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Life History Notes:
BULLHEAD
COMMON NAMES: Bullhead, Black bullhead, Brown bullhead, Yellow bullhead

SCIENTIFIC NAME: Ameiurus spp.

IDENTIFICATION: The three bullhead species are difficult to tell apart. Both the black and brown
bullhead have black chin barbels while the yellow bullhead has white barbels. In addition, black
bullhead have 17 to 21 rays in the slightly rounded anal fin and no serrations on their pectoral spines.
Browns have 22 or 23 rays in the anal fin and deep serrations on the pectoral spines. The yellow
bullhead has a longer, less rounded anal fin than the other two species. Furthermore, it has 25 or 26
rays on the anal fin and less deeply serrated pectoral spines than the brown bullhead. All three of
these catfishes lack scales and have similar body color, varying from yellow-olive-brown to brownish
black.

RANGE AND HABITAT: Bullheads are native to Ohio and are found throughout the state. The black
bullhead is able to tolerate turbid water and is more widely distributed in Ohio than the other two
species. The brown bullhead is common in areas with little or no vegetation and having relatively
clean, clear water. They are most numerous in the northern third of Ohio. Yellow bullheads prefer water
bodies with large amounts of vegetation. The largest populations of yellow bullhead seem to occur in
west central Ohio.

LIFE HISTORY: Bullheads start spawning around mid-May and continue through June. They build
nests in natural cavities or make saucer shaped depressions near submerged cover, such as tree
roots or sunken logs. Females usually deposit between 300 to 10,000 eggs in the nest. At least one of
the parents remains to continually fan and guard the nest. After hatching, the young swim around in a
dense ball and are guarded by the male for several weeks. Adult bullheads feed primarily by taste and
smell and are most active at night. They eat a wide variety of food that includes: insect larvae, small
crayfish, snails, and dead animals.

ADULT SIZE: Bullheads do not reach large sizes. The average bullhead caught by anglers weighs less
than one pound. The state record bullhead weighed 4 pounds 4 ounces and was 18.5 inches long.

FISHING METHODS: Bullheads bite readily on a variety of baits. Bullhead fishing requires only simple,
inexpensive equipment. Worms, chicken liver, or catalpa worms should be fished near the bottom.
Blue Catfish (Ictalurus furcatus)

Other Names
Channel Cat, Hump-back Blue


Blue Catfish
Life History Notes:
Physical Description

Blue catfish are a popular sport fish that closely resembles its relative, the channel catfish. The
scientific name, Ictalurus farcatus, translates to “fish cat” and “forked” which aptly describe these fish.
They have “barbels” or whiskers around the mouth and a forked tail. (see below comparison of blue
catfish and channel catfish)

The coloring of a blue catfish is predominantly blue-gray to gray-blue, though they occasionally take on
a silver appearance. The belly is usually a lighter shade of their main body color and fades toward
white at the very bottom. Generally speaking, they have no other markings, though the version found in
the Rio Grande River has dark spots on the back and sides. Their skin is smooth with no scales.

The body of the blue catfish is round with a flat belly. As they grow larger they develop a distinct hump
on the back near the front of the dorsal fin. Blue catfish have a long anal fin with a straight margin. With
30 to 35 rays of near equal length, this fin looks as if it has been trimmed with scissors.

Blue catfish are often confused with channel catfish due to their similar appearance, especially at
small sizes. One difference is the blue cat’s head size, which tends to be larger and rounder than the
channel cat’s and their body, more robust. Another distinctive feature is the blue cat’s anal fin, which is
long and straight, where the channel cat’s is more rounded. In many cases, the lack of spots on the
body will also distinguish it from the channel cat.

RANGE

Blue catfish are a warm-water fish found primarily in large rivers and lakes. They are native in the
Mississippi, Missouri, and Ohio Rivers and their large tributaries. This encompasses a region
extending from Minnesota and South Dakota south through Texas, Mexico, and northern Guatemala
east to the Appalachians.  

They have been introduced with some success outside this range. Blue catfish have adapted quite
well when stocked in large rivers and reservoirs with suitable habitat, and are now present in large
numbers in the southern United States.

HABITAT

Blue catfish are found mainly in large river systems and reservoirs, though they do inhabit streams,
small rivers and even some natural lakes and ponds. Unlike channel and flathead catfish, the blue
prefers clean (non-turbid) rivers with a relatively swift current flow. Their ideal temperature range is
between 70 and 82 degrees F, though they will tolerate much lower and slightly higher temperatures
throughout the year.

