WV Catfish for 2025

[WV Sawmiller]

  Well, since I can't get my repair parts to fix my mill I decided to see about putting out some bush hooks and catch some catfish. Amazingly when I asked her my wife decided to go along so we loaded up the boat, stopped and bought a dozen worms and topped off one of my 6 gallon fuel tanks and went on to Bluestone Lake. We fished along the bank below the landing a couple hours with 10' crappie poles and floats 1-2 feet deep with a chunk of worm till we had caught 50+ green sunfish and a few bluegills then I started putting out my lines.

  I went up the Bluestone River fork to one of my smokehouses at a dead juniper and found it occupied by a 2' water snake. He finally dropped off in the lake and I put 3 lines on the tree then back to the lake itself to another smokehouse in a cove and put lines out there. On the way down the lake I found where a big tree Had fallen and cleared the bank 50-70 yards. It looked real promising so I put 6-8 lines in it from one end to the other. We continued till I ran out of lines and bait. I guess I put out about 4 dozen lines. I threw back a few dead bream and put 2 small ones on a couple of hooks.

    We started back up the lake just sightseeing but it got windy so I decided to head back. I was watching my lines on the way and when I got to that new fallen treen I had a couple of lines shaking. It is not unusual to pick up a couple of fish while setting out lines but rarely more than 2-3. I think we pulled 4-5 out of the dead tree so I suggested we catch some more bait and rebait the lines. We caught a dozen or so bait fish including 2 decent crappies and went back and rebaited and took another fish or so off then checked the lines above for bait and picked up another fish or two and replaced several stolen baits.

  It was 9:00 by the time we got to the landing but we had a boat well full of catfish. I strung them up and counted them and had 11 when we got home. I parked them in the creek under the bridge at my house. I did not take a picture tonight but will do so tomorrow if a wayward bear doesn't come through and steal them tonight. They look to weigh between 4-10 lbs. 10 Channel cat and one blue. No flatheads which is odd. Hopefully they will hit tonight. I'd bet the average is 7 lbs or more. It was a load to haul to the creek.

[doc henderson]

Nice.  I have had the urge to fish lately.

[gspren]

Will they eventually get "released" into lake Crisco?

[WV Sawmiller]

Sampson and I left the house a little after 6 a.m., I ran by and topped off another 6 gallon fuel tank (I keep 2 in the boat and use till one runs dry, switch then go fill the empty one later - 6 gallons means 1 pint of oil per tank for my 50:1 mix so it keeps things easy). We got to the landing and there was not a vehicle or boat in sight,

  I launched the boat and ran to my lower lines first. Last year on this tree I had  32 lb flathead. This morning I had an angry common snapper that weighed about 10-12 lbs.



He was lunging like mad trying to bite. I used to eat lots of alligator snappers but never fooled with one this small. Mine were 40-75 lbs. I hear the common snappers are meaner than the alligator snappers and I believe that. I was able to get this one behind the head and got the hook free and tossed him back. I don't like him but he was just doing what comes natural.



I kept checking lines and collecting more fish till I got to my new smokehouse, this recently fallen tree where I put out 6-8 lines. Next time I will put out a dozen or more in it as most of what we got this trip came from here and probably 100 lbs or so. I did lose a line or two here and in similar places. I put lines out where the fish are and they are after the bluegills and crappie hiding in these fallen trees and similar structure. Sometimes I lose a hook, sometimes a whole line. On one hook I could pull the underwater limb up enough to see the 8 lb catfish. I untied the end and unwrapped it and finally got it in. That is not always the case but cost of catching fish.


At the end of the trip I had a pretty full live well.


This is a big feed tub. We had 16 fish today that weighed 100 lbs and yielded 51 lbs of fillets. Many of the fish were heavy with roe which I do not save so the percentage of yield is down from my normal 60%.

  These are the 11 from last night. The weighed 90 lbs total. I cleaned and filleted the biggest 6 and put the rest back, who were very lively, back in the creek for a second night.

  It rained steady all day after I got home. By the time I had cleaned about 160 lbs of fish I began to wonder if I should have posted this in the did something done thread.

  I had 2 - 5 gallon buckets of fish fillets when I quit. I took one big fillet off a 10-12 lb fish and my wife cooked it for dinner. We called 2 friends who pastor small local churches and each came and got a bucket full. They like fish and will have plenty for a fish fry at their churches. One couple actually got here in time to eat dinner with us.

