… don’t go after them myself but nephew has a fever for them … http://www.dnr.state.md.us/dnrnews/pressrelease2008/032608.html … imagine the canoe power you’d get if you could harness one of these and train it …
A friend and I maneuvered a 29 lb
blue cat into the tankwell of his Prowler 13…we caught it on a jug line. That was quite a feat and, . Over 15 lbs, I don’t bother to bring them into the kayak or canoe. Don’t usually keep one over 10. The main problem with blue catfish over 10 or so pounds is they try taking it down deep when reeling it in. If they go straight down near your canoe or kayak, you probably are going to turtle.
The nephew …
– Last Updated: Apr-26-08 4:57 PM EST –
....... told me that he had a goal with the catfish , and that was a 20 pounder ...... it was he that sent me the DNR link showing MD's new record , and has since told me he has raised his goal to 30 lb. after seeing this ....... there was a favorite section of the Shennandoah I used to wade for Smallies (can't get in there and camp/fish any longer because of developement) , it's called Thunderbird outside Front Royal,VA. ...... first time there was with friends when a teen and went back a few times a year for next 17 or so ....... it was great , top surface rebels and 50 fish a day was the norm , not huge ones often but just a blast ...... then one day I hooked up with what I thought was a monster Smallie , turned out to be a Blue cat about 7 lbs. , then another and another as time went on ...... hit the top water just as a Smallie would ...... these Blue cats were so blue and silver , really blue !! ...... have had the cats take my Smallie offerings many times since , both bottom plastics , spinners , live minnows and top water , but none of the following ones were ever as blue as those first ones in those years ?? ........ it's pretty amazing , and to think that something like that pic. or your 29 lb. could be right near when I'm out for Smallmouth !!
Had a cat hit a spinnerbait on Shen
Last year I had three fish on the same spinnerbait on the same day on the Shenandoah - one smallie (with lesions 
), one several pound largemouth, and a small catfish. I’ve never been good at identifying different species of cats. Anyway, same spinnerbait, same day, same pattern, three different species.
- Big D
Most likely, it was a channel cat
Channel catfish will hit lures and flies with regularity at times. The way to recognize catfish is blues up to 10 lbs are pretty, channel catfish are ok to look at once they get over 2 lbs, flatheads are plain ugly no matter the size. Y’all have white catfish in Va. I believe. Think they are an offshoot of blues. As for eating, all are damn good, but flatheads are the best, followed by blues, then channels.
Discovered what happens when …
– Last Updated: Apr-28-08 1:16 AM EST –
......... you make camp for the eve. on the Shenandoa , (somewhere in the middle between Berryville and Charlestown) and after fileting your fish toss the carcasses in 6" of water at shoreline (BlueGills of course for dinner)......... chow was over , we're stuffed , all settled back a camp fire side , enjoying each others B.S. , night darkness is deep now , and then out of no where down at shore side all this comotion and ruckus breaks the peacefulness !! ...... get the light and investigate to find catfish city battling for the carcuses ....... lots of them rolling ripping and splashing in 6"-8" of water ...... three at time lock jawed together on one piece of meat ...... a light bulb goes off in my head and we manage to salvage a few skins back from them , set up a bobber rig and toss it out into the chum line ....... had just enough skins for each of the 4 of us to catch one (that equals one piece of bait each , one chance each)......... these things were 24"-26" long , nephew wouldn't let me toss mine back in , and he did the cleaning this time .. it was quite the battle on our light outfits bringing them in with the current and all at dark ..