Blue catfish are native to the Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio, and Rio Grande river basins.
What state has the most blue catfish?
Alabama tops the list of must-visit states for many big-cat aficionados. In recent years, waters like Wheeler, Wilson and Pickwick lakes on the Tennessee River have become world renowned for producing huge blue cats, including several exceeding 100 pounds.
Are blue catfish native to North America?
The Ictaluridae, sometimes called ictalurids, are a family of catfish native to North America, where they are an important food source and sometimes fished for sport. The family includes about 51 species, some commonly known as bullheads, madtoms, channel catfish, and blue catfish.
Do blue catfish live in Florida?
Originally found in the Escambia and Yellow rivers in northwest Florida, they are now also in the Apalachicola and Suwannee. Blues occur in big rivers and in the lower reaches of major tributaries. They prefer clearer, swifter water than other catfish, and are usually found over sand, gravel or rock bottoms.
What’s the biggest blue catfish caught in the United states?
Blue Catfish: 143 Pounds
Richard Nicholas Anderson has the all-tackle world record with a 143-pound monster caught in Virginia’s Kerr Lake on June 18, 2011. Anderson’s fish measured 57 inches long with a portly 44-inch girth. He was fishing with a Shakespeare Ugly Stick equipped with a Daiwa reel.
How old is a 40 pound blue catfish?
On Tuesday, they tweeted a photo of a nearly 40-pound catfish. They said they found it while sampling for blue catfish in the lake. According to UK scientists, the fish live to be 14 to 20 years old and are normally larger than 25 pounds.
What’s the best bait for blue catfish?
To Get The Blue Catfish Bite
– You’ll want to use a bait that has plenty of stink. Cut herring, mud shad, or menhaden fits the bill perfectly. – Some anglers swear by commercially made stink-baits, and others by chicken livers. – Whatever bait you choose, you’ll want to keep it dead on bottom.
What is the biggest catfish in the United States?
The blue catfish (Ictalurus furcatus) is the largest species of North American catfish, reaching a length of 165 cm (65 in) and a weight of 68 kg (150 lb). The typical length is about 25–46 in (64–117 cm).
Is blue catfish good for you to eat?
A 4-ounce serving of blue catfish includes 19 grams of protein, with only 90 calories and 1.5 grams of fat. And they include healthy Omega-3 fatty acids, too. Blue catfish is already available in many grocery and seafood stores.
Are blue catfish venomous?
When attacked, blue catfish defend themselves with serrated spinal barbs located on both their dorsal and pectoral fins. The spines have glands that expel harmful toxins, which can enter predators’ wounds and cause sharp pain.
Are there blue catfish in Texas?
The blue catfish is the largest freshwater sportfish in Texas. Where mature populations exist, 50-pounders are not unusual. Typically, the largest fish are caught by trotliners, some of whom have landed specimens in excess of 115 pounds. The Texas rod-and-reel record is 121.5 pounds.
What is the biggest catfish caught in the world?
The Mekong giant catfish is the official freshwater heavyweight champion of the world. According to the Guinness Book of Records, a nine-foot-long individual caught in northern Thailand in 2005 weighted an astounding 646 pounds, making it the largest exclusively freshwater fish ever recorded.
Where do you fish for big blue catfish?
The area below a dam, with gouged holes and turbulent water, is often a prime place to find blue catfish, especially a deep hole just below a hump. The riprap along shorelines below a dam is also good, especially early in the season. Deep holes and pools throughout a river are prime blue catfish habitat.
Can blue catfish live in saltwater?
Summary: A new study warns that blue catfish — an invasive species in several Chesapeake Bay tributaries — tolerate salinities higher than most freshwater fishes, and thus may be able to expand their range downstream into mainstem Chesapeake waters, and from there into new Bay tributaries and even Delaware Bay.
What’s the biggest freshwater fish ever caught?
Record keepers confirmed that the 661-pound freshwater stingray caught on June 13, was indeed the largest freshwater fish in the world.
Can you catch catfish with hot dogs?
Hot dogs are a common food taken along on fishing excursions and double as excellent catfish bait. Points to remember when using hot dogs as catfish bait include: Cheaper hot dogs seem to catch more fish.
How long can a blue catfish live out of water?
Most people wouldn’t think that a fish can only live for a certain amount of time out of the water, but it’s an essential question if you want to keep your catch alive. Catfish can live about three hours or less without water.
How long is a 100 lb blue catfish?
Recognized for their large bodies that can weigh well over 100 pounds (45kg), blue catfish can reach two to five feet in length (600 to 1500mm). Their bodies appear bluish-silver and grey dorsally, silvery-white on their sides, and white ventrally.
How big can catfish get in lakes?
The common length for channel catfish is 22 inches with the longest maximum reported length at 52 inches.
How deep do blue catfish live?
The best depth for catching catfish is between 15 and 20 feet deep in lakes. This is known as the catfish zone because they reside within such depths in most lakes. However, depending on the time of the year and the temperature of the water, they can also reside in shallow areas.
What bait is irresistible to catfish?
Arguably, no bait is more closely associated with catfishing than a chicken liver. The reason is simple: livers produce catfish and lots of them. With their strong, meaty smell, chicken livers draw cats from broad areas. Once the cats find the bait, they have trouble resisting them.