Marshall Hall Blue Cats

[dsaavedra]

I've been wanting to go after blue catfish lately, just waiting on a halfway warm day that's not windy or rainy. Those seem few and far between anymore.

I fished the Patuxent for blue catfish a lot in the late winter/early spring last year, probably close to 10 trips. I caught hardly any fish at all, just a few tiny catfish that I didn't know were hooked until I reeled up to check my bait. For a change of scenery, I'm considering fishing the Potomac this year. I am eyeing the Marshall Hall area as a potential spot - launching either from Marshall Hall ramp or the nearby Accokeek Foundation.

I was wondering if anyone had any pointers for fishing this area - I've never been. I'm not looking for any secret honey holes (though I'll take them if you're sharing ), just wondering what the prevailing patterns are. Do you anchor up on the deepest hole the channel? Do you fish the steep channel edges? Do you fish areas where tributary creeks expand into shallow flats that eventually join up with the main channel? Any safety tips for fishing this area?

Thanks

[ronaultmtd]

Interesting- I have had good success with oversized blue-catfish on the Pax near Benedict...and also at Marshall Hall...truthfully most any local tidal waters holds large number of these invasive fish. i was fighting a big speckled trout on a trolled lure and my second rod lure (a soft plastic swimbait smeared with a dab of Pro-Cure menhaden scent) dropped to the bottom at St Jerome's Creek near the inlet- a ten pound blue catfish ate the lure...good bait is the secret to catching these fish...especially in cold water. I find cut chunks of alwife (menhaden) gives me my best results, although cut fresh fish of any type works well as does chicken at certain times of the year...shrimp works for smaller fish. A carolina rig with an appropriate size circle-hook (7/0-10/0) is my go to setup, although many use the Santee-Cooper float rigs with decent success...and anchoring up is my preferred method using the bow forward secured with anchor trolley to keep the kayak pointed into the current for safety reasons. I have a float attached to my anchor line and a clip that attaches the anchor line to the trolley in case I have to quickly and safely unclip and chase the fish. As far as structure fishing, I have pretty much settled on edge fishing near drop offs but not in the deepest section...I like to find a 10-15 FOW intersection between flats and channel edges-one rod will be cast towards the deeper water and one rod cast towards the flats...I pay more attention to tides than anything else for catfishing...don't over look Slavings launch on Mattawoman Creek...it gives you safe protected waters full of catfish- some brutes, too!

[dsaavedra]

Thanks for chiming in Ron. You and I talked about this last year and I got some good info for you. Without it I might not have even caught those little baby catfish. Somehow the big cats still elude me though. The largest I ended up catching was in May of last year and it was around 7.5 pounds. Not a bad fish but it took me 10 trips of near-skunk fishing to get it. I want to figure out how to catch them more reliably. Surprised to hear of you catching blue cats at St. Jerome's, I'd think it would be too salty for them there.

Slavin's is definitely on the table, as are a few launches further up the Patuxent (Selby's, Jacksons's, and Wayson's). The more I thought about it yesterday the more uncomfortable I was with anchoring up away from shore in the deep, swift current that I imagine runs through the Marshall Hall area in the middle of winter. I might save that spot for when the water is warmer.

[Red_Beard]

Dave, you can catch big blue cats pretty much anywhere in the Potomac these days. I've heard the Marshall Hall area is pretty good, and I know a lot of nice ones are caught from the shore at Fort Washington which isn't much farther upstream. Good fish are coming out of the Washington Channel and lower Annacostia as well. I've seen big ones in Mattawoman as well, and deeper holes in the lower end of the creek may work well now. The key right now is fishing in deeper water, and using bigger baits. They want a nice chunk of fish. Gizzard shad are best, alewife is also good, and if you can get your hands on a carp and chop it up that works really good too. I've joined a DC fishing group on FB, and the shore anglers say the last couple hours of the incoming tide work best for them. I guess its when the bigger fish come in closer to shore. If you're out in the kayak fishing those deeper holes, you may find the opposite to be true with the last hours of the outgoing being best.

