April Fishtalk

Catfish in Maryland

While some other states may be able to boast a larger specimen here and there, few can compare with Maryland for the diversity of the water ways you'll fin 'em in. And there's more good news on keeping them for dinner. In many areas the vast majority of eating sized catfish are going to be invasive species. No one is happy to have invasive, so you can feel guilt-free about harvesting blues, channels, and flatheads. Plus, all of these invasive grow to be significantly larger than Maryland’s native species, which top out at around eight pounds for whites and three pounds for bullhead.

Where do all these catfish live? We’ll get into some specifics in a moment, but as a rule of thumb they live in much of the state’s portion of the Chesa- peake (depending on salinity levels at any given time), all the Bay’s tributary rivers, and most lakes and ponds. So, employing basic tactics you can catch ‘em virtually anywhere.

Catfish Gear and Rigs

As with most fisheries, the gear you choose is in large part personal preference. That said, most catfishing aficionados like to use rods and reels in the 20-pound class when in areas where smaller catfish are the target, and in the 30- to 50-pound class where the big boys live. Both conventional and spinning gear can be used but those employing spinning gear usually opt for baitrunner-style reels which allow the fish to take the bait without feeling... Continue reading here. (Pages 50-53)