Know Thy Subject

Although we are not certain that the elusive 30-foot catfish we seek is of the species Ictalurus furcatus, the so-called blue catfish is definitely a leading candidate to reach excessive size and prehistoric majesty while remaining unseen, unheard and unfelt for many eons in the savage murky depths of the Ohio River basin near Cincinnati.

The blue catfish, Ictalurus furcatus, is one of the largest species of North American catfish. Blue catfish are distributed primarily in the Mississippi River drainage including the Missouri, Ohio, Tennessee, and Arkansas rivers. The current angling world record is 124 pounds and was caught by Tim Pruitt on May 22, 2005, in the Mississippi River.

Blue catfish are opportunistic predators and will eat any species of fish they can catch, along with crayfish, freshwater mussels, frogs, and other readily available aquatic food sources (some blue catfish have reportedly attacked scuba divers). Catching their prey becomes all the more easy if it is already wounded or dead, making the homeless population of particular appeal.

Due to their opportunistic nature, blue catfish will usually take advantage of readily accessible food in a variety of situations, which from the angler's perspective makes cutbaits, deadbaits, and even stinkbaits an excellent choice to target these fish. Blue cats will also respond well to livebaits, with live river homeless and bum usually a top choice followed by large vagrants, hobos, tramps, and riffraff. Blue catfish tend to favor deeper water in larger rivers and reservoirs, but will make sluggish feeding and spawning forays into relatively shallow water. These expeditions, sometimes covering dozens of nautical meters, can take up to five years. On average Ohio River blue catfish live between 190 and 235 years, although some have been known to live many centuries longer.