I have always heard that there were monster catfish lurking in the Mississippi River, but never had the joy of landing one. I was able to find several videos proving the local legend is indeed true.

My dad used to tell me stories of catfish that were nearly as big as him lurking in the Mississippi especially under bridges. I always thought it was just a slight exaggeration from our Missouri minds. I was wrong.

Some pro fishermen shared this detail about the huge catfish they caught in the Mississippi and how they did it:

I go fishing for monster catfish in the Mississippi River with my good buddy Capt. Blake. We were using a giant yellowfin tuna carcass for chum to lure these monster catfish towards our boat. For bait, we were using yellowfin tuna, wahoo, cobia, and dolphin (mahi-mahi).

While I always heard bridges on the Mississippi were the best place to find these fish monsters, these guys theorized that barges were better. It looks like they weren't wrong.

Almost a decade ago, some fishermen on the Mississippi to our south pulled in a 47.2 pound catfish whopper.

KICK AM, Classic Country logo
Get our free mobile app

Some Minnesota fishermen can also attest to the truth of Mississippi monster catfish. Check out this big boy.

I love it when local legends become proven fact. No, it's not just our vivid fishing imaginations at work. There really are monster catfish in the Mississippi waiting to become your next whopper of a story.

LOOK: 50 images of winning moments from sports history

Sometimes images are the best way to honor the figures we've lost. When tragedy swiftly reminds us that sports are far from the most consequential thing in life, we can still look back on an athlete's winning moment that felt larger than life, remaining grateful for their sacrifice on the court and bringing joy to millions.

Read on to explore the full collection of 50 images Stacker compiled showcasing various iconic winning moments in sports history. Covering achievements from a multitude of sports, these images represent stunning personal achievements, team championships, and athletic perseverance.

KEEP READING: Here are 50 of the most famous sports goofs

More From KICK AM, Classic Country