Recently, Virginia has been catching people’s eye regarding its fish and wildlife. For instance, being an excellent destination for catfish catching, Virginia has several lakes that make a day full of fishing well worth it! I have found countless stories of giant catfish being pulled out of Virginia’s waters. There are well over ten places for sure where you can find a catfish catch in Virginia. Before we discuss the catfish found in Virginia and the places you can find them, let’s take a look at catfish in general. What do we know about catfish regarding their size? What do they eat, and where do they like to live? These questions will help you decide where you think is the best location to make your perfect catch.
Catfish Collective
Here is where we are going to discuss everything catfish. Where they eat, sleep, and prefer to hang out. We will discuss their climate and the type of water they choose. Lastly, we will look at their size and see how long they should be.
Home
Catfish like it dark and murky. Not too clean. Hence, they are freshwater fish, meaning you will not find them living in the ocean. They prefer lakes, ponds, swamps, and streams. Usually, not wanting to see the light, they are located on the bottom, floating along the floor. They are therwise known as bottom dwellers.
Climate
Aside from their cat-like features, the fact that the catfish can live in various weather conditions makes it such a resilient species. The catfish will survive if it is above freezing and below 100 degrees! That is such an insane difference… do not let it freeze, and do not let it burn. Simple. Think about the words, not freeze. That is equivalent to 33 degrees. So between 33-100 degrees, they will be fine. They are not known to go through a brumation period, so they man the climate of their habitat all year long.
Food
Equally important, these siluriformes are known omnivores, meaning they eat plant and animal life forms. Catfish have incredible senses. For example, their best sensations come from the tips of their four whiskers, full of receptors. They were paired with their excellent sense of smell and sonic hearing. Catfish can find their food on the bottom of the dirty, dark floor of the water bed.
A flathead catfish was found on the bottom of the Mississippi River.
©stammphoto/ via Getty Images
Catfish Characteristics
The Smithsonian National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute gives the creature a general sizing, stating, “Average mature channel catfishes weigh between 2-4 pounds and are at least 12 inches (30 centimeters) long.” It can weigh as much as a chihuahua and get as long as a ruler.
There are a total of 35 different families of catfish. Within these 35 families are at least 3,000 other species of catfish. Channel catfish are the most common type of catfish being found worldwide.
To sum it up, most of the catfish you will find belong to one of the three major catfish groups. These are the blue catfish, the channel catfish, and the flathead catfish.
Largest Blue Catfish Ever Caught in Virginia
In June 2011, Richard Anderson caught a 143-pound blue catfish that measured 57 inches in length at Buggs Island Lake, Virginia. It is said he saw it with a piece of raw chicken.
Largest Catfish Ever Caught in Virginia
Jeffrey E. Dill caught a flathead catfish at Lake Smith that weighed 68 pounds in May 2018.
Largest Catfish Ever Caught in the United States
Lastly, according to the Smithsonian National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute, the world record weight for a channel catfish was a 58-pound (26.3 kilograms) fish caught in South Carolina in 1964.
Largest Catfish Caught in the World
Above, I have talked of the giant catfish found in Virginia, but what about everywhere else? What is the most giant catfish caught in all of the world? Did you know most catfish are in Asia, South America, and Africa? The U.S. is just a tiny blip on the map to catfish.
An Italian angler caught the most giant catfish in the world. LiveScience says, “he pulled the catfish out of the shallow waters of the River Po in the Lombardy region of northern Italy.” This angler, Alessandro Biancardi, pulled the almost 9 1/2 foot long “wels catfish” from the water and believed he had unearthed a monster. At 143 pounds, which is the equivalent of a male great dane. Given these points, imagine Scooby Doo floating around the bottom of a lake in Virginia, using his whiskers and nose to find food in the dirty water. It’s a massive creature. Think how much he was having to eat to sustain his weight.
The wels catfish can live up to 80 years old!
©Rostislav Stefanek/Shutterstock.com
12 Places in Virginia to Catfish Collect
I have compiled a list of some of the most incredible places for you to go to collect your catfish! I have separated these into two groups for you: lakes and rivers. You will find many rivers are just smaller offshoots of the larger lakes.
Best Lakes for Catfish Catching in Virginia
| Lake | Length | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Hungry Mother Lake | 108 acres | Located off of Hungry Mother Creek in the Appalachian Ridges | |
| 2. Flannagan Reservoir | 1,143 acres | Located in Dickenson County | Named after John W. Flannagan |
| 3. Lake Anna | 13,000 acres | 72 miles south of Washington, D.C. | Catfish were first introduced to the lake in the early 70’s |
| 4. Buggs Island Lake, aka Kerr Lake/Reservoir | 48,900 acres | Result of a dam built from 1947 through 1952 by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in Mecklenburg County, Virginia, on the Roanoke River | Holds the biggest catfish |
| 5. Claytor Lake | 4,472 acres | Located on the New River | Created for a Power Company Project |
| 6. Lake Gaston | 20,000 acres | Connected with the Roanoke River in between the border of VA and N.C. | It is a hydroelectric reservoir |
Lake Anna is located in Virginia. Catfish were first introduced to the lake in the early 70’s.
©ButtermilkgirlVirginia/Shutterstock.com
Rivers Located in Virginia That Are Great for Catfish Fishing
| River | Length | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7. North Landing | 62,965 acres | It runs through Jefferson Country | |
| 8. Mattaponi | over 100 miles | Eastern Virginia | Tribute of the York River |
| 9. Pamunkey | 1,600 acres | Tribute to the York River | |
| 10. Rappahannock | 252 acre | Eastern Virginia running from the Blue Ridge Mountains | |
| 11. Shenandoah | 35,000 acre | Part of the watershed of the Chesapeake Bay | Tribute of the Potomac River |
| 12. Appomattox | 100,480 acres | Southwest of Richmond, VA | Tribute to the James River |
Calling All Catfish
Did you know that at least three different catfish families live in underground caves? We cannot forget to mention how some families of catfish live underground.
There are also various slang terminology for the catfish. My favorite is Chucklehead. Not only do we have different names for them here in the Americas. In Japan, they have their own story with their name. An old legend talks of a gigantic catfish named Namazu that lived beneath the earth. It was said that this catfish was the reason behind earthquakes.
I also cannot talk of catfish without discussing the common sport of noodling. This is where you dive deep underwater and explore holes in the crevices at the bottom of the water bed. Explore spots for what you ask. Well, catfish, of course! Once you find the whiskered specimen, you get it to bite your arm. This connects you to the fish in a sense, and then you can bring it above water level. The trick is to attach it for the journey to the above land.
You can find other stories involving catfish here.
