Catfish are the epitome of a mixed blessing: the blue cats are apex predators ravaging our native fisheries, but at the same time, they provide us with utterly epic fishing opportunities. Both blues and flatheads can grow to be massive, true river monsters that could potentially outweigh the angler when you take your kids fishing. These species plus channel cats are present in huge numbers in many waterways ranging from tributaries to the open Upper Bay. They’re usually quite willing to bite, there’s no size or bag limit in some areas and generous limits in all areas, and as an added bonus eating-sized fish (especially the blues) are excellent table fare. All of these factors make catfish a tempting target, and if you saw Gearing up for Trophy Blue Catfish you already know what you’ll need to take on the task. We'll get the the where-to part of this equation in a moment, but if you haven't yet checked out our vide on this topic give it a look-see, first.
That one big question remains: exactly where should you go? You have nearly endless options because these fish have proven so prolific in so many waterways. These five hot zones listed north to south, however, will rank at or near the top of any angler’s list.
Susquehanna River Catfish
The Susquehanna is an excellent bet for anglers looking for big numbers of fish up into the 40- to 50-pound class. Since the blue cats arrived here later than they did down south they haven’t yet grown quite as large as the behemoths you’ll find in some of the other waterways we’ll mention, but their numbers have taken off exponentially—there will be times when baits get eaten one after the next in rapid succession. Catching piles of 20- and 30-pounders with a bigger fish or two in the mix is a distinct possibility. On top of the blues plenty of channel cats and flathead catfish are found here as well, more flatheads farther upriver than down, and they can also go up into the 50-plus-pound range.
Anglers generally look for the catfish along channel edges, with rocky areas producing more of the flatheads. Anywhere within sight of the Route 95 bridge is a solid bet but plenty of these fish can be caught anywhere from the dam pool clear out to the mouth of the river. At times, the Susquehanna Flats and the channel edges around it will also prove to be prime territory for blue cats and channel cats.
Potomac River Catfish Fishing
Catfish fishing in the Potomac River ranges from excellent to absurdly good from Fletcher’s Boathouse clear down to the Route 301 bridge. Fish here can reach clear up to the 80-plus-pound range and the Maryland state record, an 84-pound blue catfish, was caught in the Potomac just south of Fort Washington. The Potomac is also popular among anglers hoping to take home dinner, as there are hordes of 20- to 30-inch blue cats which are perfect for the frying pan swimming alongside the mega-monster fish.
Thanks to excellent access including some spots that produce true trophies, the Potomac is also a favorite among shoreline anglers. Fort Washington, the Tidal Basin, Georgetown Waterfront Park, and Chain Bridge are all areas where you can cast out from shore and have an excellent shot at reeling back a river monster. Boat anglers will be well served by fishing near the bridges and along the channel edges, especially on the outer edges of the channel where the river takes a bend.
Catfish Fishing in the Rappahannock River
The mighty Rappahannock River sometimes gets overshadowed by its southern neighbor the James, but it produces far more than its fair share of catfish. They generally aren’t as monstrous as those in the James but the numbers of eating-sized channel and blue cats are off the charts, and recent Virginia DWR electro-shocking samplings have turned up fish over 50 pounds. The state’s bow fishing record for blue catfish was set here in 2022 with a fish pushing 69 pounds.
There’s a ton of territory to potentially cover, because the entire stretch from Fredericksburg clear down to Tappahannock (and beyond when salinity levels are relatively low) can be extremely productive. The farther upriver you go the larger the proportion of channel cats versus blues. Again, look for those holes and channel edges and sink your baits down deep.
James River Catfish
The James is ground-zero for blue catfish in Chesapeake tributaries. The fish were first released here in 1974 in an effort to establish a trophy fishery, and though they did unexpectedly escape the rivers’ confines, the action here most certainly qualifies as world class. At least in this sense, the experiment was successful. Blues in the 30- to 60-pound range are relatively common, and the James has the distinction of providing the only documented catfish to break the 100-pound mark (a 102-pound, 10-ounce blue cat) caught in a Chesapeake Bay tributary.
Fish the James up near Richmond and big flatheads are a possibility, too, especially if you send a live bluegill swimming near structure and snags. For the blues look for channel edges and holes and sink your baits in the vicinity; the zone from Hopewell to Claremont is all prime territory.
Bugg’s Island (Kerr) Lake World Record Catfish
This body of water has produced not only the Virginia state record, but also the world record for blue catfish caught on hook and line. Yes, the WORLD RECORD. Back in June of 2011 a 143-pound blue cat broke the existing state record of 109 pounds—which was also caught in Kerr. And on top of that another fish topping 100 pounds, a 105-pounder, was caught here last March during a catfish tournament. Added bonus: flatheads are in attendance, too.
Since Bugg’s Island is an enclosed freshwater waterbody as opposed to being a Chesapeake trib, fishing here differs a bit from the other areas we’ve mentioned. Depending on the time of year and water temperature the fish may be spread out, concentrated more up-lake, or may be near the mouths of the feeder creeks. Fan-casting along a ledge or drop-off to cover different depths is the most common tactic. Night fishing for catfish is particularly popular here, too, especially during the summer months.
Night Fishing for Catfish
While catfish might bite well at any given moment, the night bite is often the right bite if you’re hunting those big trophy-sized beasts—particularly during the summer months. If you plan to try night fishing for colossal cats remember to get a selection of rods designed specifically for the task, like the Okuma Cat Slayer and Cat Slayer Custom Catfish Rods.
Okuma is sponsoring this series (thanks folks!) because they build serious catfishing gear that anglers need to know about—and the Slayers have a UV-activated finish so you can keep an eye out for the slightest quiver of the UFR rod tips long after the sun has gone down.
Okay: ready to get out there and slay some catfish? Visit any of these five rivers and you have a great shot at catching category-five catfish.