We've been going quite often, with not much luck on the Blue cats in Staunton from below 360 up to Brookneal. One or two here and there nothing big. Almost all of the ones we caught have major battle scars that look like a prop got them. No skin on their heads etc.

Decided to try Hopewell this past weekend, we picked up some nice fish 45in at 48lbs, 42in at 29lbs, and 39in at 25lbs were the best. Fish were very thin and frail with the same battle scars. The 48lb fish was the only one that didnt show evidence of battles but his gut was just a pocket of air. All fish were released immediately after a quick picture. They seemed to still have a hard time taking off upon release.

Spawning stress I guess.

Good fishing

Monster...what you are describing, expecially the pocket of air comment really sounds like swim bladder expansion.

A catfish has a physostomous swimbladder as opposed to a physoclistous bladder such as that found on a bass.

The swim bladder on a fish occupies a space just below and behind the top fin and can be pretty big. This bladder is inflated to an appropriate amount of air such that the fish can remain upright, at the correct depth and hold there without having to spend muscle energy to stay there. If you clean a fish and pay close attention you will see this whitish sac pretty clearly.

If you pull a big one off the bottom and noticed the belly swelled full it might be swim bladder expansion. At 33ft feet deep the air in the bladder is crushed to 1/2 the size at the surface. At 66 feet that air is crushed to 1/3 the size at the surface. When the fish is caught down deep and dragged to the surface, this air volume expands to twice (33ft) or three times (66ft) the size it was when the fish was swimming or suspended at the depth. This air is trapped in the swimbladder and has no choice but to expand making this expanded and very tight belly.

When you turn this fish loose, most likely it will swim away (for about 20 feet) and then "bob" back to the surface upside down. The fish struggles and if its unable to correct the pressure inequality it most always will eventually tire, give up, and drown.

A physoclistous bladder such as that found on a bass is not connected in any way to the gut of the fish. Because the catfish has a physostomous swimbladder there is a small pipe connecting the gut to the swimbladder. This means that if the fish "burps" really nicely when he comes aboard, the problem might be solved as simple as that. But if there's no burp, or the old "upside down and struggling" situation, chase it down and get it back into the boat.

Take a soft piece of hose (mine is a 5/8in soft plastic tubing from lowes) around 2 feet long. Hold the fish gently but firmly so they do not flop around and break a fin or something flopping around. Open the mouth and very, very gently work the soft hose into the center of the throat area and down into the gullet. Be very careful not to push too hard and rip something in the fish guts. Continue to work the tube into the fish mouth, generally 14-20 inches until you hear a "whoosh" of air down the pipe (the belly will get smaller instantly. If you feel the tube poking (from inside) the skin around the back of the stomach area, stop and remove the hose...maybe your fish did not need a burp or the whoosh was slow enough you missed it. Be careful not to have your face in front of the hose when this outflow of pressure happens because there's sometime a LOT of air and stomach contents/fluids come out as well with the outflow.

Now ease it over the side in the net. Watch to ensure the up-side up and down-side down in the net, that the stress is gone and in a few seconds, that the fish starts fighting the net. Let-em go from the net and know he's unhurt....left for your kids to catch later....jfo

Thanks for the info Joe. I've heard that sound before and wondered about it. Now I know, and what to do should I need to.

All 3 of these fish were caught between 7 and 14 ft of water in a creek channel. The smallest of the 3 seemed to have a harder time when released, but got it together in less than 90 seconds and disapeared.

Thanks,
Monsterbuck

In water that shallow, your fish for sure did not have bladder troubles. Swim bladder issues rarely happen in water under 30 or so. Maybe you just wore-em out...jfo

Joe, what causes the skin on the heads to be removed?
I've caught quite a few that in the center (on top) of their head there is no skin, just red meat. Is this from digging or fighting. I would have called it a fluke but I've caught to many like that for it to be a fluke.

On thursday the 21st i caught two blues,one 24lber and one 14lber in the dan river.Both of the fish had sores on the top of their heads.The sores almost appear to be holes in the top of their heads.Early in the spring i caught blues in the dan river with the same sores.I was wondering if the fish you caught had the same sores.