  Tomorrow I will go take up my lines. I might have a fish or two but not many had baits and I did not rebait today. I hope the water has not risen to the point I lose a lot of my lines. Some are tied within a foot of the current water level. We will see.

[YellowHammer]

That is impressive. 

[WV Sawmiller]

I forgot to mention the last hook on the upstream side had a badly mangled 4-5 lb flathead catfish on it where I had fed one of our local otters. Unlike some unnamed contributors who don't want to begrudge an occasional bluegill to my otter's smaller Michigan cousin , I did not worry about it and just tossed the carcass back in the water where I found it so he can come back and finish his meal. I lose a fish or two to an otter every trip or two and just figure it is cost of fishing on Bluestone Lake.

For some reason the otter kill and one small 2 lb flathead were the only flatheads I caught this trip. All the rest were channel and blue cats. I much prefer to eat the flatheads but the fillet off the big blue the 4 of us ate last night was very good.

Will they eventually get "released" into lake Crisco?

Mine go into Lake Corn Oil IAW the training I got from my old mentor many, many years ago but I suspect any good vegetable or peanut oil would work just as well - okay almost as well.

[WV Sawmiller]

   I went back out today to take up my lines as I am afraid the lake level will rise and cover them. My wife even went with me but we had a miserable trip of it as it rained hard at the start and sprinkled the rest of the day. I think I collected 50 or so lines. I know of 3 I lost and may have overlooked a couple.

    One line had a solid 4 lb bass on it. Every couple of years that happens and I get a bass or striper or two. In Fla where I grew up we could not keep game fish caught on set hooks but WV has no such restriction listed in our regs here so this one will make a meal or two for us.  I may try baking it.

   I had one more 3-4 lb channel cat on a line but he flopped off just as I reached for him with my net. I did not bait up yesterday so was not expecting anything on the lines. 

   I came back and got some dry clothes and cleaned my bass and 3 of the catfish in the creek I had strung out. I lost 2 that weighed 4-5 lbs each that died on there. I need to remember to poke a hole under they chins next time instead of running the stringer through the gill flap which can interfere with their breathing.

   At the landing as we were hooking up the boat 2 rangers from the adjacent state park came down and were warning people to load up and move as we had high water coming that was likely to cover the landing. We got out and I'll clean and rearrange my boat when it dries out a bit.

[WV Sawmiller]

    Some time during the night or wee hours of the morning while sleeping I had an epiphany (Tom - that means a good idea or sudden inspiration) about how to solve my underwater snag problems that keep causing me to lose fish, hooks and lines. I am going to keep my eyes open at the flea markets and yard sales and see if I can't pick up a good/decent used pole saw. It seems to me with that I should easily be able to reach down under the water and saw off the offending limb or root as most are attached to the tree I tied my line too. They will always be less than 6' away due to my line length. Not only will I be able to recover my line and possibly fish, but I will not have that limb down there bothering me the next time. I catch a fish there.

   I see a new pole saw is about $22 at HF. Somebody on TikTok has one for under $8 but I can probably find one at a local flea market for $5-$10. 

    Maybe you tournament bass fishermen need to think about this idea. If this idea helps you win your next tournament feel free to send me half the winnings. If the prize is a new bass boat we can share it - I'll use it during the summers and you can use it all winter.

[Old Greenhorn]

Yes, Howard, I know what an epiphany is, and I am proud to see that you do too. I wonder if yours hurt at all when it happened? 

 Let us know how this new master plan works out.

[Magicman]

The underwater limb is gonna be sorta flimsy and keeping the saw in the cut will be difficult at best.  A pruner head would probably be more user friendly.

[WV Sawmiller]

Lynn,

   The one I saw listed for HF had both the saw and pruner head but don't underestimate the size of our WV underwater obstructions.  I may pull some up and find it is big enough for saw logs.

[WV Sawmiller]

Yes, Howard, I know what an epiphany is, and I am proud to see that you do too. I wonder if yours hurt at all when it happened? 

 Let us know how this new master plan works out.

Tom,

   Yes it was pretty painful but a couple of 800 mg Motrin helped. Its a good thing I don't have them more often.

[WV Sawmiller]

   The wayward bass was the guest of honor at lunch yesterday for me, my wife and our cleaning lady. I think of all the high priced bass lure that got thrown at her every day and she had figured out how to outwit then then to fall prey to a small green sunfish on a 7/0 circle hook tied to a #24 nylon cord. 

