Shad from freezer

I have this rule: If a catfish is less than two pounds I do NOT clean it - I give it away or let it go

Turtles have been enjoying the bream I catch - so last night I went out to eat with my friends and didn't worry about catching any bream. Instead I got my last bag of frozen shad from the freezer - figuring that the small shad might get some small cats to give to my neighbors

I put two small shad on each hook - and I always hook them in belly to let out some of the 'gook' to attract the turtles (OOPS I mean catfish).

This morning when running the line I felt a tug and saw a catfish about two hooks down - and I have to confess - I looked again and decided he might be over 2 lbs - and I was sorta hoping he'd get off

It got even worst as I got close - I lifted the line so the fish could 'fight more' (giving him more of a fighting chance is my excuse

Well that didn't work so I was thinking of lifting him without using the net but then that would be really obvious that I was trying to lose him (and someone might be watching) - so I decided to use the net

When I went to net him - I sorta hit him (twice) with the net cause I wasn't close (and he still didn't get off) i.e. I was staying back to avoid a splash (yeah right :)

Well no matter how much I was 'secretly' hoping he would get off - he flopped in the net without my help - so now I'm trapped - I either have to change my 2 lb rule or clean him - cause - I was right - he was 2 lb 5 oz by my expensive / accurate scales (dang scales - should have used the cheap spring scales )

BTW: I put him in my shallow fish pen - wonder if he can 'climb out' before time to clean him

Sidebar: I've had catfish climb out of fish pens in the past. If the pen is large hanging (plastic hardware cloth pen) and the wind blows the pen up on it's side just a little - a catfish can get up to speed and jump up on slope / side and floppy right up to top and get out - I sit looking out window one day and watched one take off - and another time I almost got a video of one about to get out.
(but just my luck the wind is not blowing real strong today - so the fish pen is not set up for an easy escape)

BTW: When I have really large fish that I HAVE TO CLEAN - I put them on a stringer and then put them in the pen. This way the stringer keeps them from escaping and the pen keeps the snakes and turtles from getting the catfish

BTW: I once found a snake holding on to a 4-5lb catfish right behind the gills - e.g. it was trying to kill the fish - and when I lifted the stringer the snake did not let go until I kept shaking the stringer. I was afraid to clean and eat that catfish so I let it go and watched it slowly swim off - still wonder if it lived or if snake venom kills them

Oh well I may get out of cleaning this catfish yet - I think the people behind me are wanting to have a holiday fish fry - and I haven't given them many fish lately. In fact, I feel guilt that I have so many fish in the freezer that I think I better give the catfish to them (along with the one I got on catalpa worms yesterday - I was lucky it was under two pounds and I was going to let it go or give it away anyway)

I can go back to bed for a nap now - instead of cleaning catfish - and not feel guilt about breaking my 2 lb rule