Flathead Catfish on the Potomac

Type: Nontidal
Region: Western
Location: Potomac near Harper's Ferry

A good friend of mine and I went fishing for smallmouth bass and walleye in the Potomac near Harper's Ferry on Sunday evening (8/25/19) . We found the water looking good and had high hopes, but were unable to find any smallies or walleye. However, we each caught a flathead catfish. Neither of us had ever caught one before. They were caught at a proven walleye/smallmouth spot that I have fished for more than 10 years, though not much in the last few years. My fish was 29" and took a shallow shad rap 09, and my friend's was 23.5" and fell for a J-11.

I had heard about flatheads farther north in the upper Potomac River in the last few years, and of course in the Great Falls stretch and Occoquan for my entire life, but have never encountered one. I didn't know they had made it to the Harper's area. We released the fish, although in hindsight, we should have killed them. It's hard for a catch and release angler to kill a fish, but next time I will be prepared to take them home. They are strong fighters and we were quite surprised to catch them.