TIDAL AND BRACKISH-WATER CATS

Big Fish Location

Hoffman: You tend to fish each spot differently, depending on water conditions and the activity level of the fish. What are your basic location and presentation guidelines?

Weir: I consider how fish behave in their environment. When I’m fishing secondary channels or feeder creeks, for example, I know the fish are there to eat. I employ a run-and-gun approach by setting up on deep holes or hard structures like trees or docks for no longer than about 30 minutes. If I don’t get bit by then, I move. Since these areas tend not to be as deep as main-river spots, though, I also know the fish will be more suspicious. I motor around the core of the hole, then drift back into casting range by releasing more anchor rope.

Creeks and side channels are especially productive during the Coldwater Period from early winter through midspring. By the time water levels start to stabilize, I begin looking for fish in the main-river channel. Blue cats have gained something of a cold-water reputation in recent years, but some of my best fishing for big fish on the James River occurs during midsummer when water temperatures reach peak levels. This is when blues move onto shallow flats adjacent to the main channel to feed after dark. Be there with the right bait and you’ll get bit.

The Right Equipment

Hoffman: You consider a boat to be one of your most important pieces of fishing equipment. What features should catmen who fish big rivers for big cats be looking for in the ideal catboat?

Weir: I prefer a wide-beamed catfish boat, about 20 feet long. This type of boat is plenty stable when two fishermen are landing a big fish on one side of the boat. It also has enough room for a large livewell and other gear. But my ideal boat also must have a shallow draft so I can navigate across shallow bars at the mouth of tributary streams, particularly during low tide. There’s no such thing as one boat ideally suited for all conditions, but my Carolina Skiff is the best compromise I’ve found.

Hoffman: You use a simple sliprig for most situations, but you’re quite particular about your terminal components. What type of hooks and sinkers do you use?

Weir: I use a 6/0 Mustad 37160 hook almost exclusively, because the wide-gap design allows for large baits and it holds up well to big fish. Then I attach a 2-foot piece of 50-pound monofilament leader to the hook with a snell knot. The rest of my rigging consists of a 3- to 5-ounce flat river sinker held in place above the leader with a barrel swivel. Flat sinkers don’t roll around on the bottom like egg sinkers, but I prefer the line to run through the center of the sinker instead of using a separate line attachment eye.

Take Time for Bait

Hoffman: You’re even more passionate about bait than you are about sinkers. How important is good bait for blue cats?

Weir: Good bait is absolutely essential for big fish, particularly during weekend tournaments when fishing pressure is high. I typically spend two to three hours gathering enough large shad for a day’s fishing, and I never regret a minute of it. When bait’s not abundant in shallow water, I move back and forth across ledges along the main river channel while watching sonar for large schools of baitfish. I keep an eye out for big-fish arches too, since this can help pinpoint the depth where blue cats are feeding.

The James River is blessed with a huge population of gizzard shad, a reason this river produces so many big blue cats. Some throws of an 8-foot cast net yield so many shad that I have to struggle to pull them over the gunnels. Shad from about 8 to 14 inches long are the best bait year-round. I get two baits out of a shad this size by cutting once behind the gill plate and again in front of the tail fin. Some days, blue cats seem to prefer shad heads, while other days, the body section produces more fish.

I also use live 8- to 12-inch eels, or larger eels cut into 3- to 5-inch pieces. This bait is particularly effective during the Spawn Period or during summer when water temperatures reach peak levels. Eels can be kept alive on a bed of ice for more than 24 hours, and cut eel can be stored in a freezer for weeks or even months. Another advantage to using eels is that frozen chunks work almost as well as fresh ones.