Hunting & Fishing New World Record Blue Catfish

Old Salt

Old Salt

Private
Full Member
Minuteman
Mar 16, 2011
17
5
North Carolina
#1
This fish was caught on Fathers Day this year near Goats Island on Kerr Resorvoir. 143 pounds pending certification, more pics and info at this web site;

http://americanprocatters.com/?p=1296

WorldRecordCatFish.gif
 
#2
Re: New World Record Blue Catfish

That thing is huge. I fish Lake Gaston alot which as you know is right beside kerr lake. I couldnt beleive that when i first heard about it. Its prolly just a rumor but I have been told that they kept it alive and was gonna be put in the bass pro in richmond.
 
#5
Re: New World Record Blue Catfish

Very doubtful this fish is still alive. Even if it were if it was not handled properly it won't live long. I have a good friend that has caught several blue cats over 75 pounds. A couple were put into the TN aquarium in Chattanooga but they did not survive long. Nice fish though.
 
#6
Re: New World Record Blue Catfish

Got a friend that caught a few around the 45 pound mark in the same lake, I agree that it's unlikely that this fish is still alive but a catfish can take a lot before expiring. Wonder how many steaks for a good fish fry a fish like that would make?
 
#7
Re: New World Record Blue Catfish

Quite the fish....says at the end of the story that efforts to keep it alive were not successful.

Largest one I ever saw was a 56# flathead and I thought that one was big.
 
#8
Re: New World Record Blue Catfish

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Old Salt</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Got a friend that caught a few around the 45 pound mark in the same lake, I agree that it's unlikely that this fish is still alive but a catfish can take a lot before expiring. Wonder how many steaks for a good fish fry a fish like that would make? </div></div>

I catch and eat a lot of blue cats. Have been for many years. The edible part of a fish in the 7 to 12 pound range is about 25%. The bigger they get the less percentage of edible meat there is. My guess on that 143 pounder is prolly 30 pounds of edible meat. The rest would be disgusting fat and red meat and lots of grissle.
 
#9
Re: New World Record Blue Catfish

Thanks, I would never guessed there would be that much waste. I'm a died in the wool bass fisherman and don't keep any of them but I definitely love to eat bream.
 
#12
Re: New World Record Blue Catfish

Meat Hunter;; Do you have any advise for catching big cat's? If all goes as planned we'll be moving to within about twenty miles of where that monster was caught before year's end. I have a friend in that area that uses Koy or Coy fish for bait only because he works to late to go out and catch some bream or other sunfish. I think I'll have to get a bigger rod than what I use for bass fishing!
 
#15
Re: New World Record Blue Catfish

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Old Salt</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Meat Hunter;; Do you have any advise for catching big cat's? If all goes as planned we'll be moving to within about twenty miles of where that monster was caught before year's end. I have a friend in that area that uses Koy or Coy fish for bait only because he works to late to go out and catch some bream or other sunfish. I think I'll have to get a bigger rod than what I use for bass fishing! </div></div>As far as I know, coy and goldfish are illegal to use as bait and so is a gamefish such as bream... Might want to check that out.
 
#17
Re: New World Record Blue Catfish

I always used chicken liver for cats but hardly ever fish for them anymore. Biggest one I ever caught might have weighed 6-8 lbs. I'm checking with local Game wardens on the rules for using bream and other types of live fish for bait in NC, haven't heard back from them yet. Maybe that's why the guy's never said what bait they were using! According to where they said they caught the fish it was probably on the Virginia side of the lake, don't know what the rules there are either.
 
#18
Re: New World Record Blue Catfish

Just off the phone with NC Wildlife and as long as bream or any other fish remains in tact (head and tail not cut off) and is within creel limit laws they can be used for bait and gold fish can also be used in North Carolina. Can't say anything for other states but that's straight from the horses mouth in NC.

NC Wildlife # 800-662-7137
 
#20
Re: New World Record Blue Catfish

No kidding me to; I would love to see the look on the guy's face that sticks his hand in that things mouth. Can't say this is true or not but have heard stories of divers going down at Kerr Damn to check intakes or whatever and when they hit the surface they said they would never go down there again because of the catfish. Maybe just stories but I ain't going down there!
 
#22
Re: New World Record Blue Catfish

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Old Salt</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Meat Hunter;; Do you have any advise for catching big cat's? If all goes as planned we'll be moving to within about twenty miles of where that monster was caught before year's end. I have a friend in that area that uses Koy or Coy fish for bait only because he works to late to go out and catch some bream or other sunfish. I think I'll have to get a bigger rod than what I use for bass fishing! </div></div>

Blue cats will bite most any of the scores of baits presented to them at any given time. However if you are going after the big ones cut bait is king. We use cut skipjack and cut bream 95% of the time. Big fish will hit small baits but if all you want is bigguns you need big baits. Hand sized gills caught and cut fresh are great bailts. The bloodier the better. The head off of a 2-3 pound bass will catch a BIG cat regularly.
smile.gif
 
#23
Re: New World Record Blue Catfish

Thanks for the info; the place I;m moving to has a pond on it and I've seen Blue gill in it so got that bait covered. Using the Bass head would probably get me a hefty fine according to the NC Wildlife Commission (probably the same in Virginia). It's OK to use game fish for bait but you can't cut the head or tail off it according to those folks.
 
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