   I will say it is a lot easier for me to fillet a catfish than a bass. I guess if I did a lot more of them I would get better at it.

[WV Sawmiller]

Okay, I am getting ready for my next catfishing trip and no more lost lines or tangled fish in the treetops below! I stopped at the HF in Bluefield WV today and bought this tree pruner they carry. I has a telescoping steel handle that, as shown, is a little over 4' long and telescopes out to 8'. I like this because It will fit better in my boat scoped in and I doubt my lines will ever be hung much over 4', if that, because they just aren't that long when you consider how much is tied to the limb above and such.

This pruner has a lopper and a detachable blade. I tried it on some low hanging beech limbs and it lopped off 1" stems with ease. MM is right and it will be harder to saw and to saw I can see I will have to locate the trunk of the tree and saw it off real close where it is more rigid. The saw blade seems a little flimsy but is razor sharp. I do not think I'd recommend it for a professional tree trimmer but for an occasional home use or for a fisherman like I plan to use it I think it will do fine.

One neat feature is the blade is readily detachable. It has 2 holes - one slips over a stud and the other uses a 1/4" carriage bolt in a square cut and a wing nut and lock washer so no tools required to remove or install the blade. I suspect I will leave the blade off and only add it where needed. I should tie a float to the cord to retrieve the pruner if I ever drop it in the water.



Total cost was just over $23 tax included and it was free bucket weekend and I got another free HF 5 gallon plastic bucket I plan to keep clean and only use it for catfish fillets and boned out deer meat. It might end up being used to brine some corned deer on occasion too.

I can see I have time to catch up on my work backlog as my mill is fixed, we have had severe thunderstorms and lots of rain and the parking at boat landing where I launch was about 4' under water when we drove over Bluestone Lake on highway 20 today.

[WV Sawmiller]

I put out lines Mother's Day and we caught 27 catfish that weighed 190 lbs in one afternoon and night.  I decided to see it Father's Day would work as well or better. Not even close.

I got down there about 3 pm and caught about 20 little bream for bait (on one worm I might add) then I put them out on lines at my new smokehouse. It started raining and Sampson and I got soaked. I even pulled under an overhanging cliff for a while till it quit. I got out and opened up the motor and took out the drain plug and ran about 4" of water out the back. During the process my old beat up work cap blew off and I could not retrieve it without flooding the boat so I lost it. After I got the water out I tried catching more bait to put out more lines then it stormed again so I headed for the landing and ran the boat up on the trailer I had left positioned for instant reloading. I went to pull the truck up and no key. I checked to see if I'd locked it in. Nope. I walked around and got lucky (?) and found it at the edge of the lake where I'd dropped it. I went to open the truck door with the remote and no luck so I opened it manually. I got in and tried to crank the truck but no luck till I pressed the key and wiggled it a little and it cranked. I pulled up a few hundred feet and got out and tied the boat down then started to leave and nothing. Evidently the rain water killed my chip in the key so I called home and talked my wife through where the spare key was. After several gyrations she finally set out to find me (8.5 miles away at the very public landing). After about an hour she got there and in the batch of keys she brought was my spare which worked so I drove home.

  I woke up about 5:30 this morning and went back and only had 4 fish on the lines. I tried catching more bait and only caught one decent bluegill that I put out in  a live basket. It started raining again so I decided to go put the bluegill on a line by a big log where I have caught several 20+ lb fish. He had escaped so I returned to the landing, came home and cleaned and filleted my fish.

2 Flatheads and 2 channel cats. Total weight 25 lbs live weight.

A 2 gallon pan nearly full. Normally that should be about 15 lbs of fillets and probably close to that. It is enough to have a fish fry for a retired teachers lunch I am committed to so the pressure is off anyway.

I tried to dry out my key in a low temp oven a little while last night but it still won't work. I'll try it again later but don't have high hopes for it.

[Old Greenhorn]

Those stupid remotes ain't cheap, and programming them cost more than the 'key' does. I assume you took the back off of it to help with drying? Spraying some air from a compressor in there (gently) could help disperse the water also. Lastly, I would get a new battery. It could have shorted itself out and been drained. If you ever see sunshine again, lay it in the sun for a day or so.
 Good luck, glad you had a spare.

