Perhaps no two people are more familiar with West Virginia's blue catfish than fishing guides Tabitha Linville and her fiance, Justin Conner. Blue: 120-4, John Paul Nichols, Holt Reservoir, 3/9/2012 On Tuesday, Michael Robinson and Terry Raymer teamed to catch and release a. 3 bluecats that day from the same area while drifting jugs. Remember to bring your catfish cubes along to catch those behemoth catfish and try all the different types of our catfish bait to find the right mix.. State-by-state catfish records in the U.S. 2017 records are bold-faced. This species is found in the Ohio River and is stocked in Clendening Lake, Caesar Creek Reservoir,. We will teach you how to anchor fish, drift, drag, pull planer boards and other techniques to catch you catfish. Feeding Blue catfish are native to the lower Ohio river basin. Yearly CPUE: Ohio River Blue CPUE Channel CPUE Flathead CPUE Commercial Fishing Data-20,000 40,000 60,000 80,000 100,000 120,000 140,000 ) Total Posts : 3473. Scientific Name: Ictalurus furcatus Ecological Description/Identification In West Virginia, blue catfish are native to the Ohio River drainage. He said he was "shocked" that his record lasted as long as it did. The Mississippi River. Pro Angler. In Ohio, the Ohio River's Ohio-adjacent section is becoming increasingly popular for its giant blue catfish. Native Range: Mississippi River basin from western Pennsylvania to southern South Dakota and the Platte River, southwestern Nebraska, south to the Gulf of Mexico; tributaries of the gulf from Mobile Bay basin, Alabama, to the Rio Grande drainage, Texas and New Mexico. [10] Identification [ edit] Blue catfish are often misidentified as channel catfish. Blue catfish stocking in the Ohio River will begin this week with three- to five-inch fingerlings to be followed in 2023 and subsequent years with eight- to 10-inch yearlings. They are easily distinguishable from most other types of catfish, except . The fish - pulled from the. There's been a recent push by state agencies to eradicate the blue catfish from these waters by opening them to commercial fishing. Managers hope to increase public awareness of blue catfish. The Ohio state record is a 96-pound blue caught in the Ohio River in 2009. The fish was caught in the Ohio River and weighed 104 lb. Watch Scheduled. Download Ohio Wildlife Field Guides Description Reproduction Habitat & Behavior Here are the top 4 places to catch catfish in Ohio: Number 1: Lake Erie. "The bay at the time was in a degraded condition, and fisheries managers thought blue catfish could provide something for people to fish for," says Crum. The fish also set a new record for length at 50.7 inches. The blue catfish is considered an excellent food and game fish. Harvest of fish below their respective length limits will not be regulated. For more about fishing for Ohio's trophy blue catfish, contact Richard Zweifel, an Ohio Division of Wildlife fisheries biologist, at (740) 928-7034. The blue catfish is one of the largest species of freshwater fish in North America, reaching a length of 65 inches and a weight of 150 pounds. 52 and 9 Mile), and Schmidt Field (just south of Mt Lookout on 52). These species are widely distributed and can be readily taken by shore anglers. "There are bigger ones in there," said Setty, who hooked last year's record catfish. 3. According to the Augusta County Historic District, the two men, identified only as Terry and Michael, had to get. The world-record blue was caught in Kerr Reservoir, Va., in 2011 and weighed a whopping 143 pounds! The farthest up river on the Ohio I have caught blues was about 3 miles below the mouth of the Scioto River. The blue catfish also has three chambers in the swim bladder. This week, we're catching blue catfish on the Ohio River in the far western part of the state. People have stocked blue catfish into other watersheds too, expanding the fish's range. There are tons of lakes, rivers, streams and ponds chalk full of catfish in a variety of species, shapes, and sizes. The Arkansas River. . By Chris Lawrence. The Missouri River. Chris Rolph of Clermont County caught the fish weighing 96 pounds in the Ohio River near downtown Cincinnati on June 11. Blue catfish fishing continues to increase in popularity because you have the opportunity to catch excellent numbers of fish but the chances of a trophy class fish exist in most waters that blue catfish live in. Where are blue catfish located? POINT . Fishing for Huge Blue Catfish on the Ohio River, Incredible day of Fishing 5,120 views Mar 5, 2017 49 Dislike Share