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The Official Website of the State of West Virginia

WV's blue cat fishery rapidly becoming destination resource

3/13/2021

Justin Conner has fished for blue catfish throughout the southeastern United States, and he believes West Virginia’s blue cat fishery - ranks right up there with the best. “We’re catching as many blues here as we would if we fished elsewhere,” Conner said. “The fishery is like a fine wine; it just gets better with age.” The fish are native to the Ohio and Kanawha rivers. West Virginia Division of Natural Resources began a blue cat reintroduction program in the early 2000s and the fish not only survived—they’ve thrived. “It’s pretty obvious the fishing has gotten better,” said Nate Taylor, the DNR’s District 6 fisheries biologist. “The state record is being broken just about every year, and the river has the potential to grow fish much bigger than the ones being caught now.” From the Charleston Gazette https://www.wvgazettemail.com/outdoors/hunting_and_fishing/wvs-blue-cat-fishery-rapidly-becoming-destination-resource/article_b1318a5b-4d5b-54fc-a871-9de9a380417a.html