"The Raleigh lakes are relatively new impoundments and were stocked only with channel cats," said Piedmont Region Fisheries Supervisor Christian Waters. "We hear little about flathead or blue catfish catches from these lakes, though occasional catches may occur. But these catches are the result of 'angler movement' of cats from other waters.

"There are no established populations of flatheads or blues in these waters."

If Triangle fishermen want to catch the wintertime blues big time, they only need to travel to Badin Lake on the Yadkin River, another frequent stop on the NCCATS trail, where a hefty blue of 83 pounds was taken by Concord's Andy Richmond on May 1, 2003, and briefly held the state record.

The current state-record blue came from Badin in 2006 when Eric Fincher, a carpet technician from Mount Pleasant, landed an 89-pound blue while trolling with live shiners for striped bass, a further indication that blues and stripers favor the same waters.

The fish was weighed on certified scales at Mount Pleasant Milling and verified by District 6 biologist Lawrence Dorsey as a blue cat. It measured 52 1/4 inches in length and had a 36 1/2-inch girth.

Badin's downstream neighbor, Lake Tillery, also produces big blue cats. Catfish guide Robert Tomasak of White Wolf Guide Service (704/ 888-1209) said 30- to 40-pound blues have become common at Tillery, where they bite best from December through March. Tomasak's biggest blue from the lake weighed 65 pounds.

Farther south, Burr of Pee Dee Guide Service (704/695-2587) has found "blue heaven," and he has it almost all to himself. Burr guides along a 25-mile stretch of the Pee Dee River between the U.S. Highway 74 bridge near Wadesboro and the North and South Carolina state line.

This segment of the Pee Dee meanders along private property with no public access. Anglers who use the lone public access near the bridge can't navigate downstream to the shallow, shoal-infested waters where Burr has constructed his own makeshift ramp. Through his association with a local sportsmen's club, Burr accesses the ramp through a locked gate on private property.

This stretch of the Pee Dee harbors plenty of big blues.

"People don't realize how many big blues are in this river," said Burr, whose two biggest blues weighed 72 and 74 pounds. "There are lots of 50- and 60-pound catfish in here."

To his knowledge, Burr is the only guide fishing this stretch of water.

Kerr Lake, which lies north of Durham near Henderson, boasts of blues up to 40 pounds. East of the Triangle rolls the mighty Cape Fear River, which begins below the dam at Jordan Lake and flows southeasterly for over 170 miles before emptying into the Atlantic Ocean near Southport. The river has become well known for its giant blues ever since the fish were introduced into the river in the mid-'70s.

While blues are active year 'round, an increasing number of fishermen are targeting them in the winter when they gather in large schools to feed voraciously upon shad following winter die-offs, making them more susceptible to anglers' offerings.

Unless the water temperature drops below 40 degrees, blues can be taken throughout the winter with a variety of techniques.

Here's how local experts fish some of the waters that have been showcased for big winter blues.

NORMAN
Before Edwards started the NCCATS trail, he was an avid tournament catfisherman and still joins in on the competition whenever he has the opportunity.

Norman is one of his favorite lakes for trophy blues. In cold weather, he fishes for them at the lower end of the lake around main-lake points, ledges, or dropoffs near creek channels in 20 to 40 feet of water.