Is this a saltwater cat? I have no idea?
j
no
Didn’t think so… Thanks though.
j
looks like a channel cat.
I’m not slurring my words…I’m simply speaking in cursive.
Looks like a Blue Catfish…
thats a blue
where was it caught? Bushy?
Way up the Ashley… next to one of the plantations. Magnolia Maybe?
j
blue catfish… if it was a true saltwater catfish, people on here would have already been all over you …
“Good things come to those who bait”
Arkansas blue catfish
Blue cat and very good table fare.
Mr Hardware
quote:
Originally posted by NorthChuckTigerWay up the Ashley… next to one of the plantations. Magnolia Maybe?
j
I picked one up in front of the gardens on Tuesday. Same color, probably 10#'s… Looked albino to me, the lightest blue cat I’ve ever seen - looks like you found one as well.
The blues I caught earlier this year on the Ashley were darker.
Funny, if he was holding up a striper - the board would be going nuts over the visable background in the pic.
There is a mercury advisory for catfish in the ashley. Its the only water in the lowcountry with a catfish advisory, goes to show how nasty that river is. Asphalt parking lots drain into the ashley on the upper river, it lowers the oxygen levels and pollutes the river. Yet no one does anything about it.
quote:
Originally posted by jiminemThere is a mercury advisory for catfish in the ashley. Its the only water in the lowcountry with a catfish advisory, goes to show how nasty that river is. Asphalt parking lots drain into the ashley on the upper river, it lowers the oxygen levels and pollutes the river. Yet no one does anything about it.
Blue cats were introduced in SC along with flatheads back in the 60’s when Marion/Moultrie were new and the state wanted more freshwater recreational fishing opportunities in the lakes. blue cats have established themselves in almost every river here since then, as they’re really salt-tolerant.
among the catfish we have in SC, flatheads pose the greatest risk of mercury contamination because they eat highest on the food chain. blue cats are listed as “one meal per week” on the ashley, and “one meal per month” on the edisto. the full list can be found here: http://www.scdhec.gov/environment/water/fish/map.htm
the highest level is “Do Not Eat Any”- the ashley river only lists bowfin in this category, and the only river in SC with blue cats on the Do Not Eat Any list is the Little Pee Dee. the list can be found here: http://www.scdhec.gov/environment/water/fish/docs/donotEat.pdf
That is what DHEC says not DNR. DHEC is a little paranoid, they are safe to eat, even with the warning. Digging a little deeper they will tell you that. They will recommend not eating fish from the warning areas for every meal. Yes, there is mercury in that fish. No, it is not enough to hurt you.
quote:
Originally posted by penfishn around every bend theres the promise of a treasure that can only be caught and seen in a blink.. and in your minds eye..and sometimes if youre lucky..in a picture..its there for just a minute...then gone..but hopefully once youve seen it it will remain in your heart forever. Theres nothing like the "Smell" and sounds of the creek. Its not just one thing that makes it familiar..its all of it.
[quote]Originally posted by joseph69
That is what DHEC says not DNR. DHEC is a little paranoid, they are safe to eat, even with the warning. Digging a little deeper they will tell you that. They will recommend not eating fish from the warning areas for every meal. Yes, there is mercury in that fish. No, it is not enough to hurt you.
WOW!
We eat them every other meal (Big Mac - Blue Cat - Big Mac - Blue Cat, etc.) Do you or DHEC have any suggestions?
I just want to be safe despite DHEC.
Vinman
“Every saint has a past, every sinner a future”
www.summervillesaltwateranglers.com
2011 Carolina Skiff 178DLV
90 HP Honda
I knew about the mercury levels in the Ashley. I RARELY fish in the Ashley. Actually, we were just booze cruising on Monday and I threw out a line with cut mullet on it while we were enjoying some “people” watching and having a few beverages. This was the result. It was released, so Jughead, you may have found the same fish!
j
Blue cat for sure. I have only been here in Charleston since 2005 but I haven’t actually caught or known someone to catch a salt water cat here. In Florida they can be a pain because once they move in they will eat anything and everything else shuts down. I was actually surprised, pleasantly I might add, that they are not numerous here.
thanks for that, vin 
hondo, they used to be very numerous here, and it’s theorized that some kind of virus wiped them out in the early 00’s. hardheads and gafftops are rare now, but they still exist. no complaining can be heard, but imagine if such a thing were to hit trout and reds…
Very true. In 1997 we had something kill millions of them in the Gulf. It was really bad on the beaches. Cleaning crews worked 24/7 trying to keep them from piling up. They have rebounded down there but thankfully not to the same levels. I can only imagine how bad it would be if it hit species like trout and reds that are so popular to catch. Hopefully it never does.