Harley Neal 1.83K subscribers This was one of the most exciting days I've. Alabama Catfish Records. C CatfishHateMe Registered A blue catfish that is at least 35 inches long qualifies for Fish Ohio recognition. Byrd. [11] Ictalurus furcatus is endemic to the Mississippi, Missouri, and Ohio River basins of the central and southern United States and . According to Larry Goedde, District Two fisheries supervisor, one of Ohio's most fabled walleye rivers -- the Maumee -- is also one of his district's top catfish rivers. A 104-pound blue catfish was pulled from the Ohio River in 1999 by a Kentucky fisherman in tail waters of the Cannelton dam and remains the Kentucky state record. They want people to understand the effects of blue catfish on the Bay and to know that they are delicious and nutritious. 4. The norm is fish in the 50-pound range, but there are always chances of getting one even larger. They can exceed 150 pounds and are widely known as heavyweight fighters in the water. A 10-year-old boy in Mooresville, North Carolina, surprised his mother by landing a large catfish just moments after she expressed doubts about his chances.Video by Rebecca Conway shows her son Liam on their deck casting off into the lake behind their house.Conway can be heard doubting the efficacy of Liam's lures, but . Jan 12, 2016. you can fish on both banks of the Ohio River with a ohio license! The Public landing is a spot but it now cost at least $5 to park a car. Many anglers use a bait with plenty of stink, such as cut herring, mud shad, or menhaden. Blue catfish have been stocked as a recreational catch in almost 20 states. The goal of the project was to determine the overall status of blue, flathead, and channel . Maumee River. January 16, 2020 - 3:05 pm. Here is my web page with info on spots around down town Cincinnati. Both blue catfish and flathead catfish have been known to grow to 100 pounds or more. Distribution Blue catfish are native to major rivers of the Ohio, Missouri, and . Blue Catfish stocking in the Ohio River will begin with fingerlings (3-5 inches) during fall 2022 and yearlings (8-10 inches) in 2023 and beyond. Blue catfish (hereafter, blues) are a species of catfish native to the Ohio River drainage. Blue catfish are more likely to be found in the lower river and are rarer in places like the West Virginia, Ohio, and Pennsylvania parts of the river. The Markland Pool is the best place to target blues in Ohio. If you're after blue cats, this is the . The only public docks in the Cincinnati are are the public landing (just south of downtown), Frederick's Landing (on the Licking in Wilder, KY) Steamboat Bend (east of downtown at rt. The most effective setup is usually heavy tackle with cut bait, shad, live herring, or peeler crabs. They're a silvery-blue color with white bellies. Blue cats are most common in the lower portion of the river. March 15, apparently, is an outstanding day to try to land a giant blue catfish on the Ohio River in Kentucky. This area has become well known for producing amazing trophy-class blue catfish. Blue catfish have four pairs of black whisker-like barbels around their mouths. Last, Season 38 Episode 40 Length 26:29 Premiere: 09/03/22. It is a strong, well-toned fish with a fine, delicate flavor. Blue cats naturally range throughout the Mississippi River drainage. As of this writing, there are no creel or length limits on blue catfish in either Kentucky or Ohio. Justin Conner of Culloden, W.Va. caught the new state record blue catfish for length last Saturday on the Ohio River at Point Pleasant. SHELBYVILLE, Ind. However, industrial water pollution. Blue catfish historically were found throughout the Ohio and Monongahela rivers in Pennsylvania as well as in the lower portions of the Allegheny River. Following implementation of Blue Catfish restoration stockings, the PFBC will monitor and assess the Blue Catfish restoration efforts in the Ohio River every three years beginning in 2025. . Farther south, the river hosts a population of blue catfish which look very similar to the channel catfish, but can grow to be much larger. Blue catfish are distinguished by their flat dorsal fin and deeply forked tail. While the first two are widely available throughout the river, Blue Catfish are much rarer. Obviously, an enormous lake with many awesome spots for channel cats and spotted cats. The Maumee River is a broad, shallow waterway. Flatheads are capable of reaching 100 pounds, but 20- to 30-pound fish are the norm. Blue catfish have a flat dorsal fin and a deeply forked tail. And