Hunting Washington Forum

Other Activities => Fishing => Topic started by: Machias on January 02, 2016, 07:26:28 PM

Title: Blue Catfish on the James River, VA
Post by: Machias on January 02, 2016, 07:26:28 PM: Took my youngest son out for a day of Blue Catfish fishing. We caught 5 citation fish, 37, 40, 48, 51 and 51. All 5 fish were released.

Catching shad for bait. It was 22 degrees when we started, but was 50 and sunny during the day. Just a fantastic day on the river.

(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hunt101.com%2Fdata%2F500%2Fmedium%2F1916504_10205675702467839_199047409699798367_n.jpg&hash=042a8219a3100ed695758ecc02e453cb7c4c5d58)

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(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hunt101.com%2Fdata%2F500%2Fmedium%2F12400493_923536997735410_271844727894267925_n.jpg&hash=dcbbba46a9a1611de17b5db1293f800859fb1c84)

(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hunt101.com%2Fdata%2F500%2Fmedium%2F1918634_10205677606955450_1035405695367127438_n.jpg&hash=0cdc7fa6f166fcd052013f83c766731f1340e80c)

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Title: Re: Blue Catfish on the James River, VA
Post by: rasbo on January 02, 2016, 07:27:46 PM: OOOOO yeah,thats awesome right there :tup:
Title: Re: Blue Catfish on the James River, VA
Post by: huntnphool on January 02, 2016, 07:32:08 PM: Those are some fatties right there. :tup:

No issues releasing those fish when they are bleeding?
Title: Re: Blue Catfish on the James River, VA
Post by: Machias on January 02, 2016, 07:34:26 PM: No it was from the lip area, they swam off just fine. We had them out, weighed, and photographed really quickly.
Title: Re: Blue Catfish on the James River, VA
Post by: huntnphool on January 02, 2016, 07:35:34 PM: Quote from: Machias on January 02, 2016, 07:34:26 PM
No it was from the lip area, they swam off just fine. We had them out weighed, photographed really quickly.

That's cool, do they put up a decent fight?
Title: Re: Blue Catfish on the James River, VA
Post by: Machias on January 02, 2016, 07:46:50 PM: Yea very nice fight, the water temps are still 58 degrees, so the big boys are feeling pretty frisky!
Title: Re: Blue Catfish on the James River, VA
Post by: snake on January 03, 2016, 09:42:47 AM: what is a "citation" fish?
Title: Re: Blue Catfish on the James River, VA
Post by: Machias on January 03, 2016, 10:25:50 AM: Quote from: snake on January 03, 2016, 09:42:47 AM
what is a "citation" fish?

Virginia has a Trophy Fish registration program. If you have your fish weighed by a certified scale and it meets the minimum weight it can be entered for a citation or certificate and can vie for angler of the month/year awards. For Blue catfish in Virginia they have to be at least 30 pounds to qualify for trophy fish status.
Title: Re: Blue Catfish on the James River, VA
Post by: Bill W on January 03, 2016, 10:41:43 AM: I caught some "citation" sized fish back during the time I was in the Navy in Maryland. The biggest was a crappie I caught on my first outing with a rod/reel checked out from Special Services. I thought all crappie were that sized but never caught another one like it in the 3 years I lived there. My others were yellow perch as I remember.
Title: Re: Blue Catfish on the James River, VA
Post by: Mark251 on January 03, 2016, 10:52:19 AM: Those things are massive! Very cool :tup:
Title: Re: Blue Catfish on the James River, VA
Post by: KopperBuck on January 03, 2016, 11:00:26 AM: That's killer. Is this self guided? I would love to do this someday.
Title: Re: Blue Catfish on the James River, VA
Post by: Machias on January 03, 2016, 11:03:25 AM: Quote from: KopperBuck on January 03, 2016, 11:00:26 AM
That's killer. Is this self guided? I would love to do this someday.

No this trip was a guided trip I booked for my youngest boy for a combined Birthday and Christmas gift.
Title: Re: Blue Catfish on the James River, VA
Post by: Mr Mykiss on January 03, 2016, 11:24:13 AM: Awesome trip!! Bleeding catfish problems?? You can't kill a catfish unless you use a RPG!! Or two.
Title: Re: Blue Catfish on the James River, VA
Post by: shootem on January 03, 2016, 02:20:59 PM: That looks like a lot of fun.
Title: Re: Blue Catfish on the James River, VA
Post by: Trapper John on January 03, 2016, 06:49:23 PM: Nice cats :tup:
I'll be seeing you in spring for some cat fishing for sure
JC. :hello:
Title: Re: Blue Catfish on the James River, VA
Post by: Machias on January 03, 2016, 07:34:15 PM: Quote from: Trapper John on January 03, 2016, 06:49:23 PM
Nice cats :tup:
I'll be seeing you in spring for some cat fishing for sure
JC. :hello:

:tup:
Title: Re: Blue Catfish on the James River, VA
Post by: BOWHUNTER45 on January 03, 2016, 07:37:26 PM: Nice ...looks cold ..haha
Title: Re: Blue Catfish on the James River, VA
Post by: PolarBear on January 03, 2016, 07:39:12 PM: Sweeeeeet! Is it legal to run a trot line or jug fish for cats in VA? We did it on the Tennessee River and it was a lot of fun.
Title: Re: Blue Catfish on the James River, VA
Post by: HUNTINCOUPLE on January 03, 2016, 11:23:13 PM: :tup:
Title: Re: Blue Catfish on the James River, VA
Post by: Machias on January 04, 2016, 04:09:09 AM: Quote from: PolarBear on January 03, 2016, 07:39:12 PM
Sweeeeeet! Is it legal to run a trot line or jug fish for cats in VA? We did it on the Tennessee River and it was a lot of fun.

Yes it's legal here.
Title: Re: Blue Catfish on the James River, VA
Post by: DOUBLELUNG on January 04, 2016, 04:10:53 AM: Sweet! Get any eaters or all hawgs? Love cold water catfish, finished an April turkey hunt in Wyoming early one year and fished the Laramie River right after iceout while my buddies hunted. Caught a skinny 8lb channel that I'd put up against any fish for eats.
Title: Re: Blue Catfish on the James River, VA
Post by: WALLEYEGUY on January 04, 2016, 06:13:07 AM: :tup: Are going out with me when you get back this way, I can put you on a 12" walleye :chuckle:
Title: Re: Blue Catfish on the James River, VA
Post by: WAcoyotehunter on January 04, 2016, 08:46:35 AM: Awesome!!!
Title: Re: Blue Catfish on the James River, VA
Post by: Machias on January 04, 2016, 10:33:35 AM: Quote from: WALLEYEGUY on January 04, 2016, 06:13:07 AM
:tup: Are going out with me when you get back this way, I can put you on a 12" walleye :chuckle:

Can't wait!!!!!! :)
Title: Re: Blue Catfish on the James River, VA
Post by: Machias on January 04, 2016, 10:34:32 AM: Quote from: DOUBLELUNG on January 04, 2016, 04:10:53 AM
Sweet! Get any eaters or all hawgs? Love cold water catfish, finished an April turkey hunt in Wyoming early one year and fished the Laramie River right after iceout while my buddies hunted. Caught a skinny 8lb channel that I'd put up against any fish for eats.

Just big cats on this trip. Not sure I would want to eat much out of the James or Potomac Rivers. :)
Title: Re: Blue Catfish on the James River, VA
Post by: quadrafire on January 04, 2016, 10:36:43 AM: That looks like a blast Fred. Congrats.
I was wondering about the first couple pics with the netting. Catching your shad bait i'd guess?
Title: Re: Blue Catfish on the James River, VA
Post by: Machias on January 04, 2016, 10:41:17 AM: Yes you can use a drift net or a casting net to catch bait, i.e. shad.
Title: Re: Blue Catfish on the James River, VA
Post by: quadrafire on January 04, 2016, 10:43:02 AM: Nice. That looks like a hoot. Been along time since i've seined for bait fish or crawdads.
Title: Re: Blue Catfish on the James River, VA
Post by: ribka on January 05, 2016, 10:46:48 AM: Good job fred

I used to do a lot of fishing on the James for cat fish and there used to be really good smallmouth and striper fishing too

what size weights and what type of hooks, depth of water fishing?
Title: Re: Blue Catfish on the James River, VA
Post by: Machias on January 05, 2016, 04:17:03 PM: We were using 10 oz weights, 2/0 Circle hooks and we were fishing in mid 40 foot water. The water temp was still 58 degrees
Title: Re: Blue Catfish on the James River, VA
Post by: pianoman9701 on January 06, 2016, 07:00:06 AM: Looks like you guys had a lot of fun! :tup:
Title: Re: Blue Catfish on the James River, VA
Post by: cohoho on January 07, 2016, 10:20:26 PM: Awesome Fred, hey are you near Ashburn, Virginia? I'll be out there for a week in March time frame to set up a security contract for a work related thing - got room on the boat if close? Always miss Cat fishing from my younger days growing up in WV....
Title: Re: Blue Catfish on the James River, VA
Post by: Machias on January 08, 2016, 08:52:09 AM: You'll be 43 miles from where I work. You want to schedule a day and go fishing on the James River for big Blue Cats? I'm game if you can get the time off.