[WV Sawmiller]

Tom,

   I had not pulled the back off or removed the battery but have done so since your reply. I will see if that helps. Any idea where I would find a replacement battery for that monster? It is a little round do-hickey and our pharmacy (Walgreens) is the only place around here I could think of that might have one.

[WV Sawmiller]

   I went back out a little after 2 pm, caught 15-20 bait fish then went and baited my hooks and then caught 15-20 more near there so put out more hooks till I ran out of bait. We (Sampson and I) got caught in another thunderstorm and got soaked again so I started home but spotted one of my lines shaking so I went and took off a 7 lb channel cat. I figured I catch one more bait to rebait that hook (since it is obviously in a good spot) then caught 4-5 and it cleared up. I noticed my fly rod with a cork bug on it so I lobbed it up against the bank and a few likely spots and picked up 8-10 more and these were bigger than my other baits. So I rebaited the one hook then and put out more hooks till I ran out of bait again. I returned to the landing and loaded up. Of course since we were soaked and thoroughly miserable the sun came out and the last couple of hours have been beautiful.

   I came home and cleaned and filleted the fish and got about 4 more pounds of meat to add to the mix. I will see how tomorrow's catch turns out to determine how long to leave my lines out.

[beenthere]

Battery in my Chev remote fob is CR2032 which is pretty common, if that is it.

[Old Greenhorn]

Most all the autoparts stores have them.

[Magicman]

A hair dryer on max air and low heat may dry it out which should be done with the battery out.  Yes, almost everywhere will have a 2032 battery.

[doc henderson]

Howard, those are common.  you can get a variety pack from Amazon, but if I find a common size they are often cheaper by the dozen.  so, I have a drawer full of new ones on hand.

remember a swallowed button battery is a grave danger to small children if they swallow it.  so are multiples of small disc magnets.

[WV Sawmiller]

Doc/Tom/Lynn/Anybody who can answer,

   Okay I can probably find the battery for the remote but can you explain why that would not allow the key to start my truck? It is an older key turn style and not one of the current push button types. I can understand why a dead battery would stop the remote from working (locking/unlocking the door or activation the alarm) but does it also kill the chip? I'd think with the chip in the area and the the proper key cut to fit the tumblers I should be able to start the truck but I can't.

   If the chip is damaged/dead putting a new batter in the remote does not look like that would make tat key work.

   How does the battery affect the chip?

[WV Sawmiller]

   Okay, back on track. I got up and left about 6 am. There was a doe in the yard and she walked to the creek at the bridge. When I walked out she ran about 30 yards and stopped and decided I was not a threat and resumed her browsing. 

    On the way to the lake I had to slow down several times and make sure young deer did not jump in front of me. I passed one neighbor and saw 2 spotted fawns laying on the grass in her yard. 

   I got to the lake and no other trucks or boats were there. I launched and when to check my lines. I use a self launching system. I stop, unhook the tie downs and from winch hook, check/install the stern plug, tie a long rope to the trailer then back down till I see the back of the boat start to float off the skids then I stop quickly and watch the boat float back on its own. I pull the trailer forward till I see the ends at about level with the top of the lake. I park and leave the trailer there ready to load on my return. I get out and untie the rope and pull the boat up to the bank , get it, fire it up and leave the landing.

   This morning I had 7 catfish that weighed just under 34 lbs. All but one were channels with one 4 lb flathead. 

   I returned to the landing and since the weather was calm I decided to go catch bait for this evening. I used a couple of 0' poles and worm chinks and my flyrod and caught 30 or so little bream and about enough to bait my hooks then it started to rain, or a we used to say down South "It come up a bad cloud" and I got soaked. I had been putting my bait in a collapsible live basket because the catfish were in the live well. I left them hanging over the side while I motored a few hundred yards to a fallen tree where I was going to tie them out in my bait bucket. It is a green, 5 gallon plastic bucket with a lid and drilled full of 1/4" holes. I put the live bait in, tie it at or under water to hide it and it keeps my bait alive and fresh for days.

   In this case it was not necessary because when I towed the basket it opened the bottom and dumped my whole catch back into the lake.   That was 2 hours wasted - wait a minute - I was on the lake with Sampson and fishing so that could never be wasted time. I will just have to do it over again this afternoon.

   I came home and cleaned and filleted fish. No pictures because it was still raining and I was soaked but the same pan above was full again with a little over 20 lbs of fillets at the end.