Consider the Lowly Catfish

For some reason when people think of catfishing they conjure up thoughts of someone neck deep in muddy water trying to catch fish by hand or they think of drunk rednecks. I will admit the latter will come to mind of you hang around a few bodies of water I remember fishing. Despite these images and the reputation of the catfish being a "dirty bottom feeder,"  I would like to clear the air (or water) and the reputation of fellow fishermen. I would also like to submit the idea that the lowly catfish is not a "trash fish" as it has been called by many so called "sport fishermen" but one of the best tasting fish in freshwater. To understand the stigma that follows catfish and the anglers that pursue the odd looking fish we should look at the critter itself and why I and others like me, enjoy the sport.

If you have read anything I have ever written, you know I grew up on the banks of the Cape Fear River in Southeastern NC. I remember sitting on the front steps of the house I grew up in and watching the trucks hauling boats down to the river every Friday or Saturday evening during the warm weather months. Everyone in that area knows that the river is home to some of the biggest cats in the state. Some nights the parking lot at the boat ramp close to Mom and Dad's would be full of trucks and boat trailers and a line of folks waiting to put their boats in the water and try their luck. Why are so many folks after cats? That's an easy one to answer, they taste good, they are fairly easy to catch, you don't have to spend tons of money on gear and, because they are not considered "game fish,"  there is no limit in the area I grew up in. Oh... and one more thing... Flatheads and Blue Cats can grow to be HUGE!

My Son Logan while on a Catfishing trip on the Cape Fear with Rod and Reel

Many of those anglers were "jugging" or setting "bush hooks" while others were bottom fishing with rod and reel. No matter the technique they were all after cats. Setting bush hooks is a process that is a lot like setting "trotlines" except there is one hook on a line and tied to a overhanging tree limb. The line would be baited with fresh cut bait, night crawlers, or chicken, beef or deer liver. Most would tie a "slip loop" in the line so you could tell if there was something on the line by looking to see if the loop was still in the line or not. Jugging is a process very similar but instead of tieing the line to a tree limb you tie it to an empty milk jug with your name and phone number on it and toss it in various spots in the river in what we call a "string." A string is just a bunch of jugs in a line to cover a certain part of the river. The fish take the bait and cannot take the empty tightly sealed jug of air under water and you come back and pick up jugs collecting your fish. These days people have thought of many different ways of rigging "jugs" by using PVC pipe and pool noodles but the basics are still the same.

My favorite way to catch cats is using a rod and reel. Picking the gear to catfish with can be tricky at best when fishing in big rivers. There are different species of cats in NC and there is no telling which one will bite or how big it is going to be. Cats can range from a few pounds to upwards around 80 to 100 lbs. I prefer to use heavy rods and open face reels with around 40 lb test line and a light set drag. I set the drag light because I have had the disappointment of getting a good size fish on the line only to have him break my line when the monster decided to go deep in a hurry. There are many ways to rig for cats but the rig I have been most successful with is a one ounce egg sinker with a circle hook rigged so it can roll along the bottom. Very similar to how you would rig for surf fishing for flounder but with bigger gear.

It is a common fisherman's tell that they only bite at night. Although they do actively feed at night, I have caught cats in the mornings, in the cool of the evenings and of course during the nighttime hours. On a serious note: If you do decide to fish at night, please know the body of water you are fishing and the dangers of navigating the river at night. Know proper boat safety and have the appropriate safety gear and have the gear and a plan for if you get stranded or your boat overturns. I tell my boy that I never want him to be afraid of the water or the river itself, but the second you do not respect the Cape Fear, or other rivers like it, it will kill you. I have spent most of my life doing Fire/Rescue and EMS work and have pulled many bodies out of the water that can attest to that fact.

3 lb "Bullhead" Cat caught in cold water. 

As mentioned earlier there are a few different species of Cats in the waterways of NC. The "bullhead" cat is the smaller of the bunch (the only cat native to most waterways in NC). They have a squared tailfin and can grow up to 8 lbs generally they are much smaller. "Blue" Catfish have been introduced to the rivers of NC and can grow much larger. The blue is sought after due to the size and many have said they taste better than other species. They have a forked tail fin, are a heavy bodied fish and have a bluish grey color. Blues can grow to 100 lbs and above in the proper environment. Channel Cats are one of the most popular fish in North America. They can grow to be 50 lbs or more and have a forked tail and an olive to bluish hue. Last but not least is the "Flathead" Catfish. The flathead has a square tailfin and is known to grow in excess of 100 lbs. Each species of cat has it's preferred feeding habits and habitat and the rivers, lakes and ponds of NC provide just such environments.

What is my favorite catfish? My common answer to that question is one filleted, breaded and fried. Which brings me to the whole reason many of us around the South flock to the rivers and lakes. Catfish have a reputation of having a "muddy" taste and have found this true in some cases but "Most" of the cats I have had the pleasure of frying up have had a mild and sweet taste. The meat is not as "flaky" as many other whitefish from freshwater. Results may vary, but a good indication of the way the fish will taste, is the body of water you catch it in. Clearer water fish have been said to taste better than muddy water fish, but like I said, results may vary.

My Favorite Kind of Catfish ... Fried

The best way I know to prepare the catfish for the table is easy. Fillet it leaving behind the skin, bones head and guts. If you have very large fillets cut them into chunks (nuggets) or steaks, then cover with the breading of your choice. A mix of cornmeal, flour, salt and pepper is usually the basis of most breading recipes.  If you do not have a favorite recipe for fish fry breading, House Aurty makes a fine seafood breader that will do just fine. Deep fry the fillets in grease around 360 degrees. I prefer to use a cast iron pan and vegetable oil or peanut oil. If you are married,  you might want to do this outdoors so your spouse will not fuss about the "fishy" odor in the house. This is also a good excuse to go buy a good outdoor gas fish/turkey fryer that every good southern outdoorsman should own.  Serve with coleslaw and hushpuppies, although I have made a fine meal out of fried fillets and "light bread" (sliced loaf bread to yankees) The most important ingredient you need for a good southern fish fry is family and good friends.

Another common falsehood is that catfish can "sting" you. Some folks think that the "whiskers" of the catfish can hurt you in some way. This is simply not true. These barbels are is how the fish "smells." The concern of being hurt or "stuck" by the catfish comes from the dorsal and pectoral fins that can be very hard and somewhat sharp (esp in smaller fish). This can simply be avoided by holding the fish behind these fins. If you are like me I keep a good pair of fishing gloves with rubber coated palms so I can get a good grip on the fish, but I have no problems handling the fish with my bare hands.

A smaller "Blue Cat" being held the correct way

Catfishing on the rivers of Southeastern North Carolina has always been about something different than putting food on the table for me. I love a good fish fry more than most people, but there is more to the story. Money cannot buy what I have gotten out of the time I have spent on that old muddy water of the Cape Fear or the black water in the Cypress swamps of the Black River. I have had the pleasure of sitting on the river at night or in the cool of the evening after a hot summer day relaxing. I have heard the great horned owl's call echo tough the river bottoms and it sound like a choir of owls singing back and forth across the river to each other. (We called them "hoot owls" growing up.) I have also sat on the river bank or in a small jon boat at night and watched the lightning bugs light up the trees on the river banks like christmas trees. I have many good memories with family and friends while catfishing.  These few things that I remember so fondly have made it about so much more than just pursuing the lowly catfish.

"Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing
 that it is not fish they are after."~ Henry David Thoreau