# ohio no blue cat record



## truck (Apr 12, 2004)

Is ohio the only state that does not have a record for blue cats.I emailed them and there response was blue cats are threatened in Ohio & possession is restricted.Just thought it was strange for us not to keep records on them,& our buddys across the river(that allows netting) does have a record on the books.Daryl


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## mrfishohio (Apr 5, 2004)

KY & IN have the same fish as their records.....
That's too cool.....caught in the Ohio River. 104 # Bruce Midkiff


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## flathunter (Apr 5, 2004)

Paylakes in ohio can have blues but we cant???


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## Fishman (Apr 5, 2004)

Whoa thats one huge blue. Think of how old that thing must of been for it to of been caught out of the Ohio... that is absoluley unreal, thanks for sharing Mr.Fish.

Bluecats are a real strange issue in Ohio. I'm pretty sure (don't quote me on this) that it is illegal to even have blue cats in your own pond/lake. There is always a chance of them escaping and potentially reproducing with Ohios few native bluecats. What I don't understand is how paylakes can have them, if the above is true.


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## Abu65 (Apr 17, 2004)

Bruce caught that huge Blue below Cannelton Dam on a live skip jack he was by hisself when he caught and had a 50 lbs blue on at the same time. After he caught the big Blue he finished reeling in the 50 pounder and released it. He kept a 100 gallon bait tank in his boat with a oxeygen tank and he would add alot of salt. Just so happens hes the only person I know of that could keep skipjacks alive. He kept the big blue alive in his boat and released it after offical weigh in. There was a real good article in the Catfish-Insider a couple years ago about it. Buthe passed away of a massive heart attack about a year after that fish was caught . just a little info!!!!!


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## flathunter (Apr 5, 2004)

Fishman, click on the below link and go to stocked fish 2003 and look at the blue cats one ohio paylake is stocking.

www.catfishermansparadise.com


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## mrfishohio (Apr 5, 2004)

You're right Abu.......I was going to add that info about the live skips & heart attack, but didn't. I think I have a copy of that article somewhere, I'll look & post it here if I find it now. Jim


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## mrfishohio (Apr 5, 2004)

Record catch: 104-pound catfish snagged in Ohio River
By Mike Murphy, Post contributor 



For the last 10 years, Owensboro, Ky., fisherman Bruce Midkiff has dedicated his weekends to trying to land the Moby Dick of catfish. 

On Aug. 28, Midkiff's dream to bring home a record-setter became a reality as he hauled in both a Kentucky and Indiana state record 104-pound blue catfish near the Cannelton (Ind.) Dam on the Ohio River. 

''When I look at pictures of that fish and how big it is compared to me, I almost don't believe it,'' said Midkiff. ''It really hasn't set in yet. I can't believe it happened.'' 

Midkiff's catch surpasses the Kentucky state mark of 100 pounds set in 1970 by J.E. Copeland. Copeland, a resident of Benton, caught his in the tailwaters of the Kentucky Dam. 

Midkiff said his decision 10 years ago to focus on large catfish came out of respect. 

''I'm just fascinated with big catfish,'' said Midkiff. ''They remind me of sharks, I just like to look at them. They're the predators of the river as far as I'm concerned.'' 

Midkiff said he used the same $25 rod that he's been using for years, a 7-foot Shakespeare ''Sturdy Stik'' with a Penn reel and a 50-pound test line. The bait he used was a live skipjack herring. 

''I've probably had that one for about five years,'' said Midkiff. ''It's the only one that I use. It's cheap and they handle big fish. They're great rods.'' 

Midkiff's record-setting catch was one of the first bites he had all day. He was using several rods at a time and shortly after noticing another rod had a bite on it, he looked over and knew another rod had snagged a big one. 

For Midkiff, a disabled veteran who lost most of his left leg after stepping on a mine in 1967 in Vietnam, hauling in such a heavy load wasn't an easy task. 

''I was real lucky to get it in,'' said Midkiff. 

After hauling in the fish in and realizing exactly how large it was, Midkiff - who was fishing alone - hailed nearby fishermen to take a look. 

''After I got it in the live well and calmed down a little bit, I saw some guys and realized that I may need witnesses,'' said Midkiff. 

Midkiff, who has a 100-pound oxygenated trough in his boat to keep fish and bait alive, put his catch in the trough and set out to get the fish certified. 

After finally having the catch certified as a record by the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources, Midkiff headed back to release the massive catfish back into the water. 

''I think it would be a shame to kill a fish that big,'' said Midkiff. ''I like to release them alive after I catch them to give someone else the thrill of catching something that big.'' 

For Midkiff, however, this is nothing unusual. For years, he has been taking his larger catches and putting them in a smaller, local lake that is used mainly by children, senior citizens and the disabled residents of Owensboro. 

''I just light up when I hear stories about kids that hung onto a big fish,'' said Midkiff. ''The little kids go wild over it. It makes me feel good to know I can contribute.'' 




Publication date: 09-16-99


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## hunterm (Apr 22, 2004)

I think Abu is right. I read in an In-fisherman Catfish magazine that Bruce Midkiff passed away not long after he caught that fish. They did a obit on him. As I recall the article said he was a pretty decent guy and a good riverman. Guess you can't ask for a much better epitaph.


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## metalman (Apr 15, 2004)

After reading that the blue catfish is considered an endangered species in Ohio I sent them this question
Hello,
The blue catfish is listed as an endangered species in Ohio yet the Ohio fishing regulations list no size or bag limits for the blue catfish. Also, there are a number of paylakes in Ohio that openly advertise that they take fish from public waters to stock their lakes. One of the major reasons that the blue catfish is in decline is the uncontrolled commercial netting of them by netters working the Ohio River. Can you explain to me how this apparently contradictory situation can exist? Thank you. 
This situation seems nuts to me, I'm sure their answer will seem nuts too! I will post their response....W


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## M.Magis (Apr 5, 2004)

There are no size or creel limits on blue cats BECAUSE they are endandered (or threatened). All blue cats are to be released immediately. Blue cats are allowed to be stocked by paylakes because most come from the Ohio River, which is not owned by Ohio.


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## GMR_Guy (Apr 10, 2004)

It's amazing how many people mistake channel cats for blue cats. Do not go by coloration! Count the rays on the anal fin to determine if it is a blue or a channel. I think (please correct me if I'm wrong) a blue cat has 29 or more rays on its anal fin. Also the long bottom edge of the anal fin is flat, while the channel cat has a slight roundness to it. The way the head goes up to the dorsal fin is also different in these fishes. At Bass Pro in Cincy, they have a one blue and two channels in their aquarium. They also now have a paddlefish too!


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