March meet and greet...Potomac Blue Cats at Marshall Hall

[buzz]

Gotcha. I guess I will just bring whatever baits I can get my hands on and if I need to trade or something on the water, then so be it. Looking forward to my first M&G, should be a good time. Also, in regards to the larger blue cats caught from this area, do you guys usually release ones above 30"? I noticed on the MD consumption advisory it says to avoid eating these due to elevated PCBs.

It is totally up to you.

DNR would like you to kill every blue catfish you land. Some folks can't bring themselves to do that. Others have no problem helping to reduce the numbers of an invasive species.


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[yakscientist]

Yeah it's quite a conundrum. I see reasons for both ways of doing it, especially since blue catfish are very well established in the Potomac. I will probably lean towards killing each one.

[captmikestarrett]

So u cant keep a 6" then cut it ...as long as you stay withing the daily creel limit? In WV once you catch a legal fish its yours to do with what you want? Just asking

They have checked me before, but like I said the rules are due to change to no size limit just like the bay.. I got a text today that March 14 the new crappie limit will be 10 per person and possibly the change to white perch size will occur as well. This is a multi-state/ federal government controlled river. It get's corn fusing at times.

As far killing blue cats because the government says so is wasteful. This is a high quality meat fish that has a very fast growing cycle. The warnings are for white cats and channel cats that grow much slower and adsorb the bad stuff. Pretty much every catfish nugget north of MD is from the Potomac. The commercial industry has no limits just like you. If you release the big ones you will be assured of a bountiful catch year after year. Fishing that your grandchildren would enjoy. Also keep in mind they stocked the blue cats for sportsmen like you. And now they are invasive. Keep as many small ones as you like but do not kill if you do not eat it. They will go the way of the buffalo. Stepping down from soap box now.

Capt Mike

[Pat Smith]

Capt Mike, and all... you touched on it a bit but I am a bit heitant to eat catfish from the Potomac. I read the warnings and say.. maybe it is just not worth it. At the same time I like fish and would like to eat it if safe.
I fish out of Fort Armistead a lot and wont eat ANYTHING from that water.

What are your thoughts on the subject?

[captmikestarrett]

It is clean white meat that eats very well. DC dropped the warning on the blue cats and two commercial guys get about 500 lb each a day to sell up north as nuggets. One is from South Carolina and runs lines all along the VA side. I have eatin them for many years. The best way is on the grill with Tony Chachers on it. I would like to know when the last sampling was taken for the under 28 inches fish.. my bet it was 8 years ago and the sampling was all white cats/channels.

Still like all things in life moderation is best.. so I will only smoke one cigar at a time.

Capt Mike

[captmikestarrett]

Oh and it is confirmed the white perch size goes away March 14th.. just for the Potomac ..

Capt Mike

[DonV]

What about shrimp for bait? Have some old ones left over from last year.

[cryptotek]

Are there limits on any of the catfish? So only eat the smaller whites/channels. And the blues are probably safer, right?

[yakscientist]

You can find all the regulations on the md Dnr fisheries page, should be a regulations link on the left side. And there's a regulation book included when you get the license, but as far as I know there's no limit on size or amount of blue catfish (which are invasive)you can keep. But you'd have to check the regs for the natives (white and channel) because I don't know them off hand. But based on what I've read, you really only want to eat the blue catfish from that area anyway

[suicyderider]

White perch has no size limit according to the non tidal hook and line regulations as of now OOH WAIT THIS IS TIDAL lol sorry im from outtta state that excuse will work here not likely on the water lmao

http://www.eregulations.com/maryland...ession-limits/

Oh and it is confirmed the white perch size goes away March 14th.. just for the Potomac ..

Capt Mike

[suicyderider]

IF CAUGHT ON HOOK AND LINE THERE IS NO MINIMUM SIZE LIMIT ON TIDAL WHITE PERCH>>>> http://www.eregulations.com/maryland...ession-limits/

[suicyderider]

http://www.eregulations.com/maryland...ession-limits/

no size limit if you catch on hook and line

This all sounds great but let me add one little issue.. right now until PRFC gets in line with MD DNR regs white perch must be 6 inches to keep on the Potomac. If you cut it up it is not 6 inches anymore. So I would exclude white perch as a choice of bait until PRFC changes it later this year.
http://prfc.us/sports/BLUE%20SHEET-2013.pdf

Please note the sheet says 2015 and changes are due. But no announcement yet.

Capt Mike

[suicyderider]

ok so for those of us using "natural baits" I believe even if not specifically targeting stripers this rule is effective, am I wrong? just a heads up to all attending, note OFFSET circle hooks with natural baits such as perch or worms would be a no no as well as having a barbed hook if you are trolling. baybass.jpg

[sega]

ok so for those of us using "natural baits" I believe even if not specifically targeting stripers this rule is effective, am I wrong? just a heads up to all attending, note OFFSET circle hooks with natural baits such as perch or worms would be a no no as well as having a barbed hook if you are trolling. [ATTACH=CONFIG]18306[/ATTACH]

No pretty sure that's only if you're targeting stripers.


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[suicyderider]

okay cool good info to know for sure

No pretty sure that's only if you're targeting stripers.


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