[4] The continent's largest catfish, it can live to 20 years, with a typical fish being between 25–46 in (64–117 cm) and 30–70 lb (14–32 kg).

[9] The blue catfish is an opportunistic predator, eating any species of fish it can take (including cannibalism), along with insects, crawfish, crabs, freshwater mussels, clams, worms, frogs, and other readily available aquatic food sources.

[10] The species is noted for taking injured fish beneath marauding schools of striped bass in open water in reservoirs, and feeding on wounded baitfish that have been washed through dam spillways or power-generation turbines.

[9] The ability of the blue catfish to tolerate a wide range of climates and brackish water has allowed it to thrive in Virginia's rivers, lakes, tributaries, and the Chesapeake Bay.

have found the species to be mostly herbivorous and omnivorous, with diets consisting largely of Hydrilla and Asian clams, both of which are invasive to the Chesapeake Bay.

On June 18, 2011, a 143-pound (64.9 kg) blue catfish was landed from Kerr Lake on the Virginia-North Carolina border.