This month we check in with Captain Tim Blanchard of Fish the Potomac. The Fish the Potomac fleet casts into the waters in and around the nation’s capital year-round, targeting multiple species but with an emphasis on reeling in the prolific blue catfish that the river’s become known for.
Q: You're faced with a lot of ever-changing conditions on the Potomac. How does high water and a lot of runoff affect the bite? How do you react to that to keep catching?
A: Step one: stop blaming the river. High water doesn’t shut fish off—it just rearranges the furniture. Blue cats love current, but they’re not trying to swim laps in the middle of it. When it’s ripping, they slide into current breaks behind bridge pilings, down-current of structure, inside bends, and anywhere they can let food come to them like a conveyor belt. Runoff? That’s the dinner bell. Everything edible gets swept into the system.
Boat control and position become everything in this situation. You want your bait in the soft seams—not tumbling through the hydraulic washing machine. And this is where technology has changed the game. We just invested in a mobile real-time imaging sonar rig (Garmin LiveScope), and it’s like turning the lights on underwater. Instead of guessing where fish might be positioned, you can literally see how they’re set up. Are they glued to bottom? Suspended just off it? Sliding in and out of current breaks? It’s part fishing, part underwater chess match.
Q: Same question, but for low water. How do you react as an angler?
A: Low water is when the river gets picky. Clearer water, less flow, the fish feel and see more. Slamming a hatch? They know. Bad anchor drop? They know. Acting like you’re filming a reality show on deck? They absolutely know. But low water also makes fish predictable. They’ll hug defined structure like subtle channel edges, humps, hard-bottom transitions.
Q: What about seasonality? Walk us through some of the differences between spring, summer, fall, and winter.
A: Blue cats on the Potomac have seasonal personalities.
- Spring: Water temps climbing, pre-spawn feedbag mode. This is when people stop calling them “trash fish” and start texting photos to their buddies.
- Summer: They spread out more. Current is king. Early mornings and evenings matter. You’ll work harder, but when you dial it in, it’s steady.
- Fall: My favorite. Cooling water flips the switch. They feed consistently and bulk up heading into winter.
- Winter: Criminally underrated. Fish group up in deeper wintering areas. If you slow down and fish vertically, it can be lights-out.
Q: Speaking of winter, how would you rate the winter blue cat action on the Potomac? Do you use different winter strategies, after most people have hung up their rods?
A: Winter blue cat action? It’s sneaky good. They don’t migrate and they don’t hibernate. They stack up. Slower presentations, tighter vertical setups, more patience, less random soaking, more targeted hunting. Plus, there’s something deeply satisfying about boating a 30-pound blue cat while most people are inside debating playoff brackets.
Q: Open mic — what haven't we talked about that all the anglers out there need to know when it comes to catching blue catfish on the river?
A: Two things. First: Blue cats aren’t dumb. If they were, we wouldn’t still be figuring them out. They respond to current, structure, forage, and seasonal shifts just like any respected gamefish. Fish them intentionally and your success rate skyrockets. Second: Stop overcomplicating it. Get fresh bait, learn good boat control, and pay attention to what the river is telling you that day.
No More Gas Station Mystery Catfish Bait at 5 a.m.
One of the biggest frustrations for DC anglers has always been access to legit bait and proper catfish tackle. That’s finally changing. By the time this article runs, you’ll be able to get dialed-in gear and fresh bait right here in town at the DC Tackle Shop at The Yards Marina, 301 Water Street, SE.
Thank you, Captain Tim!
To fish with Captain Tim visit Fish the Potomac or call (202) 703-1141.
FishTalk subscribers can learn more about fishing for blue cats in the Potomac by checking out How to Catch Blue Catfish on the Potomac: Blue Thunder.