# Choptank river MONSTER catfish.



## Stinky_Pete

Just want to say that the Choptank around the area of Denton Maryland is a great winter spot for cats, big blue cats in particular. 

I primarily use night-crawlers as I don't like missing out on nice white and yeller' perch.

Best tide is a fresh outgoing, and a double hook set up. 

I cannot stress this enough -- use RAZOR sharp hooks for blue cats; they have very hard mouths and often will throw your hook. 

Here is how to sharpen a hook. 







Big cats will almost always make a strong initial run. After that, they will normally surface to shake their head and throw the hook. Pull them back in and don't allow them to do this. 

Once you get them in, land them with your hand. Use a leather glove and don't dilly-dally. Right at shore is where they usually get away. 











This is a great video for how the prepare a Blue Catfish. 







Really big cats love a whole bluegill cut in half. Another good bait is cut blue catfish!

Spray it periodically with menhaden oil spray.











This is how it all should look:






Good luck!


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## Stinky_Pete

Went for an hour before work last week and hooked a very big blue. Could not move him at all. I should have been using at least 17# test (my favorite for cats is Red Cajun Line). He threw the hook, because I could not "muscle him" properly.


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## Stinky_Pete

I use cut white meat chicken for bait too, as it is cheap and stays on the hook well. I don't spend an entire winter soaking it in garlic and all that stuff, just spray it with fish oil and be done with it.


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## Stinky_Pete

You don't need to fish really deep water, you can catch blue cats on a bright sunny day in three feet of water, as long as its within about two hours of high tide.

No need for a surf rod. A tall pole is harder to fight a big cat with, in fact, get something under six feet if you can.

ALWAYS anchor your rod so that a big blue will not take it! Hook it under a rock or, on a pier, stick the pole between the rails. 

I use circle hooks for these fish, because they always take it and run, even in the winter. Blue cats are very active, wintertime.


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## andypat

Great videos! Thanks Pete.


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## markedwards

Where in Denton? Pm if you'd like


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## AaronDen

I'm going to have to give this a shot over the winter. Always looking for nice relaxing fishing. We have catfished at the Hillsboro bridge and done well but lots of snags. Haven't caught any blue cats yet. Did not know they were in the Choptank in any numbers.


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## 1BadF350

LOL here come the report chasers!!!


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## CYT

AaronDen said:


> I'm going to have to give this a shot over the winter. Always looking for nice relaxing fishing. We have catfished at the Hillsboro bridge and done well but lots of snags. Haven't caught any blue cats yet. Did not know they were in the Choptank in any numbers.


Same here on any numbers. News to me.


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## bigjim5589

Great post Stinky Pete! My old fishing buddy & I fished the upper Choptank & Tuckahoe quite often for cats in the winter. We caught mostly channel cats, but occasionally a Blue or two. None were monsters, perhaps 8 to 10 lbs being the biggest we caught.
We used fresh veal liver that had been soaked in garlic for a few days. My friend lived in Easton, and passed away back in 2004. I've not done much winter fishing since, but have been reading that more Blues are being caught in ES rivers.
I very much agree about using sharp hooks, and I liked to add a couple of beads & spinner to my rigs, which may have accounted for why we caught more Channel Cats than Blues. Still, we had fun doing it, and liked catching some eating size cats. Those big ones are probably a lot of fun, but not sure I would want to eat them.


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## zam

I always liked stopping in that area for Catfish in the summer when I go to Ocean city


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## andypat

markedwards said:


> Where in Denton? Pm if you'd like


 There is a park with a boat ramp, benches along the river, and plenty of room to fish off the bulk-head in Denton. I watched a man catching catfish there one time. Not real large ones, but he did keep a few.


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## bluefish1928

Before I realize yellow perch bite better at outgoing tide, I did do the downtown Denton boat ramp waterfront winter fishing deal. 

We had a day where no perch bit our worms (incoming tide), but we did end up with a nice mess of 8 cats- white, channel, and blues up to maybe 25 inches. For a cold winter day, we had enough fish for little fish fry!
So yes, there are fair numbers of blue cats in that river. As for monsters, they are probably there. Somebody will get them.

15 years ago or so, a 40# blue cat was big in the Potomac. Now, 40# seem to be caught every other day. The new standard of big is probably 65+. On the other hand, the peak of monster cats in the James is over. They are overpopulated to the point where they compete against each other for food.

When I target blue cats, I use 50# braid on conventional reels (Penn Fathom 40, Daiwa Seagte 50) and 50# mono leader . It is probably overkill, but I like to use what I already have for offshore fishing. I use Team Catfish Double Action Circle hooks after watching their videos. It is not a gimmick. They are pricier, but have their value.








Not from MD nor Va, but from shore- 4-8ft of water in late December on fresh cut gizzard shad with Team Catfish Double Action Circles


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## andypat

bluefish1928 That is a good picture. Them cats look clean and healthy. I never heard of Double Action Circle Hooks. Have to check it out.


