Blue catfish (Ictalurus furcatus) are an introduced species to the waters of the James River, and this commercial gamefish has “grown in numbers and size ever since state workers stocked them in the tidal James in the mid-1970s to give anglers a new challenge.”

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There are even fishing guides, such as “Got The Blues Guide Service,” for the James River, which provide an opportunity for anglers to catch their own monster James River blue catfish. Recently, a 102-pound blue was pulled from the waters of the James River. The current world record, approved by the International Game Fish Association, is a 124-pound monster blue catfish “caught in mid May [2005] by Tim Pruitt of Alton, Ill” in the Mississippi River. From the Los Angeles Times:

A 102-pound, 4-ounce blue catfish caught last week in Virginia may qualify as a new state record.

Tim Wilson was fishing with friend Danny Ayers on the James River south of Richmond when he caught the big cat on 30-pound test using cut shad as bait. The fish was so large it took both men to land it.

The behemoth is the first freshwater fish over 100 pounds caught in Virginia.

The previous record blue catfish in Virginia was this 95 lbs. 11 oz. behemoth taken from the James River:

On the Net:

1. Virginia State Record Fish
2. REEL BIG FISH: Giant catfish in India turn to preying on humans

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IMAGES: These images show large species of freshwater catfish from around the world: the Mekong giant catfish (Pangasianodon gigas) of Asia (top) and Wels catfish (Silurus glanis) of Europe (bottom).  The Mekong giant catfish in this image weighed in at 646 pounds (293 kilograms), and the Wels catfish tipped the scales at 187 pounds (85 kilograms). The Mekong giant catfish is critically endangered, but the Wels catfish isn’t considered endangered or threatened. The Wels catfish has been blamed for attacking swans, but “there are no recorded attacks on humans.” The goonch (Bagarius sp.), another species of large freshwater catfish (not pictured, but you can find images here) of India, is being blamed for preying on humans. Learn more about the conservation of giant freshwater fish here, because they are increasingly becoming endangered.

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Growing up in the south and being a freshwater fisherman, large catfish are both folklore and reality to me. In the south, some large catfish can be found in secluded farm ponds or around dams, and stories abound of divers observing huge catfish, particularly blue catfish, around dams across the south.

However, folklore seems to have evolved into an extreme reality in India where large catfish might be preying on humans. Some type of creature, in the sacred Hindu Great Kali River, has allegedly pulled three teenagers under its waters. Locals believe that a type of catfish called the goonch has grown large enough, after feeding on partially burnt corpses from funeral pyres, to prey on living humans.

Five, a television channel in the United Kingdom, is airing a special documentary about the man-eating catfish of the Great Kali River called “Nature Shock: Flesh Eating River Monster.” The documentary will be hosted by biologist Jeremy Wade, and “is due to screen on October 14 at 8.00pm on Five.” From the Telegraph.co.uk, United Kingdom:

Locals rumours have held for years that a mysterious monster lurks in the water.

But they think it has moved on from scavenging to targeting live bathers who swim in the Great Kali, which flows along the India-Nepal border.

The extraordinary creature has been investigated by biologist Jeremy Wade for a TV documentary to be shown on Five.

He said: “The locals have told me of a theory that this monster has grown extra large on a diet of partially burnt corpses. It has perhaps got this taste for flesh by feasting on remains of funeral pyres.

“There will be a few freak individuals that grow bigger than the other ones and if you throw in extra food, they will grow even bigger.”

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In 2007 an 18-year-old Nepali disappeared in the river, dragged down by something described as like an “elongated pig”.

However, the first live victim of a goonch was thought to have been a 17-year-old Nepalese boy in April 1988.

Witnesses said he was cooling himself in the river when something suddenly pulled him below the surface.

Three months later a young boy was dragged underwater in front of his horrified father.

Mekong giant catfish image found here.
Wels catfish image found here.

On the Net: The Megafishes Project
On the Net: Village youths land giant fish – Prize of four-hour struggle: 86-kg Gangetic goonch

Related news: 226-pound catfish recently caught in Spain. You can read more about this large catch here.

More related news (updated 31 May 2009): REEL BIG FISH: 102-pound blue catfish caught in Virginia, may be new state record

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Metro.co.uk

It sounds like a fisherman’s tale but an angler has landed one of Europe’s biggest catfish.

Alan Melhuish spent half an hour reeling in the [8 foot long, 224 pound] giant on the River Ebro near Barcelona.

Ananova – Record fish caught on toy rod

A man in the US has managed to catch and land a record-breaking catfish on a Barbie fishing rod just 2-and-a-half feet long.

David Hayes and his 3-year-old granddaughter Alyssa were angling in the pond behind his Wilkes County home when she asked him to hold her rod while she nipped to the loo…

Alyssa returned to find her grandad battling with the monster fish.

“She said, ‘Papa, you’re going to break my rod,’ because it was bent double,” said Mr Hayes. After 25 minutes, the pink plastic toy prevailed and Mr Hayes landed the 21 lbs,1oz catfish on the 6 lbs test line.

At 32 inches long, it was 2 inches longer than the rod.