Catfish Identification

Channel Catfish


Common Names - spotted cat, blue channel cat, river catfish


Description - Channel catfish closely resemble blue catfish. Both have deeply forked tails. However, channels have a rounded anal fin with 24-29 rays and scattered black spots along their back and sides. They have a small, narrow head. The back is blue-gray with light blue to silvery-gray sides and a white belly. Larger channels lose the black spots and also take on a blue-black coloration on the back which shades to white on the belly. Males also become very dark during spawning season and develop a thickened pad on their head.

Blue Catfish


Common Names - channel cat, hump-back blue, forktail cat, great blue cat, silver cat, chucklehead cat, blue fulton


Description - Adult fish have stout bodies with prominently humped backs in front of the dorsal fin. They resemble channel catfish by having deeply forked tails, but are dissimilar because they are unspotted and have a long, straight-edged anal fin with 30 to 35 rays. The back and upper sides are blue to slate gray, and the lower sides and belly are white. The internal air bladder has a constriction in the middle, giving it a two-chambered appearance.

White Catfish


Common Names - forked-tail cat, catfish



Description - The sides are blue-gray to blue-black and may be mottled. The tail is moderately forked, and the anal fin is shorter and rounder than that of channel or blue catfish. Whites have only 19-22 anal fin rays. The chin barbels are white or yellow. They have a blunt, more-rounded head, and they lack black spots on their body.

Yellow Bullhead


Common Names - butter cat, yellow cat, creek cat, white-whiskered bullhead, greaser, polliwog, chucklehead cat


Description - The yellow bullhead closely resembles the brown bullhead with a squat body and a round or square tail. It is yellow-olive to slate-black above and lighter, often yellow to yellow-olive, on its sides with little to no mottling. The belly may be white, cream or yellow. The chin barbels are yellow to buff or pale pink; the upper barbels, which are light to dark-brown, help distinguish this species from brown bullheads. The anal fin has a straight margin with 23 to 27 rays.

Brown Bullhead


Common Names - creek cat, mud cat, horned pout, red cat, speckled cat



Description - The chin barbels on browns are pigmented, not whitish as with yellow bullheads. The sides of brown bullheads have a distinct, irregular brownish mottling over a light background. The belly is creamy white. They have square tails and 20 to 24 anal ray fins.

Flathead Catfish

Common Names - yellow cat, mud cat, shovelhead cat, johnnie cat, goujon, appaluchion, opelousas


Description - A flattened head, tiny eyes, squarish tail and protruding lower jaw distinguish the flathead from other catfish and contribute to it being placed in a genus of its own. They are yellow-brown and usually mottled above, with a creamy-white or yellow belly. Small flatheads may be confused with yellow or brown bullheads.

thanks buddy i looking forward to getting some spring time bullheads yum best time to eat them after the cold winter and ice off.