(DWR photo of a 60-pound flathead)
Smallmouth Guide Brian Bodine posted a short video on Facebook that got my attention. Brian had caught a 20 pound flathead catfish on the James River with the tailfin of a smallmouth bass extending from its gullet. Despite mighty objections from the live catfish, Brian extracted the partially digested smallmouth. Brain measured and it was a 19-inch fish before the flathead ate it. Many smallmouth bass enthusiasts have been saying for a number of years that flathead catfish were doing a number on the James River bass.
If a 20-pound flathead can eat what was once a 4-pound smallmouth, what size and how many bass could a 50-pounder eat at a single sitting, and flatheads can reach 100 pounds and more?
We have the Game Department, DWR, to thank or to blame for the flathead catfish now firmly established in many Virginia rivers, but notably the James, arguably the finest smallmouth fishery in the state. Flatheads are native to waters west of the Appalachian Mountains, including the large rivers of the Mississippi, Missouri and Ohio basins, but DWR introduced flatheads to our rivers thinking that they would add an element of excitement for Virginia fishermen. Flatheads grow large in a hurry and are holy terrors at the end of a rod. But how many smallmouth were sacrificed in the process?
Past studies by DWR biologists revealed that the contents of the flathead stomachs they tested consisted largely of suckers and fallfish. DWR said while flatheads may eat a few smallmouth, big smallmouth also eat little smallmouth – so there.
However.
A 19-inch smallmouth is a trophy fish, The great majority of smallmouth fishermen would release a fish this size. In fact, they have to since all smallmouth bass caught on the James River that measure from 14- to 22-inches must be released. I suppose the 20-pound flathead that Brian caught did not reads the regulations. Just how many more of these trophy fish have been and will be eaten? That’s the real question.
Saltwater Report
Red drum and cobia are scattered along the Virginia oceanfront and in the lower Bay. Schools of red drum are in the same areas.
Spanish Mackerel fishing in the ocean was really good last week until a southwest wind turned the water cold. When the blow ceases, the fishing should be good again.
Spanish mackerel are in the Bay up to York Spit and Windmill Bar. Successful fishermen are trolling fast with small Clark or Drone spoons behind in-line sinkers or diving planers. Tide rips have been productive.
The Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel structure, bay and ocean buoys and the Chesapeake Light Tower are all holding spadefish. Sheepshead are feeding on the CBBT pilings.
The offshore wrecks are producing bluefish, flounder and sea bass. Anglers fishing the inlets and rivers are finding some speckled trout, puppy drum, flounder, and sea mullet. Pier anglers are catching a mix of sea mullet, croaker, spot, puppy drum, flounder, cobia and Spanish mackerel.
Offshore, there is excellent yellowfin tuna fishing now at The Canyon. Boats are starting to catch marlin, wahoo and dolphin.
OBX
Weather has thrown a damper on fishing along the OBX. High mid-week winds created difficult conditions and kept boats in port. On Monday, however, there were some pups and sea mullet reported in the surf. The piers produced bluefish, spadefish, and flounder. Calmer weather by the end of this week should result in the return of great fishing.