Description

Catfish is a catchall term for fish of the order Siluriformes—named for their barbells or whiskers. Blue catfish, channel catfish and flathead catfish are the three primary species primarily targeted in the United States. Blues can range from white to blue to black and can exceed 100 pounds. Channel cats are brownish to grey, often marked with small black spots, are rarely surpass 30 pounds. Flatheads are a molted brown, black and yellow, and often exceed 100 pounds. Blues and channels can be found in large river systems, like the Mississippi and Ohio. Flatheads like cloudy, stagnant water like standing stream pools and ponds. Famously bottom-feeders, cats will also eat mid water column. They've been caught with hotdog slices, raw bacon and canned corn, but shad, night crawlers, dipped baits and crayfish work great, too—if you don't want to share your lunch. They're often found in deep water around underwater structures, especially ledges and deep holes. Brave fisherman can try to “noodle” cats after finding a good spot. Noodling involves diving into the water, sticking your hand in a catfish hole, and enticing a bite. When the cat grabs your fingers, you grab the cat, and swim back to the boat dinner in hand.