Channel Cat: The channel catfish has a slender body with a distinguishing deep forked tail. The anal fin is rounded and has 24 to 29 rays. Their color goes from a dark blue or blue gray on the back, to light blue or silver gray sides, to a white belly. The smaller or younger fish have black spots scattered over their sides. The spots tend to lighten or disappear as the fish get older and larger. Predominant size ranges from 2 to 5 pounds, with frequent catches up to about eight pounds. Catches over 15 pounds are infrequent, although the world record is 58 pounds.

The channel catfish prefers deep, clear water, but rises to shallow, hard bottom areas to feed. They like mild currents, but do well in standing water, when stocked. Channels spawn in spring or early summer in water temperatures between 70 and 85 degrees.

Normal food is small aquatic life forms (crayfish, small fish and aquatic insects). They normally feed near the bottom, but will frequently feed all the way to the surface, similar to bass. Though not normally scavengers, they are readily caught with blood bait, cut bait and various types of stink bait. The best bait is live bait such as crayfish, insects (grasshoppers) or small fish native to their waters.

Blue Cat: The blue catfish is very similar to the channel cat. Their natural range is the central part of North America. They are found in rivers and tributaries that feed the Mississippi and rivers that feed into the Gulf of Mexico and in lakes, reservoirs and ponds of that area.

The blue catfish has a heavy body with a humped back in front of the dorsal fin and a deeply forked tail. Their anal fin is straight, as if trimmed with scissors and has 30 to 35 rays. Their backs are dark blue or blue gray. The color lightens down the sides to a white belly.

Blue catfish are caught in random sizes up to about 15 pounds. Numbers caught drop off with size, up to about 35 pounds. Catches above 35 pounds are infrequent although the world record is 124 pounds. Natural preferred food for blue catfish is most any smaller aquatic life form, such as other fish, frogs, crayfish and mussels. Live bait is best, but blue catfish will scavenge when convenient, which makes dead bait, cut bait and stink bait good choices also

Flathead Cat: This catfish species is frequently called yellow cat, or Opelousas cat. They range the central part of North America. They are found in rivers and tributaries that feed the Mississippi and rivers that feed into the Gulf of Mexico and in lakes and reservoirs of that area.

This catfish species likes moderately strong currents and clear to milky water. They like water temperatures of 75 to 85 degrees and normally hold in or close to deeper water. They spawn in late spring or early summer.

This catfish species has a broad flat head and a protruding lower jaw. The tail is almost square. The anal fin is rounded. The back and sides are pale yellow to brown, with various amounts of black and dark brown mottling. The belly is a pale yellowish, light cream color

Flathead cats are caught in random sizes up to about 50 pounds. Catches up to 90 pounds are not too infrequent. The world record is 123 pounds.

The flathead catfish likes deeper and muddier water, with gentle current. They hold to the bottom more than other catfish. Preferred water temperature is 75 to 80 degrees. They normally spawn in June and July.

The flathead diet is almost entirely other fish. They prefer live bait and rarely scavenge. The only good bait is live bait.

Other Catfish Species: Here are Other Catfish Species of interest to our readers.
If you have a species of interest, send you suggestion to catfishing@grandecom.net.

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