Thousands gathered last weekend to pay homage to the catfish, the whiskered wonder of Elgin. The 13-annual Catfish Stomp was “the biggest and best yet,” Nettie Moak Campbell, Elgin town clerk, said. The three-day event featured carnival rides and games, arts and crafts, a parade, a car show and musical entertainment. Vendors sold corndogs and elephant ears, but most people chose to stand in line for the the main event: fried catfish and catfish stew, served in the cafeteria of the old Blaney school.