Winter Catfishing: Filling the Freezer with James River "Eater" Blues
- Dan Szajta
- Dec 29, 2025
- 2 min read
John, Camden, Evan, and Luke joined us on the James River for a morning chasing catfish. It was an unusually warm December day, and we took off looking for fish right away. Our goals were clear: catch enough fish for a fish fry and hunt for a few James River trophy catfish.
Filling the Cooler: Blue Catfish for the Fish Fry
We started by setting up on a channel ledge, spreading our rods across both shallow and deep water. The action was steady from the start. For almost two hours, we landed a fish nearly every 10–15 minutes.
Before we knew it, we had a cooler full of blue catfish. Most of these fish were in the 2–4 lb range—the perfect "eater" size for a fresh fish fry!
Hunting for Trophy Catfish with Planer Boards
Once we checked the box for dinner, we turned our attention to trophy catfishing. We broke out the Alphaboardz planer boards and began trolling in about 15 feet of water. While we quickly caught another eater-size fish, we were looking for something bigger.
As we covered more water, we began marking more fish on the sonar. However, almost every big catfish we marked was buried in the mud, signaling a tough bite. We stayed persistent, and while we were fileting the eater catfish, a planer board was absolutely crushed. After a great fight, we were rewarded with our biggest fish of the morning—a solid 15 lb blue cat.
A Strong Start and a Tough Finish
We continued searching for that "big bite" in several sections of the river, but the fish weren't cooperating. We scanned a few more areas and finished the trip with one last set near the boat ramp.
What started as a morning full of fast-paced action turned into a very tough bite by noon. That’s fishing on the James River for you—exciting, unpredictable, and always worth the effort!
Thank you for choosing Goober Time Guide Service for your James River adventure. We can't wait to get you back 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
IGFA Captain
804-592-0456
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