I must have heard this story about a million times from different fishermen about gigantic catfish in Hoover Dam. I was told that divers used to go down there to clean up the bottom of the dam (why they were doin' that I wouldn't know) and they would see catfish equivalent to their body lengths!! Many of the divers quit after that since they didn't want to be fish-food. :-)

Has you ever else heard of these similiar stories?
Are they simply urban-legends?

I've heard a story like that, only it was about the lopez dam. I figured it was just a story since the lake record is only around 40lbs. Another catfish story I heard was when the Mississippi river flooded and there was a huge catfish roaming the flood waters eating dogs and cats. Supposedly, a crew of men armed with heavy equipment and steel line went out to try and catch it. That was obviously just another story, but it would make for a cool horror flick.

If you talk to enough people you'll hear that story about almost every lake around. I've heard it about San Vicente,Otay,and Hodges down here.

Cats do get big..........buuuuuuuuut
Have you guys heard about that southern style of catfishing (I am not sure of the name, maybe grubbing??) where they feel around the shallows and in undercut banks and grab the catfish by the mouth and simply wrestle them up? I heard "tales" about guys losing or injurying hands and arms...I prefer a simple pole and hook thank you very much...

Yeah, it's called "Okie Noodling". Crazy ass fishing without any equipments except your arms and the ability to hold your breath underwater. I watched that documentary a while back and one of local said once in a while you touch a snapping turtle and you a finger or two bitten off. Damn!!

http://www.okienoodling.com/

So ya think all those catfish stories are just urban legends and fish tales?
(Sorry, had to throw the "ya" in since we're talkin' about hicks here). :-)

I saw that show on TV a few weeks ago. It was INSANE!!!!!!!!!!! I would recommend that documentary to anybody, not only because its a great fishing story... but because its a look into a different world thats only 1,000 miles away. Those Okies are a different breed. Noodling is not for the faint of heart!!

Mike F

I heard a story like that about lake Chabot. When they were letting water out of the spill way during the El Nino year, catfish started to take over San Leandro creek which runs out of Chabot. There was one cat documented at over 80 lbs., and some old lady reported that a "monster" took her little dog under water when she was walking along the creek, im guessing it was a catfish.

Sounds like theres a few of you that have been on the water a little too long.