Why would anyone keep a 50lb. Bluecat or any 50lb catfish?
NC Catman

WELL I CAN'T ANSWER THAT BUT I UNDERSTAND YOUR QUESTION. I THROW BACK THE ONES UNDER 5 LBS AND ALSO THE ONES OVER 15 LBS. AND WHEN I KEEP THEM THEY ARE FOR EATING AS WE LIKE FRESH FRIED CATFISH. BUT MY THOUGHTS ON YOUR QUESTION ARE THAT ITS JUST TO SHOW OFF OR BRAGG. WHAT ELSE ARE YOU GONNA DO WITH THAT FISH? I'M NOT GOING TO EAT IT PROBABLY FULL OF CHEMICALS OR OTHER POLUTION AND WHY KILL OFF THE BIG BREEDING STOCK? I SEE ABOUT THE SAME THING AT THE COAST SOME PEOPLE JUST GOTTA LIMIT OUT CAN'T STAND IT IF THEY DON'T CATCH THEIR LIMIT OF KING'S OR ?? I THINK IT IS A SPORT NOT A JOB OR A CONTEST THAT I GOTTA WIN. BUT THATS MY 2 CENTS WORTH.

nc catman i agree with you, but it goes beyond just catfish, use to live at lake tahoe,ca. the lake and rivers were my playground would catch quite a few trophy trout and kept them, had a couple trophys mounted.. as i look back i am guilty of some bad judgements, it was bragging rights< did not know better>. not knowing that i was taking the best breeding stock.. as i grew up was intoduced to catch and release. now living out here been turned on to catfishing a couple years ago have shown the same respect for catfish....

anyway we need to teach stewardship to anglers of all ages,nature can only replenish itself so fast of all species of fish and why we need to release the big ones where ever we catch them.!!!
we are in charge of making sure that our childern can enjoy the same thill of the battle.
we need to protect the lakes breeding stock, otherwise kerrs will end up like sante cooper, overfishing will kill the lakes breeding stock c.p.r
Catch..Photo..Release..
a 12x10 picture is alot cheaper than a mounted fiberglass copy,you can still brag just the same from the picture.!!!
wish to share a post that has been copyed and pasted from katnip on june 8th.
katnip has said it best

katnip
IP: 192.58.204.226

Jun 8, 05 - 12:02 PM Top 3 Reasons to Release Kerr-Buggs Trophy Catfish

Trophy Catfish Defined:
Blue Catfish: 38 inches or 30 lbs.
Flathead Catfish: 40 inches or 25 lbs.
Channel Catfish: 30 inches or 12 lbs.

1. The Trophy catfish in the lake are the best "breeding stock" to ensure that future generations have the increased potential to get that big, or better yet, even bigger.

2. Obviously, in addition to contributing to a better stock in the lake, the Trophy catfish can actually be caught again another day when it is even BIGGER.

3. The biggest Trophy catfish in the lake are not the best to eat. Pollutants accumulate in all fish in the lake over time, and consequently the longer a fish lives the more toxins it will have in the body. The two major culprits are PCBs and Mercury.

Check this link for the consumption advisories:
http://www.vdh.virginia.gov/HHControl/RoanokeRiver.asp

Honorable Mention:

*Record Potential: The more big catfish that are released the more likely that the State Record, or better yet, the World Record, can be beaten.

**The more big catfish that are released the more big catfish that will be in the lake overall. I think most everyone that likes to fish for catfish can agree that prospect is a good thing.

Hang-1 & then C-P-R!

Email: markcwoodward@hotmail.com

Please dont get this one started again.

How much damaged to a fishery can those big cats do? Thought I heard one time that they will eat anything else that swims by. I don't want Kerr Lake to become a cat only lake.

Derek

a cat only lake that is the least of the problem better yet why would someone catch 30 rockfish and keep all of them.it's stuff like that that hurt this lake to begin with.i don't think blue cats eat 30 grown rockfish a day do you????

@ MUDSLINGER i aint stepping into this one

LMBO,i will stay clear of this one also.I have made it known in the past what i think of this subject.I just want to know one thing.What other fish feeds on catfish?

everyones got their own opinion, lets just respect each other.

Respect sent.

While crappie fishing I caught a bass. When cleaning this fish I got stuck with a fin. There was a catfish about 5" long in its gut. There are fish that eat cats, even other cats.

FISHED A LOCAL BASS TOURN. GUY CAUGHT A 13 LB LM BASS.THEY PUT HIM IN A AQUARIUM AT WEIGH IN, HE SPIT UP A 13 IN CATFISH PARTLY DIGESTED. MY UNCLE FISHES OUT WEST FOR STRIPERS FAVORITE BAIT IS CATS BOUT 1 FT LONG!!!KNOW SEVERAL GUYS FISH FLATHEADS ON CAPE FEAR RIVER, THEY LIKE 1 LB TO 3 LB CATS FOR BAIT!!!THEY SAY THE LITTLE ONES WON'T MESS WITH THEM(LITTLE ONES ARE LESS THAN 30#!!)

yeah bullhead catfish are good flathead bait.

Ever burped a Dino? jfo

http://www.ajc.com/news/content/news/open/0805/catfish.html?imw=Y

Buggsman, I caught a 5 lbs. largemouth on Gaston that had a catfish, around 13", partially down it's throat. The bass actually hit a 1/2 oz. spinnerbait with the last 3rd of the catfish still unswallowed. Not so strange, right? Well, let me tell you what was strange. I could see where both the cats spiney side fins (right behind the head) were sticking out on both sides of the bass (the skin was extended out). Now that was strange. So basically, if a 5 lb. bass will eat a 13" catfish, I suppose a 2 lb. bass will pig out on 1-2 inch catfish.

One night out catfishing (a slow night ) I thought about a post I read earlier last year. It was during the b*******/catfish spat someone said that catfish loved bass. Having heard that sometimes there is alot of truth in jest, I pulled a bass out of the cooler and proceded to make him into cut bait. The result, my best 24# and a 21#. They were caught with the mid section and tail piece.

Ok....lemme break this down for ya'll.Big fish eat little fish....whether the big fish is a bass or a cat is like spinnin' a roulette wheel.....sometimes you're the bug,sometimes you're the windshield.Mother Nature has no conscience....she has been doin' this for a long time,and knows what she's doin'!

i couldnt agree more

THANX!! MY POINT EXACTLY!!!GOOD FISHIN TO EVERYBOBY!
JUST USE BIGGER LITTLE FISH TO CATCH EM BIGGUNS!!!

i got some friends that will keep everything they catch,i mean i have seen several 30 and 40 lbs blues and flats caught this year and they kept them all and laughed at me when i released mine.said they are good eating ,and i said might be if you don,t catch cancer from them,uh i won,t that is for sure!!!