45lb Fish and Multiple Keepers Early

Recent rain and elevated river flow has the catfish dispersed from their usual summer patterns. Found a 26, 13, and number of eaters tonight upriver. A lot of fish are short striking-- sharp hooks and smaller, chunkier cuts of bait will help.

Despite the cold, there are plenty of places where the big ones can be caught. Typically, the big fish hunker down in deeper water this time of year, but will at times move into shallower water to feed, depending on the air pressure, temperature, and several other factors. Washington DC has the benefit of several warm-water discharges, which at times can be 15 degrees warmer than the rest of the river. Shad, the primary forage for big blues, are not very cold-tolerant, and so will congregate around these areas. Last trip out on 3 January found some good 30 pounders in deep water, but the 44# above was caught shallow, just ahead of a big front. Unlike channel catfish and flatheads, blue cats do feed actively over the winter; their metabolisms slow down, but smaller baits in the right place will get them to bite. As long as the river conditions are safe, it is a great time of year to bundle up and get out on the water!

There are plenty of big fish to be caught this time of year, but you need to be persistent to find them. The channel off JBAB holds lots of fish along the edges, but the bite fluctuates greatly with the tides. Video above was taken below channel marker 7, found a similar sized fish in the morning at the bottom of the incoming tide on 11NOV by marker number 9. Deep holes south of Blue Plains are hit and miss; I found a 45 pounder in one last week but was empty a few days later. Best strategy for this time of year: target the moving tides (if you can), don't stay in one spot for too long if the fish aren't biting, and try varying water depths until you find where the fish are congregating. I have had best luck on chicken, followed by fresh cutbait. Now is a great time to get out onto the water-- give me a shout to book your next trip!