Channel Catfish Description

[Earl Phillips Jr]

COMMON NAMES: Channel catfish, Spotted cat

SCIENTIFIC NAME: Ictalurus punctatus

IDENTIFICATION: The channel cat has a slender body with a deeply forked tail. The upper jaw is longer than the lower jaw and there are barbels around the mouth. The dorsal and pectoral spines are sharp and deeply serrated, and the anal fin is curved and has between 24 and 30 rays. The body is bluish silver on the sides and generally has dark spots. Some anglers mistakenly call channel catfish with few or no spots blue catfish.

HABITAT: Lakes and larger rivers with cleaner bottoms of sand, gravel or stones, over mud flats but seldom in dense weedy areas. Also lives in the deeper, slower pools of swift, clear-running streams. In large reservoirs, they are often found below dams where they feed on food swept down to them.

LIFE HISTORY: Channel catfish begin spawning from late May through July when water temperatures reach the mid-70s. They use natural cavities, undercut banks and muskrat burrows as nests. The female lays a gelatinous mass containing between 8,000 to 15,000 eggs. The parents remain over the nest to fan the eggs and guard the young after hatching. Adult channel catfish are bottom feeders that use smell and taste to locate food. They are omnivorous and will eat insect larvae, crayfish, mollusks, small fish, and dead fish.

ADULT SIZE: Channels are mid-sized models as catfish go, averaging 1 to 5 pounds. 6 to 10 pounders are common in many waters. In most waters, a 20 pounder is a trophy.

FISHING METHODS: Channel catfish will bite almost any type of natural bait. The best tactic is to fish nightcrawlers, shrimp, crayfish, chicken liver, stinkbait or cut bait near the bottom. Appropriate size sinkers are useful when fishing for catfish.