Trophy Catfish Adventures on the James River

An Unforgettable Day of Fishing

Dara, Oliver, Cy, and Beckett joined us on the James River for the ultimate adventure! We kicked off our trip bright and early at 4 AM, eager to catch as many fish as possible before the sun peeked over the horizon. From the moment we arrived at our first spot, we were reeling in white perch and striper left and right. Everyone had a chance to catch a striper, and let me tell you, some of them were pretty impressive!

We kept catching striper, but then the white perch bite turned up the heat! In our first 90 minutes, we landed an astonishing 104 fish. At times, we were reeling in four or five at a time. It was pure chaos, and we loved every minute of it!

The Catfish Challenge

As the sun began to rise, it was time to set up on our first catfish spot. We made a move, got our rods out, and settled in to wait for the bite to turn on. We felt a bunch of taps on the rods, most likely from smaller fish. Just as the tide was going slack, we looked up to see a pink hellcat rod bent over, screaming drag! Oliver was quick to grab the rod, and the fight was on!

With no current to contend with, this fish was all over the place. We had to maneuver the rod across the rack to keep up. Oliver worked hard, wearing the fish out with a series of runs. Finally, the fish surfaced, and we netted a trophy weighing 30 pounds and measuring 38 1/4 inches!

This was Oliver's second trophy fish of October, having caught another earlier in the month. It's always exciting to add to your trophy collection!

We continued waiting for the bite, feeling a few little taps but no serious takedowns. Just as we were reeling in the rods, Beckett thought he had a fish on the line—and he was right! He brought in a small eater catfish, which we tossed in the livewell.

Lunch Break and More Action

Using our sonar, we located our next pod of fish and sat on them for about 45 minutes. As soon as we got the rods out, we fired up the grill for lunch. It felt amazing to enjoy a hot meal after a chilly morning on the water!

The rods were getting hit immediately, but we didn’t have any serious takedowns. Then, Cy jumped on a rod that folded over and caught his new personal best blue catfish, weighing just under 13 pounds!

We quickly set the rods back up, and just a few minutes later, we had three rods go down one after another! One fish didn’t hook up, but we managed to land two impressive fish in the 10 to 15-pound range.

Wrapping Up the Adventure

As we packed up our gear, we decided to spend the last bit of our time in one more location, waiting for high tide. Shortly after setting up, we caught a fish weighing around 15 pounds.

After that, the bite slowed down, with only a couple of massive takedowns that didn’t hook up. We ended the trip with a total of 109 fish! Everyone was ready to head home and take a well-deserved nap after such a long day on the water.

Thanks for joining us on this incredible adventure! We can't wait for the next trip!

Thanks for trusting Goober Time Guide Service to show you a good time on the water!

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

804-592-0456

Ready to BOOK Your Fishing Adventure? CLICK HERE