Caught the falling evening tide on the Ashley River today. Was using live shrimp and mud minnows on popping corks, no luck for the first hour so switched to a double drop rig. Was trying random areas close to the reeds. Ended up anchoring in a channel that was about 18 ft deep, only ten yards from the reads. Started pulling up catfish left and right, all on shrimp. I’ve always caught channel cats in VA, but I think these are blues. Anyone else catching reds on the Ashley yet?
If those are saltwater cats they need to go back in the water. DNR doesnt allow any to be kept because of population declines from a sea virus. If freshwater, different story. Just a FYI.
Good to know, fortunately these were the last two we got so I snapped a pic at the dock and released them. I know with gafttopsail catfish and hardhead catfish you have to release them. But I read here (http://www.scdhec.gov/library/ml-004042.pdf) that other than mercury content, there was no issue with keeping them. We caught them right next to the bridge over the river on 526. If they are legal I’d like to keep them next time, can anyone shed some light on this?
They look more like Bullhead cats to me. Not saltwater but can stand 10-15ppt salt. Any size to them? They eat like Channel cats, Yummy!
Not really, biggest was around 18-20".
I catch little freshwater catfish where I live on an Ashley River tributary a bit north of there. A few have been blue catfish, but most are some kind of bullhead. What you have there isn’t a blue or any kind of salt water catfish. I think it is a white catfish, which is a kind of bullhead. White chin whiskers, slightly forked tail, rounded anal fin with around 21-23 fin rays…all point to white catfish.
G
Arkansas blue cats.
War Eagle 115 yamaha 4 stroke
They are delicious. I pulled in a 30lber last Sept by the Drayton Hall train trussel.
Nice man, put me to shame. So can I eat these guys next time or not? I love catfish but I’m not going to contribute to a dwindling population, and apparently these are blues, whites, purples or greens.
white cat for sure
100% white cat. Very plentiful so eat away. No size or limit restrictions.