From what I've heard and seen, scarring on the top of a catfishes head is from rooting in the rip rap/rocks for food and such. They are aggressive and if there's a little crawfish or clam or whatever in a hole, they will root root root until they get em' -- a lot like a pig.

Also during the spawn, if the bed is in some rip rap or a rock bed, the fish will be scarred from entering and exiting the hole.

Blues mature for spawning anywhere from 14 to 26 inches or between 4 or 5 years old but sometimes its larger and later. The term in the scholastic circles that describes the blue's activity is called "cavity nesting" or another text uses the term "nest spawner". If there's a root wad, undercut or in the case of one popular poster here on the board a "catfish hotel" they will use it. The location of this nest has to be where current is minimal in order that the eggs stay reasonably put but the current must re-oxygenate the water or the male must fan the eggs to assist in this.

The male will construct this nest and may develop these scars doing so if he feels he has to "dig it out a bit". Sometimes the scars might look "angry" if the wound is opened repeatedly or irritated. After the nest is constructed a female will deposit eggs (eggs are around a tenth of an inch). Spawning happens from around 70f to 75f generally and the male will guard the eggs for the 7 or 8 days it takes them to hatch and then he will guard the young for a week or maybe even two. During this time the male will attack anything that might threaten the eggs or the young and he will attack another male to keep his nest from being taken over. This fighting may re-open the nesting wounds or make some new ones as well. btw, he will attack your bait as well if you put it in his face....but he might not eat it.

So if we do the math here, give him a 2 weeks to find and build, a 2 to attract the right female and have his party, a week for the eggs to hatch and two more for the young to emerge from the nest...well that's 7 weeks even if everything goes pretty well. The 7 weeks explains a lot related to post-spawn mortality, and the thin-ness of the fish. It does not explain the belly filled with air. I have no idea why a fish would come out of 7-14ft and have a belly full of air...jfo

When I referred to air pocket, what I really was trying to describe was the fish had a big belly but it was not firm. If you took your finger and pushed on the belly there was nothing there. A picture may do a better job explaining. Here is the url to the picture that might explain it better.

http://tinypic.com/view/?pic=9iwl1g

The fish was 45 inches long, the scale was a 50lb digital, it was bouncing between 54 and 45lbs. The fish did not want to be weighed and would not be still long enough for a good reading, so we said 48lbs and released the fish as quick as possible.

Good Fishing

Monster, the mystery is solved. Your 48lb "he" is a "her". No nesting scars and all the males welcome her in rather than fight her off. You said in the first post "he" wasn't scarred up as well. A fish with bladder issues will have a very tight belly...if you push it with your finger it really does not give...it feels like the fish is gonna pop like a balloon. Your fish belly was empty and the TLV you gave this ole gal helped to ensure she'll pass on her good looks....jfo

Thanks again Joe. I guess I should pay more attention to the gender.

Hey monster buck, I am headed to hopewell this coming up weekend and want to get on some of those BIG cats. I have been down there about 5 times but it seems all i can catch are the smaller ones (1-18 lbs). I usually put in at the marina at the draw bridge in hopewell. Ive been up to the plant and fished around the wooden pillars and been down to the power lines and fished a few holes. I need a few helpful pointers about fishing hopewell. area, depth, bait? I usually catch my shad here and carry them with me , because I have not been to lucky at the bait catching down there either. It seems i just cant make it happen down there. my email is skntbck@hotmail.com Any help from the hopewell pros will be appriciated ! thanks

caro skiff 1780,

That was my first trip to Hopewell. We put in at the bridge (Jordans Point) I think, and went down river. We fished a creek channel which was 7-15 ft with whole and cut shad. Action was slow only caught 3 fish all night long (39, 42, and 45in). Caught some small ones next morning around the islands. Another boat with us caught 3 or 4 around 20lbs. Standard fish finder rigs, anchored solid.

Hope this helps.

Good Fishing