Time to catfish

[VABuckSlayer]

I know it Winter time but this is the time to catch the BIG cats on the James River where I live. A couple weeks ago a guide caught one 83+ lbs. (Blue Cat) another guy caught one 75lbs. Last year my neighbor and I went out on a very cold January day and caught around 30 cats with these 2 being the biggest. The first one my neighbor has is a 18lber and the one I have is only 17lbs. He caught one a month earlier that weighed 44lbs. and last summer caught his biggest that weighed 62lbs. Richard and my next door neighbor went out a few weeks ago and caught one 47lbs. I'm really itching to go! I have gone since this picture was taken last Jan. Might try this weekend after we duck hunt.

Eric

[DSGB]

Nothin' like catchin' some big river cats. What's your favorite bait? The big ones here seem to prefer cut shad. Some have success with mullet guts and chicken livers.

[RyanH]

Man those are some good looking cats! I love catfishing! Its a blast!

[muggs]

I never knew you could catch cats in Jan, nice lookin fish.

[VABuckSlayer]

Thanks guys! Our favorite bait is fresh shad or alwives. We take a cast net and catch our bait so it's fresh. We will use whole shad if they are up to 8" long or cut the big bait up. Also some of the guys around here use eels. Livers and stuff will catch them too but mostly smaller fish. The big cats want big chunks of fresh fish! It's a blast even when it's cold. When your fighting a big cat you forget how cold it is outside. Plus we take a Coleman propane heater with us. That helps out!

Eric

[hutchies]

I am itchin for crappie season to start and ready to hit the rivers to catfish.

A few of the guides on Lake Texoma are my neighors and I have them keep the striper guts for me for catfish bait.

[flyrod64]

Slayer, you should change your name to fishslayer LOL Looks like you live in a fishing paradise!

[Shaun_300]

nice catfish man!!