Are there Blue catfish in Stockton?

[CoolHandFluke]

Caught this guy a couple of weeks ago on Lake of the Ozarks. Got me wondering, are there any in Stockton? I have never caught one or heard of anyone catching them so I assume they are not in the lake?  

[MoCarp]

I have never taken any.....I always wondered why they are limited in Stockton yet so common below ...blues migrate perhaps the ability of blues to move into waters above Stockton dam area during constructed were at a time when blues migrated far downstream.....be an interesting study...they may be in Stockton yet people are not fishing where they are

[lundone]

I have caught a few over the years  in Stockton.  The last one was about 8 lbs this last summer.  I met one fellow who liked to fish for them in late winter in deep water.  I think if a person went after them using shad they would have some success.

[waterpossum]

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They are prolific in Grand and its tributaries, especially in the Neosho/Spring river arms during flooding.  Seems the biggest are caught during the dead of winter as deep as 60' among the shad in the deep waters of the main lake. Probably the downside is they are ferocious eaters and have directly affected the channel cat population in Grand. They are one of the best eating fish there are in the 2-3 pound range. The conservation dept. is not too fond of the name locals have given them. "Mississippi whites " The meat is every bit as white or whiter than crappie filets. I would be reluctant to promote introducing this fish to Stockton. I may be off track here, but from my experience catching them, there seems to be two strains. 

[Steve McBasser]

My buddy Gary caught this one back in September of this year.......11lbs..

[MoCarp]

the fastest way to tell in channels have an "overbite" most of our blues look whiteish....many channels as they get bigger have no spots.....channels also have more of a fork in they tail than a blue

 

 

[tjm]

If they are in the Grand Lake do they come up the Elk?

[MoCarp]

I have seen a few as high up as indian...not common but they are there

[straw hat]

The MDC has assured me they have never caught a blue cat in any of there annual fish surveys and with my 32 years of catfishing on Stockton I can say I have never caught one. The tail method is fairly good but not entirely accurate. The only way to tell for sure is to count the spines on the anal fin.

[lmt out]

14 hours ago, Steve McBasser said:

My buddy Gary caught this one back in September of this year.......11lbs..

Is that a blue or a channel?