they include healthy Omega-3 fatty acids, too. Fish in the 50-pound class are the norm, and there's always an outside shot at one even bigger. The blue catfish is a long fish with a flat dorsal fin and deeply forked tail. They ranged between 8-17 lbs caught during the day 2 years ago on July 4th weekend. Blue. We will chase Ohio River Blue Catfish, Flathead Catfish and Channel Catfish on the Ohio River in the Cincinnati area. The Ohio River (In no particular order.) The blue catfish (Ictalurus furcatus) is one of the largest species of freshwater fish in North America. The 4- to 4-inch juveniles were planted in waters off the Point in Pittsburgh and 13. A fish mainly for reservoirs large rivers and big lakes. There are a few varieties you can find here: Channel, Flathead, and Blue. The Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife says Glynn Grogan, of Arlington, caught a 106.9-pound state record blue catfish from the Ohio River below Olmstead Lock and Dam in far west. Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia anglers don't normally catch these on their trips. These species are widely distributed and can be readily taken by shore anglers. Blue catfish are native to the Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio, and Rio Grande river basins. Blue catfish are taken in the lower river, but are rare in the Pennsylvania, Ohio and West Virginia portions of the river. 2. "Blue and flathead catfish in the 20 to 40 pound range are common, with fish . YouTube YouTube YouTube YouTubeYouTube SEO YouTube YouTube YouTube Michael Robinson Michael Robinson succumbed to his friend Terry Raymer's peer pressure to go fishing earlier this weekand ended up. The following are fishing methods used to catch this fish: Drift Fishing Still Fishing Blue Catfish lures, tackle & bait Blue catfish are native to the Mississippi, Missouri, and Ohio River systems. Rates - 1-2 people $310 . Then, we celebrate the start of archery season by looking back on one of our favorite hunts. More Info At ohiodnr.gov Blue catfish are taken in the lower river, but are rare in the Pennsylvania, Ohio and West Virginia portions of the river. Ohio River Catfishing. Blue catfish are native to the Mississippi, Missouri and Ohio river systems. Two Shelbyville men who set out on the Ohio River in search of catfish got their prized catch plus something extra: a sex toy in the 20-pound fish's stomach. I haven't made it back up that way since to try it again. The upper stretch flows through Paulding and Defiance counties and is bordered by agricultural plains. Channel catfish up to 15 pounds are fairly common. Channel catfish are pretty common along all parts of the Ohio River and normally weigh up to 15 pounds. Already this winter, they've caught and released. A new Ohio state record blue catfish, Ictalurus furcatus, may have been caught along the Ohio River in southwest Ohio according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife. More fingerling stockings of blue cats are slated in the Ohio River at other locations not far from Pittsburgh, including near the towns of Leetsdale and Monaca. **1. This video shows how to Suspend drift for blue catfish on the Ohio river brought to you by https://monsterrodholders.com/ Blue catfish grow large, as evidenced by this fish, which ranks first for length and second for weight in the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources record book. Blue catfish are heavy bodied, blueish gray in color, and have a dorsal hump. The lower section of the river is where blue cats are most prevalent. The Indiana record for a blue catfish was set in 1999 by Bruce Midkiff. Only the alligator gar and a few species of sturgeon get larger. They tend to move upstream in the summer in search of cooler temperatures, and downstream in the winter in order to find warmer water. Although they have been stocked in paylakes around here and do quite well. study of blue and flathead catfish on Ohio River to determine the potential for a trophy fishery. "As a result, the Ohio River is one of few places in Ohio and bordering states anglers can catch trophy blue catfish." For those looking for some line-thumping freshwater action with strong, hard-fighting fish, catfishing on the Ohio River is the place to be. Although native to Ohio River, blue catfish are thought to have occurred in low numbers in the upper reaches of Ohio River based on limited historic collections. Hopefully a personal best! caught by Justin Goode in the Ohio River in 2021. The 2013 Ohio River Catfish Project was an effort by