As we waited for our friendly waitress to bring our breakfast of biscuits and gravy, we talked of our fishing so far this season. Nightly showers had got us and our equipment wet but on the bright side we had managed several decent catfish.

I pointed to a pontoon boat at the docks and told Don that I planned to fish out of the rain that night. My wife and granddaughter, Kayla were due to arrive at the campgrounds and I had scheduled a pontoon boat for us to rent. After many years of flathead fishing we decided to try the pontoon boat to see if they were a good alternative to the style of fishing we had been using. I suggested this after my wife requested we buy a pontoon boat. I hoped to prove the boat would be acceptable and furnish what we needed to fish for big flatheads.

After our meal Don and I returned to the campgrounds and spread out our wet sleeping bags and clothing and went to our tents to sleep. About noon a little head poked into my tent and asked, “Papaw are you sleeping?”

I knew that Pyschobaby and her grandma had arrived. I got out of the tent and helped unload a few things for my new guests. They were anxious to see the pontoon and be out on the water. We quickly went to the marina and were soon cruising the lake with Kayla riding the breeze in the front of the pontoon. My wife was enjoying the ride and chattering as I relaxed at the wheel. After a ride around the lake I eased the boat to some brush and broke out some bluegill gear.

Kayla and Grandma were soon swing hooks at me. Either to remove a bluegill or replace bait. Kayla whooped with joy each time she hoisted a lively bluegill over the rail. I reminded them that it was time to meet Don for a meal before we set out to go catfishing. They reeled in their bluegill rigs reluctantly and we motored back to meet Don.

Over dinner we made plans for the evening. We checked for our essential equipment and bought some snacks that we planned to have while we waited for the big fish to bite. Don had chosen his fishing area and I told him we would set up nearby.

We slowly maneuvered the pontoon along the lake looking for spots we thought might hold flatheads. In one cove I found a tree fallen towards the water that would make an excellent place to tie the pontoon. The cove itself ran to about 10 foot deep at the mouth and the steep banks made this a spot we could not normally fish. I was happy that I could secure the pontoon to the tree and not have anchor ropes that might interfere with fighting flatheads. After the boat was secured I took my smaller boat and went to Don to help him set up and let him know our location. When I described the spot he understood where we were and he grinned as I left him. I said, “I hope it doesn’t rain again tonight”.

The girls were ready to catfish when I returned and Kayla hopped in the little boat with me to take the flathead lines out to the locations we hoped would put baits close to hungry flatheads. Grandma watched the reels as we pulled lines out.

Kayla netted the goldfish from the livewell and handed them to me as we set the baits near drops or submerged timber. She squealed with delight as she trapped the baits in the baitnet and handed them to me.

We returned to the pontoon and tied the little boat out of the way. The ladies prepared the bench seats into beds and I checked the rods and made sure the reels were all in free spool and the clickers were on. Grandma and Psychobaby broke out the snacks and soda pop and we all sat looking at the lake and watched as night fell on our quiet little corner of the World.

The ladies had grown quiet and I suspected they were asleep when I heard a single click from one of the reels. I eased up to the rod and waited for line to go out but nothing more. Suddenly the rod flipped up and I caught it as the reel signaled line going out. I set the hook but could tell not only was it a small fish but it was completely on the other side of the pontoon. Apparently the goldfish had tied the eggs sinker to the line and the channel cat had swam under the boat and to the end of his slack before the reel started releasing line. When he hit the end of the slack he was probably going full speed causing the rod to flip up and the clicker to go crazy.

I removed the cat and released him. The stir of activity had both ladies sitting up to see what was going on. My adrenaline was pumping anticipating a big flathead, so it was a while before I could settle down and relax. I lay on my sleeping bag as the still night sounds played out a familiar song.

I dozed off and was awakened by the clicking of the big Penn reel. Slowly the line was being taken out. I rolled to kneel beside the rod and slipped the clicker off the reel and eased my thumb on the spool to feel the line being pulled. I stood up feet wide apart and pointed the rod at the fish. The line was moving slowly and I knew from experience that a flathead had the bait and was moving at its own pace to its next destination. I flipped the reel into gear and let the fish pull the line tight. As I swung the rod and set the hook the pontoon moved. I heard my wife sit up as I reeled down and struck again to make sure the hook was home.

As I fought the fish she moved close to me and asked if it was a good one. I told her yes and she found the net as I fought the fish. The angle of the line reminded me of where the bait had been set and I remarked that this outfit was set by a dock in 2 foot of water. When the fish tired my wife handed me the net and we slipped the flathead into it. During all this commotion Kayla did not wake and continued sleeping as I roped the fish to the side of the boat and returned everything to the proper place.

Don swung by in the morning and took these photos. We released the big cat and all went to enjoy breakfast. Due to this experiment and the satisfaction of all with the pontoon boat experiment we decided to buy a pontoon boat. The Catfish Queen has modifications made expressly for fishing at night and in cool wet weather. I also made a fighting deck to aid in doing battle with the giant catfish.

We have been very happy with our pontoon and Grandma and Kayla make it their home away from home.