(Lesueur, 1840); ICTALURIDAE FAMILY; also known as bagre azul
This native species of the Mississippi, Missouri, and Ohio River basin systems frequents deep areas of large rivers, swift chutes, and pools with swift currents. It is confined to the major rivers of the aforementioned systems, extending north into South Dakota and southern Minnesota, and south into Mexico and northern Guatemala. It has been introduced into Virginia.
This is the largest catfish of the family Ictaluridae, reported to grow to 120 lb (54 kg). The only larger catfish is the wels (Silurus glanis), a member of the Siluridae family, which is found in central and eastern Europe and southern Russia, and may grow to 440 lb (200 kg). The blue catfish, the channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus), and the white catfish (Ameiurus catus) are the only three catfishes in the U.S.A. that have distinctly forked tails, setting them apart from the bullheads and the flathead catfish (Pylodictis olivaris), which have squarish or slightly emarginate tails.
| Length | Location | Catch Date | Angler | Kayak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31.5 in | Gastonia, North Carolina, USA | 29-November-2011 | Stewart Venable | Jackson Coosa |
| 35 in | Catawba River, South Carolina, USA | 16-August-2013 | Stewart Venable | Jackson Big Tuna |
