Birthday Trophies: Giant James River Blue Catfish Action
- Captain Dan Szajta
- Dec 25, 2025
- 3 min read
We recently had the pleasure of hosting Curtis for his birthday, along with Kevin, Drew, Walter, and Jace. These young men are dedicated angling enthusiasts who came with one goal in mind: chasing the giant blue catfish that the James River is famous for.
Starting the Morning on the Ledge
Captain Dan was ready to go with a cooler full of fresh bait as soon as the group arrived. We wasted no time and headed straight for the channel ledges. Since the fish were holding deep, we anchored on a steep ledge in a high-travel corridor.
The action started immediately with some "rod dancing," though the smaller fish were just teasing the hooks. After a heart-pounding "screamer" that didn't stick, we reset and waited. Ten minutes later, a rod on top of the ledge doubled over! After a solid fight, we landed our first blue catfish of the morning—a respectable 11 lbs and a new personal best for the group.
Tactics Shift: Dragging Planer Boards
When the ledge bite slowed, Captain Dan transitioned to a more aggressive strategy. We broke out the AlphaBoardz and began dragging fresh gizzard shad across the mud flats.
The move paid off instantly. A heavy blue cat crushed the planer board, putting up a massive fight before tipping the scales at 18 lbs—another personal best!
Shortly after, we boated a 5 lb fish, keeping the momentum high.
Joining the Trophy Catfish Club
Using Side Scan sonar, we began marking massive fish in shallower water. The tension was high, but patience won the day. A trophy blue catfish hammered a planer board and started peeling drag. Our Catch The Fever rods handled the head shakes perfectly, and the boat erupted when a 33 lb trophy hit the net.
"Welcome to the Trophy Club!"
The Grand Finale: A 54-Pound Monster
With 30 minutes left on the clock, we moved away from the gar and carp to finish our loop. Suddenly, a planer board was violently submerged. We knew immediately this was a different class of fish.
Curtis took the rod and handled the "champ" battle like a pro, navigating the fish away from the boat and motor. When Captain Dan finally netted the beast, the boys couldn't believe their eyes. We wrapped up the birthday celebration with a massive 45.75-inch, 54.3 lb trophy blue catfish!
Happy Birthday, Curtis! Thank you for choosing Goober Time Guide Service for your James River adventure. We can't wait to get you back on the water.
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Goober Time Guide Service offers premier guided fishing experiences throughout the James River and key bodies of water across Central Virginia. We specialize in multi-species excursions, targeting trophy Blue Catfish, Flathead Catfish, Smallmouth Bass, Striped Bass, and Crappie.
Our versatile fleet includes a fully-equipped main vessel for full-group charters, as well as specialized kayaks, paddleboards, and whitewater rafts to access remote waters and low-pressure fisheries. Furthermore, we offer exclusive light-lining charter trips for elite anglers seeking the ultimate technical challenge and potential record-breaking catches.
Contact us to consult on your group’s goals, and we will expertly design a tailored fishing adventure to exceed your expectations.
Captain Dan Szajta
USCG Master Charter Captain
IGFA Captain
804-592-0456
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