and respects the fishing world . I'd really would like to to see u come up north to storrie lake in Las Vegas New Mexico and try to land these monster channel cats, state record has not been broken it's clear game and fish set up there gill nets pulled up 40+lb channel cats
You learned a very important ethic the hard way. I'm glad to hear people agree with you!
Much Respect Kris.What a powerful video showing your true love and passion for the Flathead brother👍🐟Excellent video.
And please don't litter.
@@dmo7815 what are you talkin about??
Love for the land . Brother . Your story hit me in the heart.
Thank you for taking if the land.
Our mother that many people forget about.....
And again. Thx for sharing
subscribed just because of this video. not because of the fish but because of your love for the land and the heart you put in to wanting to preserve it and the wildlife. its truly heartbreaking to go out to places to enjoy the wilderness and find mans garbage everywhere.
I've seen one of my favorite big bass lakes(mind you i'm around chicago so they're not many of them) get pillaged in one season by one guy and 2 of his friends. It's heart breaking.
I cn that happen here n Tulsa with peeps using Gill nets..pisses me off...
@OTIS SPENCER 🤣
I've been taking too many thanks for the perspective brother
Right on brother!! keep New Mexico clean America clean 🇺🇸
Doug Woellhof Hey Doug just started a Fishing Channel and would love any support hitting my goal, thanks bro.
I wish more folks had your mentality. The world would be a better place. Too many people just use and destroy until there is nothing left. It's a shame. Keep up the good work Brother.
Talking from your soul it’s something that we all need to find. Thank you for the in sights, it’s a great story and thank you for your time on the water.
Amen, brother. Thanks for doing your part to save this species and educating the rest of us on the importance of doing our part.
I loved the video! I agree with you about releasing the flatheads and not trashing the area. When I was young we kept everything we caught. We even run trotlines. I catch and release. If we dont take care of our resources it will be gone in the future. I always say if you pack it in, pack it out. Don't litter! I have a lot of respect for you Sir after that heart to heart video!
Amen brother I'm with you 100% I feel the same way about the waters I fish in. It is rare for me to keep anything at all. Let them go and let them grow...Good luck and God bless..
Thats what I love about fishing the most, I find time to reflect on alot of things without even trying. i was like you when I was young but also evolved to do the same. I am amazed that some people just dont get it! I agree with you brotha!
That's a fisherman, fighting a big fish with one hand, while moving stuff out of the way with the other hand! Hats off to ya.
The river I fish in here in northern Indiana used to be pretty plentiful for flatheads. "Pay lakes" and "pay ponds" have pretty much taken a toll on the flathead population. I remember being young and one of my dads buddies from work had me come over to his truck. In the bed he had a diamond plate tool box in the bed that was filled with water and inside was a massive flathead. He said it was around 30 pounds. Id never seen a fish that big in my life.....my dad says are you gonna eat it? He said hell no I'm gonna put it in my pond for the grandkids to catch. And he had done this many times. He said he had a pond that had many fish like that in that he had caught from the Wabash River. Sad thing is those fish probably starved. I dont think people realize that fish that big need to have a good food supply. Anyway I'm 26 now and realize I might not ever get to catch one of these fish, and if they are still out there, they may not be for much longer. Good vid good story and nice fish!!
I fished on the Wabash and white river and seen the biggest cat I've ever held 100 plus from there
@@captainkayakdiver6693 what stretch of the wabash are you talking about? The wabash is known for flattys but not so much in my area. Its pretty shallow. I fished it down by Lafayette once and caught a bunch of channel cats. Plenty of cover for them. I'm sure theyre in their. But the water was around 7ft. There.
Dillon Hoffman we run trot lines in the area by Mt Carmel IL, where the wabash and white river meet. We had a camp on the Indiana side heading towards Princeton indiana
@@captainkayakdiver6693 thats cool man you fish where the wabash meets the white. I fish where the wabash meets the eel. Or the eel meets the wabash however you want to look at it. Lol
come on over to the maumee and st Joe river in new haven and fortwayne and Woodburn area. we catch many 20-40# flat heads every season. water is stupid high right now but if the water recedes enough by the end of the month we will be out every weekend chasing them.
That surprise catch was unbelievable truly a good omen to the story that followed. Keep Fishin!
I finally got to use my Flathead rod today caught two channel and one Bassi love my rod best birthday gift ever thank you for making such a great rod
You've done well - a month ago when you made this video you said you were getting close to 100K subs and as i watch this today, you are over 105K. Congratulations. This is the first video of yours that I've watched and I just wanted to say that I enjoyed it, I appreciate it, I respect it and I will be sharing it. The fact that I live in an entirely different country and will never make it to your fishing spot, is irrelevant. The principle is key - respect the environment, the habitat and the creatures in it so that people after us can enjoy it. No species or 'resource' as some call it, is safe from becoming over-harvested. It is up to us to only take what we need. Great video - great message. Heather🇨🇦
you taught me how to fish with love bait many many years ago. I respect you as a man very much. thank you for blessing me and the future generations with your knowledge and kind aura. youre the man
Good video. 👍 Particularly enjoyed the warning about over-fishing and trash. It always pisses me off to see trash around picnic areas, the banks, and especially if it's actually down in the water. Keep it up.
