Calling all Catfish experts

[backbay]

Hi Folks:

Recently I received a message from the gang after I posted a photo in Skipper's thread regarding the season we've all had. It was concerning a catfish I had caught recently, (a first for me in many decades), and the type of cat that it was.

The fish in question was a cat, which I thought was a bullhead, except they don't grow that big. It had a square tail, was very dark in colour.

Here are a couple of pics, and I wish I had better ones, but this is it.

Any assistance would be appreciated!

Thanks,

Backbay

http://

[DRIFTER_016]

Looks like a dark coloured channel cat to me.

Where was it caught?

[kickingfrog]

Looks like a channel cat. Where was it caught?

[kickingfrog]

Looks like a dark coloured channel cat to me.

Where was it caught?

 

Beat me to it. And yes Bullheads are not that big and also have a less forked, almost rounded tail.

[ProFishermanJones]

[backbay]

Thanks, Guys. It was caught in the Moon Riverr basin on Georgian Bay, in the Massasauga Park. The thing that confuses me is that it didn't have a channel cat's forked tail. The tail was big and flat across the back, not forked like a Channel's.

Edited November 9, 2012 by backbay

[backbay]

hmmmm, maybe a flathead....

[kickingfrog]

I think that the tail is folded over on its self in the top photo.

[backbay]

I think that the tail is folded over on its self in the top photo.

That's right, KF, it was folded over. I looked at the tail as soon as I landed it, 'cause that's one of the ways you can narrow down the variety.

 

Sinclair, I realize! This thing was a snick over 11 lbs, which is, confusing, if nothing else.

[backbay]

Hmmm flathead mouth points up...hard to tell from the OP photo if mouth points up or down.

 

Definitely down. Good observation!

[camillj]

Some big Channel Cats up that way ... I have seen them over 30lb in that area ... my vote is for Channel Cat

Edited November 9, 2012 by camillj

[Rich]

Its a channel cat from clear, rocky water.

[outllaw]

channel they hit musky baits. st clair has tons of them lol

[jimmer]

This is a black bullhead I caught down south a few years back. I think yours is a channel cat.

[fishinguypat]

Have the boys in the lab do an autopsy

[bare foot wader]

having the tail in hand, and knowing for sure it's a square tail...that would make me think not channel cat...but never know for certain, a classic "tall fish tale" ha

 

I believe counting the rays on the anal fin would help determine species, but again, not possible with those pics

 

the larger bullheads down south, 4-5lbs, do look like that

 

I'm sure it'll be good conversation at the cottage for years to come

[Raf]

fairly certain its a channel cat, that's how they look like up there

 

seen a bit bigger sized one caught on a musky reef in the same area. hit a suick

[chris.brock]

I'd say definately a channel cat, the bullheads and madtoms (way too big to be a madtom) have a tail closer to a bowfin, that tail looks forked but folded, there's plenty of them on the eastern shore of G Bay, aggresive too

 

I remember my grandfather used to keep channel cats from 12 mile bay to eat, he'd throw them in the trunk of his car in a garbage bag, drive home (about 3.5 hours the speed he drove), put them in his laundry sink with water and they would all revive, pretty tough species