KDFWR to increase data collection of catfish in the Ohio River. Blues can grow to a very large size in the right situation. The journals of Lewis and Clark and their men reported that blue catfish were among the food eaten by the expedition on the lower Missouri River in 1804 and again on the return trip to St. Louis in 1806. The most common catfish species in the Ohio River sport fishery are channel cats, flatheads and blue catfish. The standing record for a blue catfish at that moment in time was 59.74 pounds, . Wednesday, the state Fish and Boat Commission stocked 13,000 fingerling blue catfish in the Ohio River. Two men caught the largest trophy fish in their lives out of the Ohio River. RE: BLUE CATFISH IN PA RIVERS 2011/04/07 14:27:02 ( permalink ) Catfishkid, They are mainly, like a musky, flathead, striped bass etc, a big water fish. A 4-ounce serving of blue catfish includes 19 grams of protein, with only 90 calories and 1.5 grams of fat. Storyful 9d. Fish were measured for length and tagged with t-bar anchor tags to determine We have never caught a blue catfish in the part of the river that borders the Northern Panhandle. June 10, 2022 6:28 AM Two fishermen caught a blue catfish on the Ohio River in Indiana, and inside it was a large sex toy. They do not have scales so their skin is smooth. Catfish . The Ohio-adjacent portion of the Ohio River is also, increasingly, becoming known for producing giant blue catfish. 5. They were intentionally introduced into the Chesapeake Bay in the 1970s by fisheries managers. During the spring, summer, and fall, catfish were collected using electrofishing boats at four Ohio River tailwaters: Willow Island, Belleville, Racine, and R.C. They also have four whisker-like barbels around their mouths. The primary prey or forage fish in the fishery is the best bait to use for this fish. During the 1970s and 1980s, they were introduced to the James, Rappahannock, and York river basins in Virginia as a new recreational fishery. Number 2: The Ohio River. In the mid-1800s, when commercial catfishing in the Mississippi River was a booming industry, blues upward of 200 pounds were caught. Channel Catfish. there are sport on the Ky. side right across from the baseball park. Catching Blue Catfish on the Ohio; Archery Hunt. All three of the fork-tailed fish are usually pale blue or silver, although white catfish have a white belly and channel catfish often have spots. Cost varies from $5 to $10 per day. Its smooth skin lacks scales. Blue catfish will strike at both live bait and artificial. These 5 represent the native locations of blue catfish.but over the years they have found their way into hundreds of bodies of water throughout the continent. West Virginia has established a 24-inch minimum size limit and daily creel limit of two fish. Their smooth skin lacks scales. Richard Kesar. It has a slate blue body, a silver-white belly and four pairs of black, whisker-like barbels around its mouth. The blue catfish have been classified as an invasive species in the tidal waters of the James Rivers and the Chesapeake Bay. Where to catch Blue Catfish. The best chance to find Catfish is during the warmer months, especially May through July. They are silvery-blue in color with a white belly. The blue catfish is the largest member of the catfish family in the United States. Recreational fishermen on the main-stem Ohio River will be allowed one blue catfish 35.0 in, one flathead catfish 35.0 in, and one channel catfish 28.0 in. Blue cats are ravenous predators, feeding on fish and about everything else they can consume, and according to fisheries folks can attain weights to over 60 pounds in less than a decade. Facebook screengrab When two Indiana men caught a 20-pound. While adults usually grow to be less than 2 feet long, they can grow to be 5 feet long and weigh more than 100 pounds. Steamboat closes when the river is above 28' on the . Blue catfish are primarily large-river fish, occurring in main channels, tributaries, and impoundments of major river systems. The Tennessee River. As a result of improved water quality in the Ohio . Monster blue catfish in the 100+ pound range are popping up all over the country and getting more and more common. Adults usually grow to be less than two feet long, but can be as long as five feet and weigh more than 100 pounds. Here are my top 5 places to catch blue catfish: 1. Adult Blue catfish can grow to be around 2 feet long but are known to be as large as 5 feet. It prefers clean, swift-moving waters where it feeds primarily on fish and crayfish.