NEW CLEAR LAKE RECORD CATFISH CAUGHT   By TERRY KNIGHT Record-Bee Outdoor Writer

Photo Courtesy of Record-Bee

CLEARLAKE–Fred Miranda of Clearlake achieved his dream of a lifetime when he reeled in a catfish that set a new Clear Lake record for a channel catfish. Miranda’s record setting fish weighed 33.33 pounds and broke the old record of 33.25 pounds that was caught by the late Lyle Dyslin of Kelseyville in 1995.
 
Miranda said that he caught his catfish at 4 p.m. on Saturday while fishing with his fishing buddy, Greg Spellhaug also of Clearlake. The fish was caught in the south end of the lake near Redbud Park. The big catfish bit on piece of dead shad and it took 15 minutes to land it. He said that he called around to several local bait shops to weigh the big catfish but they were all closed. He then called the St. Helena Hospital Clearlake and asked if they had a scale that was large enough to weigh the fish. He was told to bring the catfish to the hospital where he was met at the front door by several doctors and nurses. They weighed the fish in the parking lot and the weight was certified by several members of the hospital staff. Miranda then took the still live catfish back to Redbud Park where he released it back into the lake.
 
Miranda is an avid catfish angler and in fact, won the Clearlake Oaks/Glenhaven annual catfish derby a few years back.
 
“I always dreamed of holding the lake record for catfish and now it has finally happened,” said a happy Miranda. 

Taken from Terry Knight's Record-Bee column for Thursday 12-24-09

Fred Miranda’s new Clear Lake record catfish of 33.33 pounds has drawn attention from fishermen throughout the state. Many people want to know what species of catfish it was. Clear Lake has three different species of catfish; the channel catfish (which is the largest), the white catfish and the brown bullhead (the smallest). Miranda’s fish was a channel catfish, even though several people have claimed that it was a blue catfish. According to Department of Fish and Game (DFG) biologists there are no recorded sightings of a blue catfish in Clear Lake. The species of catfish can be identified by counting the rays on its anal fin. A channel catfish has 24-29 rays, a white catfish has 19-23 rays and a brown bullhead has 17 rays whereas a blue catfish has 30-35 rays. A blow up of the photo of the catfish caught by Miranda revealed 26 rays on its anal fin which confirms that it is a channel catfish. Channel catfish were first introduced into Clear Lake in 1908 and they can live as long as 25 years.

For years there have been stories of giant 50-pound-plus catfish swimming in Clear Lake and even a few tales about catfish that large actually being caught, but to date no fishermen has been able to actually prove they caught a catfish that big. The world record for a channel catfish is 58 pounds and the state record is 52 pounds. There have been three authenticated catches of catfish in the 33-pound class caught in Clear Lake and it’s entirely possible that a 50-pound-plus catfish is swimming in the lake. However, to land a catfish that big would take heavy equipment and a lot of fishing savvy. In fact, more big catfish are lost than ever landed.

Clear Lake has perfect habitat for catfish and produces some huge fish. For example, to win the annual Clearlake Oaks/Glenhaven Catfish Derby usually takes at least a 25 pounder and 20 pounders are common.

The good news is that Miranda released the record-setting catfish back into the lake. It should continue to grow and if someone catches it again it could set a new lake record.

These articles and the photo are provided courtesy of the Record-Bee.