[nhunter344]

This year I need to figure out how to catch edible blue cats. No problems catching the 20+lb cats that taste like the bottom of the Potomac, but cant catch the 20-24" I like to eat. I've tried smaller baits, smaller hooks but no luck. I think I need to try a different location that doesnt require the 2hr drive to bushwood wharf.

[dsaavedra]

Thanks for the tips guys. Can't catch blue cats under 20 lbs... must be a fun problem to have

Just need the the weather to cooperate on a day when I can actually get out and fish so I can try some of this advice.

[Jigsup]

I still don’t feel comfortable with going out in open water with my ascend 12t. I’m pretty sure I would be just fine and would love to try kayak fishing the benedict area for catfish, but that area is at my limit. However I do shore fish that area. I will say you can get into some hefty blue cats in that area. As others mentioned and my go to is fresh cut bait. I try to get alewife. While you can catch them on frozen, it seems the fresher the better. Last time I was there was the evening of New Year’s Day. My wife wanted some catfish for dinner and it was warm so we went. Caught two very nice size rockfish which were released as soon as the hook was removed. Also two catfish about 15-16 inches. A blue and channel. All in three hours. March-April is when it seems the bigger 15-20 pounders move in close to shore seeing the depth around the bridge is average 10 feet? Mabye less.but if you are mobile I’m pretty sure if you find a deeper hole you can find the bigger ones.

As for kayaking that area I normally go towards the lower Marlboro area on the kayak in warmer weather. There are holes up there that holds nice blues in the spring and summer. Launching at lower Marlboro is very hard on a fishing kayak I will say. But to me it’s worth it when going for dinner. Hopefully this spring or summer I’ll be able to upgrade to a new peddle kayak where I would feel a little comfortable venturing out further. I have no experience with the Potomac but hear and see some very impressive blue cats pulled out of there. I hear they are very plentiful in the Potomac also.

[dsaavedra]

As for kayaking that area I normally go towards the lower Marlboro area on the kayak in warmer weather. There are holes up there that holds nice blues in the spring and summer. Launching at lower Marlboro is very hard on a fishing kayak I will say. But to me it’s worth it when going for dinner. Hopefully this spring or summer I’ll be able to upgrade to a new peddle kayak where I would feel a little comfortable venturing out further. I have no experience with the Potomac but hear and see some very impressive blue cats pulled out of there. I hear they are very plentiful in the Potomac also.

Where do you launch in Lower Marlboro? Kings Landing? If that's the place I'm thinking of, I have heard it's like navigating an obstacle course trying to launch a fishing kayak there.

[Jigsup]

Dsaavedra, I usually launch out of Lower Marlboro Wharf. There’s a kayak launch at the end of Lower Marlboro rd. You heard right. It’s a task getting my ascend 12t over the guard rail, down the ramp, around the 90 degree platform to set the kayak in the launch. Lol. It’s almost a circus act. Those with simple/light weight easy to carry paddle kayaks make out far better than a fishing kayak with gear.
If I had a peddle kayak I would go to Kings Landing. Only thing kings landing close at 5pm. Really that’s the only thing keeping me from launching at Kings Landing. Kings Landing is not that far down stream from Lower Marlboro. I often try to make it to Kings Landing when launching from Lower Marlboro but get side track with all the fish in the fish finder. So I start fishing never make it there.

[nhunter344]

Thanks for the tips guys. Can't catch blue cats under 20 lbs... must be a fun problem to have

Just need the the weather to cooperate on a day when I can actually get out and fish so I can try some of this advice.

I'm not complaining, but gets frustrating when you have a craving and the Mrs. wont let you bring home anything over 24". I see people around me pulling up eating size fish so I either have bad luck (or should I say the wrong kind of good luck) or am doing something wrong, or both.

The location is Fletchers Boathouse in DC. I usually head upstream towards Chain Bridge until the currents get too sketchy and work my way back down towards the launch. I use fresh bluegill for bait on a simple Carolina rig with a circle hook in the 6 - 9 range. Weight depends on the current where youre fishing but Ive found 1oz to be good for most spots. There are some nice 50+' holes that hold some nice fish if youre looking for a fight. Make sure your anchor trolley is set fully bow or stern if you decide to anchor as things get nasty quickly there if youre anchored sideways to the current.