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## bigjim5589

There are some big catfish down here in the rivers & lakes. My one son & I have caught some small ones, and have not seen anyone catch any really big ones, but did see a fellow catch one down near the dam that was about the size of the smallest in the picture bluefish1928 posted. He was using live shad that were about 5" long. From pics I've seen, there are 80 lb plus monsters in these Santee Cooper lakes & rivers.


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## bluefish1928

bigjim5589 said:


> There are some big catfish down here in the rivers & lakes. My one son & I have caught some small ones, and have not seen anyone catch any really big ones, but did see a fellow catch one down near the dam that was about the size of the smallest in the picture bluefish1928 posted. He was using live shad that were about 5" long. From pics I've seen, there are 80 lb plus monsters in these Santee Cooper lakes & rivers.


Mine came from Lake Marion. Three cats- all over 30 inches were hooked and landed over a period of 2 hours. I also missed another one. For the quality of catfish, I feel like Santee Cooper is rather underfished. Most boat guys I see at the ramps are going out to LM bass fish. The bank fisherman are usually targeting bream. Also, the major shad run in early spring is also ignored by most. PM me and I will give you the exact spot- it's public. SC fishing just isn't as political as MD. 

A 140 pounder was taken by trotline a few winters ago....... the 108 pounder was a former world record..... several 100+ are there even without the "divers fixing a dam story"


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## Tommy Robinson

Thanks for the tips. I may just have to try to get a few this winter. I like that spot in Denton. Deep water but those cables that run across the river are a pain in the ass.


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## andypat

bluefish1928,I use to fish both Santee Lakes the last week of March and the first week of April. We stayed at a fish camp on the Diversion Canal. I think it was called Jones Fish Camp. Along time ago. They use to save the fish in a walk-in box and ship them to an orphanage. This was our four man catch. They used this picture in their advertisement.






That was so long ago, people in S.C. use to eat bass.


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## CYT

I would not be proud of that pic Andy. Shear carnage. Sad.


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## CYT

Was just down at a landing near Greensboro on the Choptank. 

Posted: Blue catfish, Snakehead(must kill) and Flathead cats up to 4' long....damn! 

Quite a fishery.


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## bluefish1928

andypat said:


> bluefish1928,I use to fish both Santee Lakes the last week of March and the first week of April. We stayed at a fish camp on the Diversion Canal. I think it was called Jones Fish Camp. Along time ago. They use to save the fish in a walk-in box and ship them to an orphanage. This was our four man catch. They used this picture in their advertisement.
> View attachment 30105
> That was so long ago, people in S.C. use to eat bass.


There are still 2 fish camps there now. Some people now still keep bass. I only keep them on campouts to have grilled fish for dinner- once or twice a year. With all the mercury consumption warnings posted, I doubt too many people keep them.


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## andypat

CYT said:


> I would not be proud of that pic Andy. Shear carnage. Sad.


 I'm not proud of it. You have to understand that's how it was fifty years ago. People ate bass. There was no Ray Scott bass tournaments. Catch and release was not the in thing then. I think it is good for me to show how dumb we were 50-60- years ago. And how far we have come. Did you read were I said all then fish went to an orphanage. That is what the fish camp did back then. Did you know they use to use fish to fertilizer the fields on the Eastern Shore. Yes even rock fish/strippers. No I'm not proud of it. Just a little history lesson. Guess I could never run for, Oh never mind. I'll take the hit.


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## Stinky_Pete

CYT said:


> I would not be proud of that pic Andy. Shear carnage. Sad.


If the fish are legal to keep and they were kept, what's the problem? You guys really crack me up. C&R anglers do far more damage than they are even aware of. Ever fished a high up bridge on a hot day in July? You might have killed 75% of the fish you threw back that died later and had no idea. 

Lets stop with the silly "fish policing" okay? 

It's gotten beyond ridiculous....


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## Stinky_Pete

Going today, but Leary of Denton right now -- got the skunk there Monday and tides aren't right today. 

Changed my line to 20# green florescent to aid in visual location of line. Casts much better than Red Cajun. 

Always use a swivel for cat'n. Many cats roll and twist and a twisted line doesn't cast well. 

I've modified how I tie on, I use a sort of false surgeons loop, but I tie it different than most people. Will try to post a video in a few. What's cool about this, is I can change my hooks at will. Packing up is a breeze and my new knots are very strong. 

For all other <50# line knots, I use a sort of modified fishing fool knot. I use that one because it's much stronger than day the improved clinch knot, but just as easy to tie. You can do it kind of without looking (night fishing, etc).


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## Stinky_Pete

Liver is a good bait for most cats, but larger fish generally like live or at least cut bait fish. 

For liver, don't "hook" the liver, instead, lay it on top of the hook. Tie a 10" piece of twine right to the hook and wrap the liver about six times snug. It will stay on this way and your hands won't be a disgusting mess.

If it comes off, it will only be from a fish eating it. Smaller rockfish like this method as well.


