Catfish Anyone?

[stgislander]

That's some good eatin' right there.

Catfish Becoming Dominant Species in Lower Potomac LexLeader

Message From the Cap’n is a compilation of history, fishing advice, waterman, and weather insights, Chesapeake lore, and ordinary malarkey. This season's highlight: More catfish in the Potomac than we've ever seen!

lexleader.net

 

[Monello]

That's some good eatin' right there.

Catfish Becoming Dominant Species in Lower Potomac LexLeader

Message From the Cap’n is a compilation of history, fishing advice, waterman, and weather insights, Chesapeake lore, and ordinary malarkey. This season's highlight: More catfish in the Potomac than we've ever seen!

lexleader.net

The smaller ones are better than the big beasts. Plus they've had less time to accumulate heavy metals in their system.

 

[Kyle]

The smaller ones are better than the big beasts. Plus they've had less time to accumulate heavy metals in their system.

Same as Tinder.

 

[Monello]

Same as Tinder.

So that's an app that lets you find mud sucking bottom feeders?

 

[Kyle]

So that's an app that lets you find mud sucking bottom feeders?

Precisely

 

[NextJen]

 

[GWguy]

I wanted to see if there was some correlation between the Snakehead invasion and the increase in the catfish population, thought maybe the Snakehead was removing species that prey on catfish. Does not appear so, but there is an invasive, predatory species of Blue Catfish, non-native, which is increasing in numbers in the Potomac. Some think a bigger threat than the Snakehead.

Invasive Blue Catfish Spreads Further into Va. Rivers | Chesapeake Bay Magazine

Last year’s record-setting rainfall brought more into the Chesapeake Bay than pollution and debris. Biologists say the freshwater deluge helped the nonnative blue catfish, which was already invading…

chesapeakebaymagazine.com

https://potomac.org/blog/2016/6/16/blue-catfish-population-threat-potomac-river

The largest species of catfish in North America, the blue catfish is a non-native predator that appears to be growing quickly in size and population in the tidal Potomac. Experts from Virginia and Maryland agree their growing presence in local waters spells likely trouble for other fish species, like shad and bass.

They're opportunistic eaters that devour mussels, vegetation, and other fish, and can live for up to 30 years, growing in excess of 100 pounds.

 

[NextJen]

but there is an invasive, predatory species of Blue Catfish, non-native, which is increasing in numbers in the Potomac

We used to catch lots of blue cats every time we would go out on the Potomac. Last year didn't catch as many, mostly because it rained so much and didn't get out as often. I haven't been out on my boat at all this year due to unfortunate circumstances, and I haven't caught any from my place on the river yet either.
This catch was one outing back in 2016.

 

[GWguy]

Nice haul. I'm not big on catfish, so that would last me 10 years.