Not everyone is as conscientious as you. That's why it's necessary to have things like the Endangered Species Act, the Clean Water Act, and a strong Environmental Protection Agency. Good on you for being part of the solution.
You right in a way but the problem with those organization is that its more political then you think. Money talks and those organizations fill their pockets before they "do what is right."
@@kongxiong6005 Those are not private organizations. Two are federal acts, and one is a federal agency.
I never kept the big fish in any species. Ive found that the 1 to 2 pound fish are the best eating anyway. Good message and glad I found your channel.
A big flathead cat doesn't get oily like other catfish. They're good to eat no matter the size. Also they don't scavenge they eat live food. They're the best of all catfish to eat.
Outstanding Video sir! Stumbled upon your channel and I thank you for your story that opened your eyes and I hope many others. I have seen a lot of UA-cam fishermen from around the world and they are practicing keep a some amount of fish for the table and release the rest. And here is the keynote; harvest the young adults and let the breeders go free. Just a side note; Wikipedia lists the flathead catfish as an invasive species in the Lower Great Lakes to Northern Mexico.
Great video.
Im from the Netherlands.
Its all the same , dont matter where you live.
Take this man seriously, he's sharing a beautiful spot in his video's, he loves it to death, and talking out of his own experience!
Handle it with care & love!
Embrace it protect it & enjoy it!
Thx for your conservation.Wish there were more people like you in the outdoors.
people will ruin a spot. never give these spots away.. i had a really good one that me and my friends enjoyed. its no longer fishable.
I've lost so many spots that way , I only have one good catfish stronghold left and only I know where it is , never have seen 1 person there in the 5 years I've been fishing there
Dirty Bay Adventures I’m not sure I agree with this statement. In the short run you might lose your spot but in the long run the more people we can get to experience and fall in love with fishing and enjoying America’s waterways the more social and political influence we have. Public land is basically paid for by hunters and fishermen so with more ethical hunters and fishermen paying into the system we could afford to put more money into public land. Won’t happen overnight but its something we are building for our kids. People are very quick to blame other fishermen for a spot that has been “fished out” but the truth is the overwhelming reason for not catching fish is a host of environmental factors. Humans think on such a short time scale “oh I fished all year and didn’t catch a single flathead”. To a person a year is a long time but to the cycles of Mother Nature a year is an almost imperceptible blip in its eternally changing roller coaster.
I hate seeing people at my outdoor spots because I want to feel alone with my thoughts out in the wilderness part of the cast wild unknown but I’m not worried when I see people that they are going to steal all the fish or something. The answer to having vast wild areas where you can go for days without seeing another person is MORE PUBLIC LAND, not having fewer people.
@@nothingnewtome1 do what i do, find a river and make your own spots that no one knows about
@@nothingnewtome1 No, it ruins spots. Friends bring their friends who arent as responsible and leave trash out. And keep all the fish. I see people coming
Into my friends private property and keeping fish despite mandating c&r.
God bless you Brother! I wish we had 10,000 more just like you. If we could ever get the point across that you have made so clearly, fishing and hunting would be so much better for EVERYONE and EVERYTHING! Thank you Sir - it's been a pleasure. Take care.
Well spoken, and a conservation message for the ages. As a lifetime member of Trout Unlimited, a man who is lucky to have spent over a decade working in the fishing industry in addition to making a side-hustle as a fishing guide and professional fly fishing instructor, your message rings so true, resonates so deeply, and I thank you for your clear and heartfelt message. We're all after the same thing - an experience to interact with a water-born leviathan, connected by just a thin line and a fishing rod. Your humble message captures the true essence of the sport. Tight lines, and let's keep this amazing resource healthy and vibrant for future generations!
Thanks for posting. You seem to be the right kind of sports person that can enjoy nature and wildlife. Most places I fished as a child and young adult have been completely fished out and in some cases, trashed out as well. Nature and wildlife is a gift that can only be enjoyed if taken care of and not casually taken for granted.
I agree with you 100%. Well said! I've been following your channel for years from Washington State! Thank you.
Well said. Probably one of the most heartfelt videos I've ever seen on UA-cam. kudos and God Bless!
Been practicing catch and release all my life, I only keep the ones I kill, because sometimes shit happens. Good on you brother, keep up the good fight.
Makes sense, I always catch & release. Fish will always B N my favorite spot when I go back 2 catch them again & they grow bigger . Better fishing for U & yours, take a picture if U want to & return the fish so U can catch it another day. Thanks Bro for passing the word along 😊
Excellent inspirational story; thanks for sharing! Also, I believe the one word you're looking for is "respect!"