Their preferred environment in large rivers, is the deeper areas that have a moderate to strong current.
Within these areas, blue catfish generally seek out deep holes with abundant cover that provide relief
from strong currents, but they will move up to swift water to feed, primarily at night. Outside bends in
rivers, tailwaters below dams, creek mouths and discharges are all common blue cat locations.

In large reservoirs, they seek many of the same features as they do in rivers: deep, secluded areas
with plenty of brush and other natural or man-made cover. The absence of current in many reservoirs
causes blue catfish to cover more water when searching for food, which often brings them shallow
during peak feeding periods. Therefore, they often seek areas that provide both the security of deep
water and the easy access to shallow feeding areas.

SPAWNING HABITS

The spawning season for blue catfish runs from June to early July when water temperatures first
reach 70 to 75 F. They prefer to spawn in dark, secluded locations similar to those they inhabit. Males
and females work together to build a nest prior to depositing and fertilizing their eggs. Afterward, both
will remain to care for the young.

Eggs hatch after about one week. Both parents will guard their newly hatched young, particularly the
male. However, soon after birth, young blue catfish will go their own way. By the end of their first year,
they will reach 2.25 to 4 inches in length.

FOOD USAGE/SELECTION

Blue catfish are mainly nocturnal (nighttime) eaters and search for most of their food on or near the
bottom. Their barbels give these fish a strong sense of smell, which plays a key role in locating food.
Though blue catfish will eat nearly anything that is available, their preferred diet includes small fish,
crayfish, frogs, clams, mussels, and insects. Depending on what is available, they will consume both
live and dead organisms. Large blue catfish often feed exclusively on other fish.

SPORTING QUALITIES

Blue catfish are a popular fish among both sport and commercial fishermen. Sport fishermen enjoy
the large, often legendary, size of the fish as well as its stubborn, fighting nature. Anglers can catch
blue catfish with a rod and reel or by the use of trotlines, jug lines or limb lines. The white meat is
tender and delicate and is often marketed commercially.

Because they rely heavily on their sense of smell when feeding, most anglers use bait with a strong
odor. In addition, because they are such a large fish, the bait should be invitingly large. Blue catfish will
take a wide variety of bait and are not particular about whether the bait is alive or dead.

Common live baits include large minnows, crayfish, frogs, green sunfish and bluegills. (Some states
limit or prohibit the use of bluegills and other sunfish as bait). Other popular baits include cut shad,
chicken or turkey livers, cheese bait, fish entrails, “stink” bait and other baits with such strong, pungent
odors. Blue catfish rarely strike artificial lures, though in those instances, they may be caught on lures
that resemble natural forage.

Heavy tackle – stout rods, strong reels and heavy line – is recommended when fishing for blue catfish.
Some anglers even pursue them with saltwater tackle. Once a large blue catfish is hooked, the angler
will often have a long and difficult fight ahead. A combination of determination and strength makes the
blue catfish challenging to land or boat.
COMMON NAMES: Channel catfish, Spotted cat
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.

ADULT SIZE:
The average size channel catfish in Ohio is around 12 to 14 inches in length. However, fish over 10
pounds are not uncommon, especially in large rivers and productive lakes. The state record catfish
weighs 37 pounds and 10.4 ounces.

FISHING METHODS:
Channel catfish will bite almost any type of natural bait. The best tactic is to fish nightcrawlers, shrimp,
crayfish, chicken liver, stinkbait or cut bait near the bottom. Appropriate size sinkers are useful when
fishing for catfish. Learn more about
BLUE CATFISH AND CHANNEL CATFISH COMPARISIONS
BLUE CATFISH
CHANNEL CATFISH
A  
Body with dark spots (spots may be absent
in large adults)
B  
Outer margin of anal fin rounded, and anal
fin with 24 to 29 rays
A  
Body without dark spots
B  
Outer margin of anal fin straight, and anal fin
with 30 to 36 rays
comparison information curtosy of
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
flathead catfish information below curtosy of
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department

Other Names
Yellow Cat, Opelousa Cat, Pied Cat, Mississippi Cat, Mud Cat, Shovelhead Cat

