Catfish

Caught this catfish a few days ago. I dunno my catfish to well was wondering what kind of catfish it was. I caught a few of them that day.

Looks like a normal channel catfish?

It's a Brown Bullhead, a simple way you can distinguish a Brown from a Black by it's tail, a Black Bullhead will have a slightly forked tail, Brown Bullheads wont. Yellow Bullheads will have white whiskers but yellows aren't common in Ontario.

Channel Cats will get a lot bigger, will often appear grey or blue in color and will have a deeply forked tail.

Btw great catch, Bullheads aren't commonly found that big, the Ontario record is only 2 lbs.

That is the biggest yellow bullhead Ihave ever seen. Better check the ontario records, that guy might be close to it or beat it.

EDIT: either a brown bullhead like giuga said or a yellow bullhead. Either way nice fish

Catfish said:

That is the biggest yellow bullhead Ihave ever seen. Better check the ontario records, that guy might be close to it or beat it.

EDIT: either a brown bullhead like giuga said or a yellow bullhead. Either way nice fish

Click to expand...

It's a Brown, Yellows have white whiskers. And yes it is quite big, must have gave a good tug only Bullheads I've caught were little guys around 10"

You're right it is a brown. Yellows have beige whiskers on the bottom of their mouth, and the sides are black.

Brown bullhead.. YOu can tell by the mottling.. Yellows have smoother light brown to yellow colouration... That's a good size too!!!

wow I didn't know it was that big for a brown. Haven't caught many cat fish. I looked up what the ontario record was for a brown and apparently it's 2.37 lbs. I wonder how close this one was? I almost missed my chance with this guy. Left the rod in while um mother nature called... when i came back it was taking out line. He liked goby I was using earth worm gulp but the bullhead took the goby that ate my fake worm either that or they were both fighting over the worm and the cat won ***shrugs

The record is only 2.37 lbs?? I commonly catch Bullhead in the 2-3 lb range in Hamilton Harbor and Cootes. Nothing this year as I haven't made it down there yet. Guess I should pay more attention to the records.
Reminds me of 3 years ago. I didn't know the Harbor fishing derby was on. I rode my bike through Bayfront Park at 4.30 a.m. and all the weigh stations for the derby weren't set up (or I just didn't see them because it was dark.) I caught and released an about 8 lb Channel in Cootes that day. Upon my return to Bayfront I saw on the leader board that the biggest Cat that day was 3.5 lbs :neutral: . I'm not sure mine would have qualified anyway as no one could tell me if fish from Cootes were permitted. 9 I still don't know to this day.)
I guess the moral is I should start carrying a measuring tape with me and get some sort of a scale.

Alfie.

Guys just so you know a 2.37 lb catfish is big. I caught one in the tournament, it was 5.5 lbs and around 26 inches. I think we all over estimate our catches, but a 8 lb cannel catfish is extremely rare, especially if it doesn't live directly in the great lakes. An 8 lber would be about 32 " long and have a massive belly.

well i was watching river monsters and jeremy wade was pulling in 300lb channel cats of course that was europe not canada

Catfish said:

Guys just so you know a 2.37 lb catfish is big. I caught one in the tournament, it was 5.5 lbs and around 26 inches. I think we all over estimate our catches, but a 8 lb cannel catfish is extremely rare, especially if it doesn't live directly in the great lakes. An 8 lber would be about 32 " long and have a massive belly.

Click to expand...

THANK YOU! People always over estimate their catches. The Bullhead in the OP probably isn't even a pound and if it is it's just barely.
I thought I had a 5+lb Smallmouth, pulled out the scale, 3.4lbs.



It's always better to guess on the smaller side, it's always more accurate.

Ok catfish experts. What kind is this.its a bad pic but all i got

fishy_slayer said:

Ok catfish experts. What kind is this.its a bad pic but all i got

Click to expand...

I would say half a pound...

That smb is more then 4 scale is wrong. I scale the ond in my pic it was 3.2

Catfish said:

Guys just so you know a 2.37 lb catfish is big. I caught one in the tournament, it was 5.5 lbs and around 26 inches. I think we all over estimate our catches, but a 8 lb cannel catfish is extremely rare, especially if it doesn't live directly in the great lakes. An 8 lber would be about 32 " long and have a massive belly.

Click to expand...

To tell you the truth Catfish, the 8 lber was weighed, albeit on an old sticky spring scale which if anything subtracted from the weight. I have caught them as big as 12 lbs in Cootes ( also weighed.) and get them every spring in there from 3-7 lbs. Cootes Paradise is directly connected to Hamilton Harbor and the Great Lakes and every spring the big Channels move in to spawn much like they do at Dunnville in the Grand. If you go to the Carp barrier in late Apr or May you can see them being passed thru into Cootes. Some reside there all summer gorging on all the small fish that live in there and I get them into Oct. When I first discovered my secret spot I was losing so many big Kitties I was forced to make a trip to Fishing World to buy a landing net much like what a Carp fisherman would use. 30-36 inches sounds right, the mouth of the net is 27. And honestly I have nothing to gain from over estimating a fishes size, I know what I caught and people with me know. I have my old spring scale and my hand measures 9 inches from pinky to thumb.
Also we get them in Jordan in the spring, also not directly in the Great Lakes, my friend got one 3 years ago that weighed 15 on his much more accurate scale and I have got them there up to 10. The 15 lber dragged us in our row-boat around for a good 20 mins and soaked us both thoroughly before I was able to get it in the net :lol: .

Alfie.

ChasinTails said:

well i was watching river monsters and jeremy wade was pulling in 300lb channel cats of course that was europe not canada

Click to expand...

I believe that was a Wels Catfish.

Alfie.

Alfiegee said:

I believe that was a Wels Catfish.

Alfie.

Click to expand...

Yuppers.

Alfiegee said:

I believe that was a Wels Catfish.

Alfie.

Click to expand...

oh true i get confused when it comes to cats probably was a wells, but dang 300lbs did you see his nile perch looks like the ones you get in simecoe ice fishing but it was 250+ lbs

2.37lb record for bullhead eh...

I bet you that record was smashed many times, but none of us think to report a "bullhead" catch.. Maybe we just don't care or don't think to do it....

I have seen plenty large bullheads, that could rival that weight, and caught one in Trent Canal that weighed just over 3lb and was 16" ... And one from a storm pond that was just over 4lb, and 17" but had the girth of a foot ball! ... Looked like it just finished eating a duck or something !!! ... Again I didn't thikn to record either ....

ANd it's good to know that even the Bullheads are getting in on the Goby feast! I know the smallies definitely love them!