Channel Catfish
Channel cat, speckled cat, spotted cat, river cat
-
Scientific Name:
Ictalurus punctatus Freshwater
Native
Fish
- Seasons and Regulations
- Licenses/Permits
Description
Slender, smooth, scaleless body with deeply forked tail, protruding upper jaw, and more than four sets of barbels around the mouth. Gently sloping head in profile up to the dorsal fin. The male's head develops a large bump during spawning season. Juveniles are silvery with light gray backs. Adults have a dark gray back fading to yellow/greenish on the sides and a white underside. Both juveniles and adults have dark spots along their sides, but these lessen in larger fish. Rounded anal fin with 24 to 29 soft rays. Average size is 2 to 10 pounds and between 10 to 20 inches. Some older individuals can grow up to 50 pounds.
Range and Habitat
Naturally distributed within the Mississippi River basin between the Rocky Mountains on the west and the Appalachian Mountains in the east. In Louisiana, inhabit a wide variety of habitats including upland reservoirs, rivers and their tributaries, natural lakes, swamps, and marshes of the coastal lowlands. Found in open waters of natural lakes, under woody debris and logs, overhangs of cut banks, and along edges of submerged aquatic vegetation in reservoirs and rivers.
Behavior
Omnivorous, feeding on aquatic and terrestrial insects, crustaceans, amphibians, other small fish, and some aquatic plant material. Their barbels and skin are loaded with taste buds which allow them locate food in water with low visibility. Spawn once a year in late spring to early summer when water temperatures reach at least 70°F. In Louisiana, spawning season can extend into August. Usually spawn in dark, secluded areas like under ledges or around and in submerged logs, stumps, or roots. The male selects the nest site; the female leaves after she deposits the eggs. The male stays with the eggs and fry after they hatch. Eggs hatch in six to seven days, fry remain in the nest for up to two weeks. Can live 15 to 20 years.