For those anglers looking for a battle royale this spring

For those anglers looking for a battle royale this spring, you need look no further than the spoonbill catfish. A species that has long captivated my interest was in existence over 40 million years before the dinosaurs and it remains as one of the most popular catfish today. A recent road trip below Fort Gibson Dam found the gates open the water swift and no shortage of snaggers fishing from the wall where having good success with fish up to 70 pounds. Watching the anglers brought back fond memories for me when a partner and I would launch the boat, tie up to the cable and commence with what I termed a “poorman’s deep sea fishing.”