Channel Catfish (Ictalurus punctatus)
Other Names Willow Cat, Forked-tail Cat, Fiddler, Spotted Cat, Lady Cat Description Ictalurus is Greek and punctatus is Latin, meaning "fish cat" and "spotted", respectively.
Channel Catfish: (Ictalurus punctatus)
Description
Original range was the central drainages of the U.S. to Southern Canada and Northern Mexico. Introduced to Arizona in 1903.
Channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) are North America's most numerous catfish subspecies. They are also the most fished types of catfish, with approximately 8 million anglers in the USA targeting them per year.
Channel Catfish:
Appearance:
Catfish are easy to distinguish by their whisker-like sensory barbels and a forked tail. Channel catfish have a rounded anal fin and scattered black spots along their back and sides.
Channel catfish spawn when water temperatures reach 75 degrees, usually in late June. The eggs are deposited in a jelly-like mass. After spawning, the male drives off the female and guards the eggs. The eggs hatch in six to 10 days.
Food ...
Channel Catfish
COMMON NAMES
Channel catfish, Spotted cat
The channel cat has a slender body with a deeply forked tail. The upper jaw is longer than the lower jaw and there are whiskers around the mouth.
Channel Catfish
Ictalurus punctatus (scientific)
Channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus, is North America's most numerous catfish species.
Illustration of Channel Catfish by Virgil Beck.
Catfish: Fact Sheet [PDF 377KB]
Fishing Season Dates ...
Best known is the smaller channel catfish, which reaches 20 lb (9 kg) and has a deeply forked tail and slender body. The stonecat, 10 in. (25.4 cm) long, is found in clear water under logs and stones.
The blue catfish has a blue back, paler flanks and silver white body. The channel catfish is similar but its body color is overlaid with dark spots and blotches. The flathead catfish is a mottled brown color. The white catfish is silvery white.
 See also: Catfish, Flathead, Blue catfish, Flathead catfish, Barbel
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