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Jan 10th, 2023
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Joined: Apr 2006
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Ambassador Field Correspondent Hall of Fame  Lunker
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Ambassador Field Correspondent Hall of Fame Lunker
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If I lived in Texas I would build a pond just for the sole purpose of putting those behemoths into it! Can you imagine feeding an 80 lb fish!!!!
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Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 53
Lunker
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Lunker
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 53 |
I believe the Maryland state record is only 65 pounds... You could buy the 80 pounder and brag that you have a state record fish in your pond! But there's bigger ones out there....... Remember, blue cats have not been in the Potomac near as long as in other nearby waters. And the Potomac is VERY fertile, many other species exhibit high rates of growth, so I suspect the MD record will continue to keeping inching up, year after year. The Rapp WAS the hot VA ticket some years ago, but as it declined, the James exploded. Now MD has them in the Patuxent as well, a MUCH smaller system. Curious to see how all this plays out.
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Joined: Sep 2003
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Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Hall of Fame 2014 Lunker
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Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Hall of Fame 2014 Lunker
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Posts: 13,750 Likes: 295 |
Looks like if that guy pulls on the cat a little bit harder, his boat will start to take on water.
Excerpt from Robert Crais' "The Monkey's Raincoat:"
"She took another microscopic bite of her sandwich, then pushed it away. Maybe she absorbed nutrients from her surroundings."
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Joined: Apr 2002
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Editor, Pond Boss Magazine Lunker
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OP
Editor, Pond Boss Magazine Lunker
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 3,347 Likes: 99 |
James,
Back in 1983 a fishing club called me to help them with their bass lake. Seems they were catching some big blue cat and the giants were tearing up their gear. They wanted a BASS lake, not a blue cat lake. The landowner had stocked a few "extra" blues in their several years earlier and the club wanted to know if the big catfish were impacting their fishery.
So, we set out with all kinds of gear, electrofishing, traps, gill nets and trotlines to sample the lake.
We caught a fair number of bass, but not big numbers as you would expect in that 120 acre lake.
But, we caught a 54 pound blue on the trotline, brought it in and cleaned it.
Had a 3 pound bass in its belly.
Are you sure you want some giant blue cat?
Teach a man to grow fish...
He can teach to catch fish...
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Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 78
Lunker
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Lunker
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 78 |
Dr. H.
Things to PONDer:
1. Your deep-sea tackle is already insufficient for your existing herd.
2. Swimming in the pond --- no mas.
3. Letting our kids kayak --- questionable--- (Jaws music)
4. Small farm animals and pets would begin dissapearing.
I'm just sayin...
Working hard so others don't have to.
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Joined: Apr 2006
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Ambassador Field Correspondent Hall of Fame Lunker
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Ambassador Field Correspondent Hall of Fame Lunker
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How about the other pond? I always try to perform the majority of "experiments" on the other ponds that dont typically get used much to begin with!
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Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 16,055 Likes: 277
Moderator Lunker
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Moderator Lunker
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 16,055 Likes: 277 |
Ya know, they might be good for handling poachers and neighbors stray dogs.
Last edited by Dave Davidson1; 10/03/09 05:44 AM.
It's not about the fish. It's about the pond. Take care of the pond and the fish will be fine. PB subscriber since before it was in color.
Without a sense of urgency, Nothing ever gets done.
Boy, if I say "sic em", you'd better look for something to bite. Sam Shelley Rancher and Farmer Muleshoe Texas 1892-1985 RIP
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Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 10,458 Likes: 2
Ambassador
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Ambassador
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I believe the Maryland state record is only 65 pounds... You could buy the 80 pounder and brag that you have a state record fish in your pond! But there's bigger ones out there....... Remember, blue cats have not been in the Potomac near as long as in other nearby waters. And the Potomac is VERY fertile, many other species exhibit high rates of growth, so I suspect the MD record will continue to keeping inching up, year after year. The Rapp WAS the hot VA ticket some years ago, but as it declined, the James exploded. Now MD has them in the Patuxent as well, a MUCH smaller system. Curious to see how all this plays out. Yes, I live 2 miles from the shores of the Potomac River. The blue cat fishing has only gotten better each year! My biggest cat on the river so far is 48, but I am sure that will only get bigger as well. I have had several days where I caught over 300 pounds of catfish in one day.
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Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 1,027
Lunker
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Lunker
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 1,027 |
Hey Been a couple of weeks since I have been on here! this sounds like a BIG bargin to me!! I will byuy these dudes If I can...Just need to ask a few questions about them...
do they still eat feed?
How big is the lake he has them??
where in texas are they?
I am game for this!!
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Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 1,027
Lunker
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Lunker
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 1,027 |
I am going for this I don't know how yet but I will...
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Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 1,027
Lunker
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Lunker
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 1,027 |
Hey Guys where yall at???
Man this is even MORE of an excuse to get to Tod Overton...
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Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 5,712 Likes: 3
Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
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Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
Joined: Aug 2006
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Hey Big Pond, In a post on Page 1, Lusk said to contact him if you were interested. He listed his cell phone -- From Bob Lusk:
Big blues like that will eat your other fish....if that's okay with you...
(903)814-7634...cell phone...anyone else interested, dial my number and I'll put you in touch with the guy.
