The trick to filleting channel cats is to not sweat every last bit of meat.  You're going to trim the fillets anyway.  There's a diagonal line from the dorsal spike just outside the ribs down to the anus.  Make that cut then sweep the knife down the spine.  One cut and done.  Then skin and trim.  I can fillet a dozen cats in 1/3 the time of a dozen panfish.  
 
I just throw mine directly on ice.  After 5 minutes in the cooler they are sleepy enough to not cause problems.  

outasync
http://pfbc.pa.gov/biorep...1x09-20-Pymatuning.pdf

Species
Number
Captured
Size Range
(inches)
Black Crappies 437 2 - 14
Bluegills 300 2 – 8
Bowfin 9 N/A
Brown Bullheads 141 3 - 15
Channel Catfish 345 9 - 32
Largemouth Bass 4 6 - 15
Muskellunge 191 11 - 48
Pumpkinseeds 46 2 - 7
Rock Bass 1 7
Walleyes 3,214 9 - 28
White Bass 2 10 - 14
White Crappies 7 8 - 15
Yellow Perch 998 3 – 12
Yellow Bullheads 28 9 - 13


Species Number Captured
Alewives 1,391
Bluntnose Minnow 4
Emerald Shiners 3
Gizzard Shad 9,119
Golden Shiners 66
Logperch 8
Spottail Shiners 4,587


Thanks for the link Dave.

Baitfish numbers are certainly interesting.

BTDT:
The guy in the pictures is the biologist that was out retrieving the nets in the spring of 2016 south of Epsyville and I just happened to be there. He and his partner brought the boat close to shore so that I could watch them count the fish and ask questions. They had about 8 keeper walleye in the net if I remember correctly.  It was very educational.

roygpa
BTDT:
The guy in the pictures is the biologist that was out retrieving the nets in the spring of 2016 south of Epsyville and I just happened to be there. He and his partner brought the boat close to shore so that I could watch them count the fish and ask questions. They had about 8 keeper walleye in the net if I remember correctly.  It was very educational.

Do you know if his name is Tim Wilson? Nice guy. Sent an email ****ing about bradys run(stunted crappie and bass) earlier this summer and we have emailed back and forth a bit. He emailed me back even though he is NW section biologist because he helped do Bradys Run this spring. I think they just posted a lot of bio reports, he sent me an email last week because they posted Brady's Run. 600+ black crappie, not one over 9", 300+ white crappie and biggest was 10". Bucket biologists have always screwed that lake up. Before the draining and refilling I saw sauger and 1 northern pike caught through the ice. Unless sauger and pike can jump a 30 foot spillway, some idiot put them in there. Now there is a gizzard shad problem, they caught 140, way better than last one in 2013 or 14 but still a lot for a 25 acre shallow water lake. Only 2 carp.

Roygpa I didn't see the picture, only saw the link Dave posted wasn't highlighted so, I quoted his link and for reasons unknown it will now redirect anyone who clicks on it.

I did see the charts so I copied them to my page more so from surprise, at the baitfish numbers.

I've seen the trap net exercises on the lakes as well as electro shocking on the Allegheny River.

Was very interesting to watch the recording of data and collecting of samples.

I don't know why it didn't make my post a link. Oh well it served it's purpose! I just hope that the fall bite improves from what luck I have had at pymie.

In my limited number of trips I have caught 0 fish. But then again my trips total 9 hours combined with 4 of them just getting used to my new boat. And in total I've lost 2 fish that had to be musky or very very large walleye lol the ones that get away are the ones that make you go back!

I fished Pymy frequently this year with poor results. A few decent perch, the occasional walleye, channel cat's and a 44" muskie caught trolling for eye. I've heard many stories on the poor bite but one thing is certain not many are now fishing the lake. The dying carp add a new dimension and I truly feel for the local businesses that rely on the fishery. I'm hoping this all sorts itself out and my sonar tells me the fish are there. The Hot N Tots weren't too hot but maybe the blade baits will produce this fall.  

Looch:
 
I didn't get his name that day. Sorry.

chauncy
I bleed catfish out just like i do walleyes. Clip them and throw them in the livewell. Leave the plug out and add water as needed. After half an hour, take them out and put them on ice with the rest of the fish. Much easier to fillet and the meat is whiter.

We do the same, any fish being kept gets gills cut and dropped in the floor box full of water to bleed out, then onto ice. We use a 5 gallon bucket of water for yellow perch or panfish...just makes for a cleaner fillet table and better meat quality. Just swap out the water as needed. 

For those on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/387183035952/
 
For those not on Facebook, it is a link to a post by a guy named Richard Giordano who has a buddy that caught 18 walleye, 12 of which were keepers fishing at night trolling south of the causeway using Hot-N-tots.
It was posted 7 hours ago, and the picture was of last night's catch.
 
Just reporting, take it for what it is worth.
 
Roy