Where Do Blue Catfish Live?

Blue catfish are native to the Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio, and Rio Grande river basins; they have been stocked for fishing in nearly 20 states.

What state has the most blue catfish?

Alabama
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.

Where do most catfish live?

They are most diverse in tropical South America, Asia, and Africa, with one family native to North America and one family in Europe. More than half of all catfish species live in the Americas. They are the only ostariophysans that have entered freshwater habitats in Madagascar, Australia, and New Guinea.

What do blue cats eat?

But blue catfish eat basically everything, including blue crabs and other fish. Not only do they compete with other larger fish for food … they eat those other fish, too.

Are blue catfish native to America?

The native distribution of blue catfish is primarily in the Mississippi River drainage, including the Missouri, Ohio, Tennessee, and Arkansas Rivers, The Des Moines River in South Central Iowa, and the Rio Grande, and south along the Gulf Coast to Belize and Guatemala.

Why are blue catfish harmful?

In the Chesapeake Bay, blue catfish are considered an invasive species. They have expanded their range and population so much that they are likely negatively affecting the Bay ecosystem because they eat so many native species, such as striped bass, blue crab, shad, herring, and Atlantic sturgeon.

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.

How deep do blue catfish live?

Throughout the tournament, their most productive depth was 96 feet, which marked the edge of the drop-off into a creek channel that reached depths of 120 feet.

How do you find blue catfish in a lake?

To target blue catfish, you’ll want to look for some specific conditions: tidal creeks that feed tributaries, with significant channels or holes, are a good starting point. Depths of at least 10′ or 12′ are the minimum, and 15′ to 25′ holes surrounded by muddy bottoms in the five to 10′ range are prime.

Can catfish sting you?

Catfish skin toxin and the venom from their dorsal and pectoral spines may cause a menacing sting. Although these stings are often innocuous, severe tissue necrosis may occur. The hand is the most common site of catfish stings. Two cases of catfish stings of the hand are presented.

What is a blue catfish favorite food?

Next to baitfish, freshwater mussels or clams are a blue cat’s favorite food. In fact, some ardent anglers believe blue cats prefer mussels to baitfish. It’s not unusual in some waters to catch a big blue that actually rattles from all the mussel shells stuffed in its gut.

What attracts catfish the most?

Catfish are bottom feeders and are attracted to food by both sight and smell. They like bright colors such as orange or red. One of the best lures are Cheetos puffs. The bright orange color attracts their attention and the cheesy corn smell encourages them to bite.

What is best bait for catfish?

10 Best Catfish Baits – Both Live and Artificial

1. Chicken Livers. Chicken livers are traditionally the best way to catch catfish if you’re fishing in deeper waters.
2. Asian Carp.
3. Crawfish.
4. Nightcrawlers.
5. Stink Bait.
6. Punch Bait.
7. Blood Bait.
8. Shrimp.

Are blue catfish poisonous?

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.

What is the biggest catfish caught in the United States?

Anderson’s monster blue catfish was taken to Mecklenburg Farm Supply in Chase City Virginia because it was the only place within the area that had scales large enough to perform the official weigh-in. The fish was certified at 143 pounds with a length of 57 inches and a girth of 47 inches.

What is the best bait for blue cats?

As mentioned above, the best fishing bait for blue catfish is a chunk of fresh cut bait. The best baits are normally shad, herring, and suckers. Shad and herring have been stocked into many larger lakes to provide a food source for striped bass. They are certainly happily devoured by blue catfish as well.

How do you get rid of blue catfish?

Managing the spread of blue and flathead catfish

1. Remove invasive catfish from priority areas.
2. Develop a commercial fishery.
3. Evaluate removal methods.
4. Develop monitoring and response plans.
5. Evaluate habitat connectivity.
6. Review fishing policies and regulations.
7. Increase public awareness.

Will blue catfish reproduce in a pond?

They are easy to catch, attain large sizes, readily train to artificial feed, adapt well to almost any environment, and make fine table fare. Also, catfish generally do not reproduce well in ponds that contain bass, so they are not likely to overpopulate; provided they are stocked at a low density.

Is blue catfish high in mercury?

The FDA lists catfish as having a mean mercury concentration of 0.024PPM (parts per million) in their tests. This means that catfish have low levels of mercury.

What is the largest blue catfish ever caught?

143-pound
The world-record catch for blue catfish was broken in 2011 when a 143-pound (64.9-kilogram) behemoth was reeled in from a Virginia lake, according to the International Game Fish Association. Cronley said his fish was 56.6 inches (1.4 meters) long with a girth of 41 inches (1.04 meters).

What is the largest catfish ever caught?

The Mekong giant catfish
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.