I've also had decent luck in other spots like Allens Fresh, Mattawoman, and Bushwood but they are so far for me that I dont tend to head there often.

[dsaavedra]

Where are you guys finding fresh shad/alewife? I've only ever seen frozen in stores. Do you need to catch them yourself?

[Jigsup]

I’ll be honest I use frozen from anglers. BUT I will sift through what they have. Their frozen seems to be more fresher than other places. As long as the bait isn’t all bloody or frosted over I’ll take what I can get this time of the year. I don’t know where captains get their fresh cut bait from and I’d definitely like to know. I hear it’s very hard to find them fresh in stores this time of year unless you cast net them. I hear some anglers go to fish markets for bait. I would figure for eel, or carp, white perch. I’m curious to that question also. A lot of people fish the Potomac and James River. Someone is selling fresh bait somewhere!

[dsaavedra]

I’ll be honest I use frozen from anglers. BUT I will sift through what they have. Their frozen seems to be more fresher than other places. As long as the bait isn’t all bloody or frosted over I’ll take what I can get this time of the year. I don’t know where captains get their fresh cut bait from and I’d definitely like to know. I hear it’s very hard to find them fresh in stores this time of year unless you cast net them. I hear some anglers go to fish markets for bait. I would figure for eel, or carp, white perch. I’m curious to that question also. A lot of people fish the Potomac and James River. Someone is selling fresh bait somewhere!

I did some poking around on a couple catfish forums and Youtube and it seems like for a lot of these hardcore catfish anglers, their day starts out cast netting or gill netting for bait. I don't have that kind of dedication

[dsaavedra]

Dsaavedra, I usually launch out of Lower Marlboro Wharf. There’s a kayak launch at the end of Lower Marlboro rd. You heard right. It’s a task getting my ascend 12t over the guard rail, down the ramp, around the 90 degree platform to set the kayak in the launch. Lol. It’s almost a circus act. Those with simple/light weight easy to carry paddle kayaks make out far better than a fishing kayak with gear.
If I had a peddle kayak I would go to Kings Landing. Only thing kings landing close at 5pm. Really that’s the only thing keeping me from launching at Kings Landing. Kings Landing is not that far down stream from Lower Marlboro. I often try to make it to Kings Landing when launching from Lower Marlboro but get side track with all the fish in the fish finder. So I start fishing never make it there.

I found a few photos of Lower Marlboro Wharf and it does not look very conducive to launching a fishing kayak at all. Is there room to bring a kayak around the guardrails anywhere? It's only 25 minutes away, I may check it out one day and if it seems too difficult to launch I'll drive down the road and try Kings Landing.

[Jigsup]

I found a few photos of Lower Marlboro Wharf and it does not look very conducive to launching a fishing kayak at all. Is there room to bring a kayak around the guardrails anywhere? It's only 25 minutes away, I may check it out one day and if it seems too difficult to launch I'll drive down the road and try Kings Landing.

I back my truck up close to the guard rail then slide my kayak over the guard rail. My kayak sticks out a few feet passed my tailgate but sits high above the guard rail. As long as there aren’t a lot of vehicles there, getting over the guard rail isn’t a problem. You could go around the guard rail if you had a cart system I believe but there are understanding people the sometimes and they will move their vehicle if they see you have a fishing kayak. Some will help carry your kayak down the ramp which is a HUGE help. Once kayak and gear is in the water I move my truck away from the guard rail and onto the side of the street. I fabricated a cart system for my kayak. It helped quite a bit getting the kayak up and down the ramp. Just have to make sure your brakes work going down the ramp. The floating dock is small and there’s a 90 degree turn at the bottom of the ramp. The hand rail going down the ramp makes it hard to turn the kayak around the bend. Sliding the kayak down the ramp is easy but sketchy going back up. Kayak will be going against the grain of the ramp paneling causing too much drag. Definitely check it out before unloading.