Catfish Types – Interesting Information

When it comes to choosing fish species for fishing, catfish is one of the most popular choices because this fish is hard-fighting to catch and delicious to eat. Another benefit of catching catfish is that the gear needed to catch this fish is typically inexpensive and easily accessible. Another plus point is that there are various types of catfish, so, you have a wide choice.

So, before knowing about the secrets to catfish catching, you might find it interesting to know about the various types of catfish. Here they are.

4 Main Types

Also remember that catfish are saltwater as well as freshwater. North America has four main species of catfish: bullhead, channel, flathead and blue.

Among these, the bullhead is one of the most widely occurring catfish, occurring in most of the USA and southern Canada.

The channel catfish was originally wide-ranged from southern Canada towards the Great Lakes region and the central drainage systems of the U.S. south to Mexico, and also parts of the Atlantic Coast and all the states bordering the Gulf of Mexico. At present, the channel catfish have been introduced also through other regions of the US.

Flathead catfish have their origin in the Mississippi, Ohio and Missouri rivers of the Mississippi Valley, south to Mexico. The blue catfish are not as widespread today as they were before the creation of power dams; but still they’re distributed in big revers from Minnesota and Ohio southward and in the Atlantic Coastal system, preferably in clear, swift streams mainly known for ‘live baits’.

Blue Catfish

Also known as hump-back blue and channel cat, the blue catfish belong to the bullhead catfish family, with long, slender body and barbels on the chin, mouth and nostrils that resemble long black whiskers. Blue catfish is the largest among the catfish family in North America and can grow up to more than 100 pounds. They are very delicious and occur from Minnesota and Ohio up to Mexico.

White Catfish

Also known as cats and mudcats, white catfish belong to the bullhead catfish family, and are the smallest of the North American catfish. They have white chin, mouth and nostril barbels that distinguish them from other species. They are rarely more than 24 inches in length and 6 pounds in weight. Their average size is around 13 inches. They are native to the Chesapeake Bay system and occur in fresh and brackish water bodies along the Atlantic and Gulf coast states from New York to Florida.

Are you now excited to catch catfish of various types?