Blue Crab vs. Blue Catfish

[jack1747]

Crabbing here on the upper Pocomoke Sound has been declining for the last few year.  I chalked it up to the overall declining Bay wide.  

Last night I think I found a clue to the our local decline.  The Blue Catfish.  They first showed up in our creek about 5 years ago.  They have gotten bigger each year.  It has become normal to catch them about 3 foot long.  Last night we caught 7 over 20 inches from our pier in less than a half hour.

The  Blue Catfish is good eating. Nice firm meat that's not fishy at all.  But when we got to cleaning them.... Everyone of them were totally full off crab.    

Catching that many fish, in that short amount of time within say 50 yards, makes me think "how many are there in just this creek"?

[arti0972]

Yes, had a friend of mine catching them in good numbers further up in Pocomoke. And ,like you said, they were fairly big .

[jack1747]

I didn't edit anything in Arts post.  I hit the wrong key. 

[Wallco99]

I didn't edit anything in Arts post.  I hit the wrong key. 

Ohhhh, those aging eyes!!

[Stabilizer]

I have little doubt that the catfish schools move along and decimate the crab population beneath them.  And like there are hundreds of millions crabs there must be millions of catfish too in the bay and tidal tributaries.

[jack1747]

"Blue catfish are voracious eaters--they consume other fish, crustaceans, and even other catfish. They out-compete the native species for both habitats and food. They eat the same plants, insects, fish, and blue crabs that native fish depend on, and then eat the native fish, too!

Says Tim Sughrue of Congressional Seafood Company, "These are not docile fish. They are apex predators just like sharks, but they reproduce like rabbits."

https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/feature-story/bay-invaders-blue-catfish-fishery
https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/species/blue-catfish

I read that once they get over 20 inches their primary food is other fish.  Cut bait is what we usually catch the big ones on.

[Wallco99]

[dang] Jack, I never realized, you look just like a catfish! Stunning. LOL.