According to Ostrander, the big blues bite very well once the water temperatures drop below 60 degrees. He prefers water temperatures to be between 45 and 55 degrees when he is fishing. However, if the temperatures drop even lower, Ostrander can still be found sinking strips of gizzard shad into the frigid waters of the James.

"If December is very cold, then that could change the way I fish for blue cats, too," he said. "If the water temps get below 40 degrees, I'll be looking for fish in the deepest holes around. In the areas I fish, that equates to water 40 to 70 feet in depth."

Where To Look
Ostrander fishes the James River above Hopewell and he concentrates his efforts on the main channel or old river channels.

There are some differences in the way Ostrander fishes each area. The main-river channel has a much stronger tidal current. Old river channels have a good flow but not as strong of a current. More weight will be needed to fish in the main channels, especially when the tide is really rolling.

Ostrander noted that good water flow is important to catching blue catfish. The cats like to lie facing into the current and await meals that come sweeping downcurrent to them. When the food arrives, they inhale it. On a dead tide you have to be much more creative and actively hunt the fish. This can be time-consuming and the slack tide is probably better spent moving the boat to a better location.

Wind can be a consideration if it is blowing opposite the tidal flow. Ostrander mentioned this to me and I had to agree, having experienced the problem myself on a number of occasions. The solution to this problem is to find a bend in the river where the wind is blocked and deep water is near the shoreline and anchor up until the tide changes.

What To Look For
One of the best places to begin looking for monster catfish is near structure. A lump, hump, channel ledge or large boulder will work just fine for holding fish. Mark bait near such structure and you are likely to be in business. Put out as many rods as you can handle and put them out in various locations. For instance, put a few lines in shallow water on top of a ledge and a few lines near the edge of the channel and then a few lines in the channel. Pay attention to where you get most of your fish and then refocus your efforts on that type of water or structure.

I asked Ostrander how much time was reasonable to fish a spot when one is trying to figure out whether or not the fish are there. After all, December can be a very cold month and a tough one to sit still in a boat waiting for a bite.

The veteran guide noted that he gives a spot 20 minutes unless the water is really cold, in which case he will add another 20 minutes or so to the time he spends at the location. The guide pointed out that on really cold days, or after a front has passed through, the fish tend to be a little less active but are still catchable. You just have to wait a bit longer. However, even his favorite locations get no more than 45 minutes of his time before he moves on.