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Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 1,027
Lunker
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Lunker
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 1,027 |
I will call during lunch.
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Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 396
Lunker
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Lunker
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 396 |
cool, keep us updated and try to get some real weights and pics during transport if it works out.
Experts, how old do you think 50 -80 lb blues woud be, and how long is their typical life span?
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Well, I can tell you this... Blue cats first started showing up in the Potomac River in the late 80's. 20 years later they are reaching the 60 plus pound mark and still growing... They were stocked into the James Rivers river which is a hair bit south of the Potomac River in the early 1970's. The James River now holds the Virginia state record at 102 pounds, 4 ounces! My guess, a 60 plus pound blue cat may very well be 20 plus years of age in a wild population. In a more commercial setting I suspect younger, but they would have a shorter life span. There are documented cases of blue cats growing in excess of 200 and even 300 plus pounds in the Mississippi River back in the Lewis and Clark days... It is estimated those fish were living in excess of 100 years of age. However, that was under no pollution or degradation of habitat... Check out this link for lots of good blue cat info including ages and weights... http://www.dgif.virginia.gov/fishing/conditions/tidal-river-blue-catfish-report.pdf
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Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
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Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
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Also found this: Blue catfish in these rivers steadily increase in length over a fairly long period of time (through age 15). However, they put on weight fairly slowly for the first several years of life, after which, as fish make a diet shift to larger, energy-rich, prey items, the rate of weight-gain increases dramatically. Blue catfish in the James River attain only 5 pounds on average by age 8. Then, with a rapid increase in growth, they average 10 pounds at age 10, 20 pounds at age 12, and 30 pounds at age 13. Fish in this population are known to reach 50 pounds by age 11, although age 13 – 14 is more typical.  http://www.dgif.virginia.gov/fishing/conditions/tidal-river-blue-catfish-report.pdfEDIT - Ha! CJ found the same page. 
Last edited by Omaha; 10/13/09 09:30 AM.
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Joined: Jan 2009
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It's a great link... I've had it bookmarked for some time. Many biologists think the Potomac will eventually surpass the James in the quality of its blue cat fishery. Only time will tell, but I am excited to find out. Those beasts make you hurt by the end of the day when you really get into them!
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Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 13,750 Likes: 295
Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Hall of Fame 2014 Lunker
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Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Hall of Fame 2014 Lunker
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 13,750 Likes: 295 |
Many of us have a Stocking problem whereas TOM G has a Stalking problem.
Excerpt from Robert Crais' "The Monkey's Raincoat:"
"She took another microscopic bite of her sandwich, then pushed it away. Maybe she absorbed nutrients from her surroundings."
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Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 1,027
Lunker
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Lunker
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 1,027 |
Also found this: Blue catfish in these rivers steadily increase in length over a fairly long period of time (through age 15). However, they put on weight fairly slowly for the first several years of life, after which, as fish make a diet shift to larger, energy-rich, prey items, the rate of weight-gain increases dramatically. Blue catfish in the James River attain only 5 pounds on average by age 8. Then, with a rapid increase in growth, they average 10 pounds at age 10, 20 pounds at age 12, and 30 pounds at age 13. Fish in this population are known to reach 50 pounds by age 11, although age 13 – 14 is more typical. EDIT - Ha! CJ found the same page. Oh!!!! WOW!! these thangs double after ever two years!!! Wow maybey 250 blues is too much!!!
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The forage base required to allow those growth rates would be impressive... Keep in mind the James River is literally teaming with gizzard shad, alewife, hickory shad, American shad, American eels and piles of other panfish.
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Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 1,027
Lunker
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Lunker
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 1,027 |
The forage base required to allow those growth rates would be impressive... Keep in mind the James River is literally teaming with gizzard shad, alewife, hickory shad, American shad, American eels and piles of other panfish. Hickery shad?? American shad? eels?? alewife?? What are these?? Man you never know whats out there...
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Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 3,347 Likes: 99
Editor, Pond Boss Magazine Lunker
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OP
Editor, Pond Boss Magazine Lunker
Joined: Apr 2002
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Hey Big_Pond,
I called the fellow with the blue cat. He says they range in size from at least 30 up to 80 pounds. He feeds them a 40% feed with 30% fish meal.
He doesn't know how many he has, but says he might have up to 10,000 pounds, total.
Teach a man to grow fish...
He can teach to catch fish...
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Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 396
Lunker
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Lunker
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 396 |
5 tons of catfish!!!!
Maybe he should just call some restaurants.
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Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 1,027
Lunker
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Lunker
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 1,027 |
Hey Big_Pond,
I called the fellow with the blue cat. He says they range in size from at least 30 up to 80 pounds. He feeds them a 40% feed with 30% fish meal.
He doesn't know how many he has, but says he might have up to 10,000 pounds, total. WOW!!!! OK Yeah .... OK Now I know what I am dealing with. I want to work a deal with him.. FOR SURE...Makes no sense to do it ANY other way. absolutly make no sense!! sigh...I have Lot and Lots of work to do because I have to get them back to Georgia. I need to find a HUGE hauling tank... Aslo need to get some Tshad stocked. I will have to take a week off from work also... How would you advise on finding a decent hauling tank?
Last edited by big_pond; 10/14/09 06:50 PM.
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Rainman on here might be able to help... Send him a PM.
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