Trip to Branched Oak Lake NW of Lincoln

Big Flathead Catfish (est.20-22#) caught while trolling at Branched Oak Lake

Cool, sunny morning for fishing at Branched Oak, started out good I thought with trolling in marina bay. Not long I hooked up with a big Flathead Catfish (20-22# range) on a flicker minnow. Fun to catch but not to eat! Total catch and release on Flatheads here at Branched Oak. The fish practically engulfed the #7 deep diving minnow look-a-like but with patience and the surgical forceps I got the crankbait out!

​The purpose for going to Branched Oak was to look for shad and active crappie beneath. I found both but no action on live minnows and jig raps! Good news the boat still runs good at trolling speeds! Three and a half hours of slow fishing here was enough for me and the crazy’s with the noisy power boats and jet ski’s nuts are starting to overload the boat ramp, time to take my punches and go home! Checked for fall mushrooms on my way home at one spot - none yet!