Blue Catfish fishing
Ictalurus furcatus. Never has the dark spots seen on channel catfish; body is pale slate-blue to silvery, fading to white on the belly.
Blue Catfish fishing uses a soft plastic crawfish or cut shad or skipjack herring on 20 to 50 lb line. Blue catfish are occasionally stocked into impoundments outside their native big-river range, but data from Missouri show these stocked populations generally aren't self-sustaining and depend on continued stocking.
Published by Fishypedia · Sources last checked September 19, 2026
Drafted by AI from the cited sources and checked before publishing.
- Active times
- –
- Line
- 20–50 lb
- Hook sizes
- 6/0 to 8/0 circle hooks, which set themselves as the fish moves off with the bait
- Stocked in
- 2 states
Identification
- Never has the dark spots seen on channel catfish; body is pale slate-blue to silvery, fading to white on the belly.
- Straight-edged anal fin with 30-35 rays, versus a rounded anal fin with 24-29 rays on channel catfish.
- Distinctly wedge-shaped head and forward body, unlike the more rounded profile of a channel catfish.
- Grows much larger than channel catfish; fish over 100 pounds are documented in big-river populations.
Sources: wdfw.wa.gov, accessed September 19, 2026 , mdc.mo.gov, accessed September 19, 2026
Top lures
Top baits
Oily cut bait is a top blue catfish producer.
Line & tackle
- Line
- 20–50 lb
- Rod power
- Hook sizes
- 6/0 to 8/0 circle hooks, which set themselves as the fish moves off with the bait
Sources: ohiodnr.gov, accessed September 19, 2026 , mdc.mo.gov, accessed September 19, 2026
Stocked behavior
Blue catfish are occasionally stocked into impoundments outside their native big-river range, but data from Missouri show these stocked populations generally aren't self-sustaining and depend on continued stocking. They feed mostly on or near the bottom using sensitive barbels to locate food, shifting from invertebrates as juveniles to mostly fish once they exceed about 8-13 inches.
Common mistakes
- Blue catfish larger than 8 to 13 inches eat mostly fish and larger invertebrates.
- Confusing blue catfish with channel catfish; check for the straight anal fin and lack of body spots.
- Fishing lures or bait off the bottom; blue catfish feed mostly on or near the bottom.
Where it's stocked
26 locations shown. Tap a pin for details. · Open this area in Google Maps
Ohio
Texas
State records
| State | Weight | Angler | Water | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colorado | 33.53 lbs | Coy Bowyer | Pueblo Reservoir (Pueblo County) | 2023 |
| Kentucky | 106.90 lbs | Glynn Grogan Arlington, KY | Ohio River | 2018 |
| Virginia | 143 lbs. | Richard “Nick” Anderson | Buggs Island Lake | 2011 |
| Washington | 17.75 lbs | Rangle Hawthorne | Columbia River | 1975 |
Common questions
What lures work for Blue Catfish?
Soft plastic crawfish, a soft plastic in brown and orange.
What bait works for Blue Catfish?
Cut shad or skipjack herring: Oily cut bait is a top blue catfish producer. Nightcrawler.
How big do Blue Catfish get?
The Colorado record is 33.53 lbs from Pueblo Reservoir (Pueblo County) in 2023. The Kentucky record is 106.90 lbs from Ohio River in 2018. The Washington record is 17.75 lbs from Columbia River in 1975. 1 more state records are on this page.