Photo by Fishes of Texas team on iNaturalist · CC BY-SA 4.0
Channel catfish
Ictalurus punctatus
- When
- May–Oct — May, June, July, August, September, October. Earlier in the south, later in the north.
- Where it holds
- River holes, dam tailraces and warm reservoirs; feeds most at night.
- How to know it
- Deeply forked tail, scattered dark spots on young fish, and long whiskers.
- What to know
- Summer nights on a riverbank are the classic. Handles warm, murky water that shuts other species down.
- The tactic
- Cut bait or a chunk of shad on a bottom rig, after dark.
- Caution
- Pectoral and dorsal spines can puncture — grip from behind the fins.
Seasons, size limits and catch limits change every year and differ by water body. Check the current regulations for your province or state before you fish.
Found in these regions
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