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## Stinky_Pete

If you are using cut bait, by sure and actually catch them from the waters you are fishing from. I can't stress this enough. 

Blue cats are veracious feeders in wintertime and a lot of the normal protocols for winter fishing others species, just don't apply. I use normal sized baits, blue cats are gluttonous. Also, blue cats don't have an aversion to sunlight or shallow water. 

Because of their hard mouths, blue cats will very often throw the hook, they are good at it. I believe them to actually be pretty smart to boot.


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## Stinky_Pete

Thinking about carp for today, because of the tide. Might head up to Conowingo dam. 

Best dough balls are cheap and easy to make. Shredded wheat with a bit of jelly. Mix it in your hand, but use a glove to keep your sent off.


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## andypat

Stinky_Pete said:


> If the fish are legal to keep and they were kept, what's the problem? You guys really crack me up. C&R anglers do far more damage than they are even aware of. Ever fished a high up bridge on a hot day in July? You might have killed 75% of the fish you threw back that died later and had no idea.
> 
> Lets stop with the silly "fish policing" okay?
> 
> It's gotten beyond ridiculous....


 X2 on that. How did you like my history lesson Pete?


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## Stinky_Pete

andypat said:


> X2 on that. How did you like my history lesson Pete?


Love it. This thread actually turning out pretty good. Thanks for the contributions.


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## QBALL

i like to live line black saltys to catch big cats up at CONOWINGO or further up river near the nuclear plant. never go wrong with them either.


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## bigjim5589

Yes, this has been a good thread. Stinky Pete has posted some excellent information.

SP, fresh Veal liver is a bit more "hearty" than chicken liver. It actually stayed on the hook quite well and was not much of a mess. Of course we kept hand towels with us too, as catfishing can be a bit messy anyway. Before I had fished for catfish with my old buddy, I had never used it before, had stopped using chicken liver many years prior because it was difficult to keep on a hook, and preferred cut or live fish baits. I had not heard of using garlic for catfish either at that time, but it worked well with the veal liver. Like I said, the cats we caught were not huge, just decent eating size. I've used the veal liver since a few times too and like it because it's easy to get & prepare. Everything I've read or heard since had said big, fresh, live fish baits for the bigger cats, but frankly have not spent any time targeting them. 

I agree wholeheartedly with you about swivels & line twist. I prefer braid & twisting is not good for it. I use a heavy duty ball bearing type swivel even when I'm only looking to catch the eating size cats. Never know when I might hook up with something bigger.

BTW, Stripers seem to like the veal liver & garlic too. I've caught a few on it. Nothing big, just schoolie size.


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## Stinky_Pete

bigjim5589 said:


> Yes, this has been a good thread. Stinky Pete has posted some excellent information.
> 
> SP, fresh Veal liver is a bit more "hearty" than chicken liver. It actually stayed on the hook quite well and was not much of a mess. Of course we kept hand towels with us too, as catfishing can be a bit messy anyway. Before I had fished for catfish with my old buddy, I had never used it before, had stopped using chicken liver many years prior because it was difficult to keep on a hook, and preferred cut or live fish baits. I had not heard of using garlic for catfish either at that time, but it worked well with the veal liver. Like I said, the cats we caught were not huge, just decent eating size. I've used the veal liver since a few times too and like it because it's easy to get & prepare. Everything I've read or heard since had said big, fresh, live fish baits for the bigger cats, but frankly have not spent any time targeting them.
> 
> I agree wholeheartedly with you about swivels & line twist. I prefer braid & twisting is not good for it. I use a heavy duty ball bearing type swivel even when I'm only looking to catch the eating size cats. Never know when I might hook up with something bigger.
> 
> BTW, Stripers seem to like the veal liver & garlic too. I've caught a few on it. Nothing big, just schoolie size.


This is why I tend to use monofilament for cat'n. It's cheaper and it gets trashed pretty quick, it tends to survive the twisting better. I don't use circles very much, especially in the wintertime, unless I'm going after blue cats. Blue cats don't twist the line, they fight more like a rockfish.

Cheap monofilament is a very good choice for cat fishing, it's horrible for casting, so I use it in situations where I don't have to cast very far. 

My favorite sinker for bottom fishing for cats is a big nail. 










Attach it to your line with a piece of wire and duct tape. The lighter steel will ride up very quick and avoid the bottom. The thin shape flies through the air better and it is much better for the environment. Lead kills fish. The tape gets slippery in the water and if you pull steady, your wire will pull out and leave the nail. I used a bit too much tape on this, just a couple of wraps. You won't go back to lead after doing this.

For smaller channel cats, I use a small piece of very stinky bait, but the cold water causes certain sprays and such to not mix with the cold water very well.

Fish oil does NOT mix, but instead, tends to ride with the tide at about the same level, maybe just a tad lower, which is kind of good, thus, I still use the fish oil spray all winter.

I did not fish yesterday, because I'm a gutless punk who wears women's clothing and cries at sad movies. I will try again today or further shame myself.


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