Description
As the common name suggests, this catfish has a flat head, but other than that, it looks like any other
catfish: it has smooth, scaleless skin, whisker-like barbels around the mouth, and long, sharp spines
on the dorsal (back) fin and one on each side of the pectoral (shoulder) fin. Flathead catfish reach a
length of 3 to 4 feet (0.9 to 1.2 m) and their weight can exceed 100 pounds (45 kg). Pylodictis is Greek
meaning "mud fish", and olivaris is Latin for "olive-colored". Flathead catfish are typically pale yellow
(hence the name "yellow cat") to light brown on the back and sides, and highly mottled with black
and/or brown. The belly is usually pale yellow or cream colored. The head is broadly flattened, with a
projecting lower jaw. The tail fin is only slightly notched, not deeply forked as is the case with blue and
channel catfish. Young fish may be very dark, almost black in appearance.
Life History
Unlike other catfish which are scavengers, flatheads prey only on live fish. Young flathead catfish feed
mostly on invertebrates such as worms, insects and crayfish. When 10 inches or larger, their diet
consists entirely of fish-shad, carp, suckers, sunfish, largemouth bass and other catfish (including
their own kind). Flathead catfish are eaten by alligators, water snakes, turtles, larger fish, and humans.
They reach sexual maturity between the third and sixth year. Spawning season is from late May through
August, when the water temperature is between 75° and 80° F.

Males select hollow logs, caves or areas beneath the banks for their nest sites. Males may even
improve their selected sites by creating shallow depressions for the females to lay their eggs. Egg
number varies greatly depending on female size, but the average is up to 100,000 eggs at a time.
Scientists estimate that a female will lay 1200 eggs for every pound she weighs. A female flathead that
weights 50 pounds might release 60,000 eggs at a time. After an incubation period of four to six days,
the fry (very young fish) will school together at the nest for several days after hatching; afterwards they
will seek shelter beneath rocks, roots and other cover and begin their independent lives. Average
lifespan of the flathead catfish is 12 to 14 years, but one recorded flathead catfish lived 24 years.

Adults are usually solitary, each staking out a favorite spot under a tree or in a cove, in deep water. At
night, they move into shallow areas to feed. Males defend their nest and eggs aggressively. They will
fan the nest with their tails to keep the eggs clean and provide them with oxygenated water. If females
have been eating poorly, their bodies may conserve resources by not releasing eggs. Poor overall
health and certain environmental conditions such as drought or flood can reduce flatheads' ability to
spawn. In healthy times, clutches can reach 100,000 eggs, but only a small number will survive.

Habitat
Flathead catfish prefer deep pools of streams, rivers, canals, lakes and reservoirs, where the water is
turbid (cloudy) and the currents are slow.

Distribution
Flathead catfish range from the lower Great Lakes through the Mississippi River watershed to the Gulf
states.
Other

In size, flatheads are the second largest sport fish in Texas after their cousin, the blue catfish. Among
those who selectively fish for catfish, flatheads fall just behind channel catfish as a prized species.
Where mature populations exist, 50-pounders are not unusual. Typically, the largest fish are caught by
trotliners, who have landed specimens in excess of 110 pounds. Rod and reel anglers may have the
greatest success with flathead catfish just below reservoir dams. "Catfish" is the second most
preferred group of fish among licensed Texas anglers, and flatheads rank second behind channel
catfish. Because of their popularity with anglers, they have been introduced in many other states where
they have adapted well. In some cases, however, they have out-competed the native fish species,
causing those native fish populations to decline sharply, disrupting some natural ecological
processes.

Catfish have long, sharp spines on the front edges of their dorsal fins that are connected to venomous
glands. Although the spines can tear skin, the glands excrete venom. The venom is irritating and some
people have had serious problems with infection afterward. (If you are "stung" by a catfish and are
worried about it, please call your doctor.).

(info below curtisy of Ohio Dept. Of  Natural Resources)
COMMON NAMES: Flathead catfish, Shovelhead, Mudcat


SCIENTIFIC NAME: Pylodictis olivaris

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.

ADULT SIZE:
The average Ohio flathead catfish ranges between 5 and 15 pounds; however, they can grow much
larger. The Ohio state record for this species is 76 pounds, 8 ounces and measured 55.6 inches in
length. Flatheads as large as 80 pounds have been seen.

FISHING METHODS:
Flathead catfish are caught on live bait, such as large suckers or chubs. Anglers should use heavy
tackle and cast near large submerged objects or drift piles. Fishing at night is often a successful
technique for flathead catfish.


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