Chamba Melendez catches a really big flathead from the Chain O’Lakes

Chamba Melendez caught a 57-pound flathead to earn FOTW. | Provided

Chamba Melendez emailed, `` I was just as happy catching this fish then when I got married lmao.’’

He battled the beautiful 57-pound flathead for 20 minutes around 7:45 p.m. Oct. 21 on Nippersink Lake. He caught it on a sucker.

I should do a follow-up on what the home response was to that opening comparison.

Chamba Melendez’s flathead is big enough to be worth a vertical look, too.

FOTW, the celebration of big fish and their stories (the stories matter) around Chicago fishing, runs Wednesdays in the Sun-Times. Submit nominations by message on Facebook (Dale Bowman), on Twitter (@BowmanOutside) and Instagram (@BowmanOutside) or email (BowmanOutside@gmail.com).