Catfish Information
Flathead Catfish
Commonly referred to as a 'shovelhead catfish' by paylakers, the flathead catfish is a prized catch. A natural predator, these catfish get massive and can grow over one hundred pounds in weight.
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Pylodictis olivaris
COMMON NICNAMES: Flathead catfish, shovelhead catfish, mudcat, opelousas
IDENTIFICATION: The flathead catfish is the only catfish in Ohio with its head flattened between the eyes and whose lower jaw is longer than the upper jaw. This is also the only large catfish with a square tail. Their body color is usually yellow-olive or a dark brown with dark brown blotches. Their belly is yellow or yellowish white.
RANGE AND HABITAT: Flathead catfish are native to Ohio and can be found in large river systems and a handful of inland lakes. Adults prefer deep pools with slow current and cover, such as submerged logs and drift piles.
LIFE HISTORY: Flathead catfish spawn when water temperatures reach 70 F. They build nests in dark secluded shelters such as natural cavities, undercut banks, or near large submerged objects. The eggs are laid in a compact golden-yellow mass which is fanned continuously. The egg mass may contain as many as 100,000 eggs. After hatching, the young remain near the nest for several days in a large compact school. Flathead catfish feed almost exclusively on live fish.
WORLD RECORD: 123 lb 9 oz
Blue Catfish
Another giant in the catfish world, blue catfish can exceed weights of one hundred pounds. Always fun to catch, these monsters are know for their blue color and fighting power.
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Ictalurus furcatus
IDENTIFICATION: Heavy-bodied with a wide head and high spot forward of center near the head called the dorsal hump. Upper jaw projects well beyond the lower. Bluish-gray body above, fading to white on sides and belly. No spots and a deeply forked tail. Smaller blue cats are often confused with channel catfish. The best way to distinguish between the two is by the 30-35 rays on the blue catfish's anal fin with its straight outer margin verses the channel catfish's 25 to 29 rays and rounded outer margin
RANGE AND HABITAT: Blue catfish are primarily large-river fish, occurring in main channels, tributaries, and impoundments of major river systems. They tend to move upstream in the summer in search of cooler temperatures, and downstream in the winter in order to find warmer water.
LIFE HISTORY: The spawning behavior of blue catfish appears to be similar to that of channel catfish. However, most blue catfish are not sexually mature until they reach about 24 inches in length. Like channel catfish, the blue catfish pursues a varied diet, but it tends to eat fish earlier in life. Although invertebrates still comprise the major portion of the diet, blue catfish as small as four inches in length have been known to consume fish. Individuals larger than eight inches eat fish and large invertebrates. Blue catfish commonly attain weights of 20 to 40 pounds, and may reach weights well in excess of 100 pounds. It is reported that fish exceeding 350 pounds were landed from the Mississippi River during the late 1800's.
WORLD RECORD: 124lb
Channel Catfish
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Not nearly as big as its previously mentioned cousins, channel cat fish can be fun to catch too. Using smaller tackle, they can put up a great fight and always look great on the dinner plate.
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, but the blue catfish is found only in the Ohio River.
RANGE AND HABITAT: Channel catfish are native to Ohio and can be found in most large streams, lakes, and many farm ponds. Channel catfish prefer areas with deep water, clean gravel boulder substrates and low to moderate current. However, they are tolerant of a wide range of conditions.
LIFE HISTORY:Channel catfish begin spawning when water temperatures reach 70 °F. 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
WORLD RECORD: 58lb
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Sources: Ohio Department of Natural Resources Webpage, Wikipiedia
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