Catfish Habitat and Behavior

Catfish habitat and behavior are different between the species. Some of the behaviors and habitats overlap. There are a few differences each species exhibits. Understanding any fish’s behavior or habitat is the key to success. You need to understand where they will be and why.

When the sun is bright during the day, all catfish seek deeper water. They prefer low light conditions to feed and be active. The bigger fish lay in the mud in deep holes if spots are available. Plus, catfish tolerate temperatures and low oxygen better than any other fish. There are few fish that can outdo a catfish in terms of surviving harsh environments.

Using the habitat and behavior to find catfish leads to success. The fish seek fallen trees on the outsides of bends in a river or stream. In ponds or lakes, catfish seek an area with low or little light penetrating the water. In clear water, the fish go deep, likely the deepest water in most instances. The location of the catfish influences the choice of rigs at times.

Note; Catfish are not aggressive towards humans. But will cause injuries with their fin rays. Learn to hold a catfish the correct way.

Channel Catfish Habitat and Behavior

How to catch channel catfish takes knowing the behavior and habitat. Channel catfish prefer streams and rivers with higher oxygen content. They will live in ponds and lakes also. The range of these fish goes from southern Canada to Northern Mexico. Showing the fish’s ability to tolerate different temperatures.

A channel catfish is a deep water fish most of the time. It does live in the shallows during the spawning season. The spawn occurs when the water temperature reaches about 80 degrees. This occurs in April in the south and later the farther north they live. They will spawn as late as July in the farthest reaches into the Northern U.S. and Canada.

The females need cool water and short days to properly develop their eggs for the spawn cycle. During the spawn, a male will darken in color and develop a thick pad on its head. The male will help identify when the spawn is happening. After the females lay the eggs the male does guarding duty. The females lay the eggs in a depression or cavity along the bank.

Target the fish in deeper water except during the spawn. At that time, focus on the shallows near tributaries and shorelines with potential for cavities underneath the water. The fish will use areas with the bottom made of sand or small gravel also.

Channels are confusing to identify from blues. The channel has less than 30 fins on the anal fin, typically 24-29 rays. Plus the small black spots are common fish except for the larger ones.

Flathead Catfish Habitat and Behavior

You will find the flathead in many states across the U.S. due to stocking. The original range was the Mississippi river system and tributaries up to western Pa. Plus the Missouri River system along with Lake Erie and Michigan. These fish do thrive in many of the southern waterways after stocking.

Note; Do not move flatheads to other waterways. They harm some species. This is a problem in regions throughout the U.S.

Flathead is a predator by nature. These fish prefer live food. They rest in deep pools and move into the riffles or shallows at night to feed. They prefer large rivers with hard bottoms. The larger fish prefer to use cover in the sluggish water. You find them in log jams, around large rocks, rip-rap, and piles of debris. The adults are solitary making the fish more difficult to locate and catch.

Smaller fish will live in streams and the shallower water until they reach adult age. These are often the turbid waters with a higher flow.

In lakes or reservoirs, the fish seek the deep water near old roadways, streambeds, and other structures. Some people find the flathead elusive due to the behaviors it uses. You need to study the waters you fish and find the proper habitat for flatheads. They are more particular than other catfish in terms of habitat. Plus the solitary aspect adds to the challenge of finding the fish.

Flatheads attain a large size up to 4 feet and in excess of 40-50 pounds. The average is around 24-26 inches in many regions.

Blue Catfish Habitat and Behavior

This fish is common in many regions of the US. Once thought to be strictly freshwater. Officials know the fish can tolerate brackish water. This has led to the blue moving into waters originally not specified for the species. In other words, the blue is an invasive species in some waters.

A blue catfish is a deep water species. They are found in large rivers as it is their preferred habitat. Rivers with swift currents and sandy bottoms are ideal habitats. They tend to stay in the channels of rivers and large streams. Yet the hardiness allows the fish to sustain good populations in many waterways. As mentioned this fish can handle salinity. It will enter bays and travel to other rivers.

Plus in the summer the fish move upstream in search of cooler water. During the winter they travel downstream in search of warmer waters.

This species is a close cousin to the channel catfish. Telling the difference need you to count the anal fin rays. A blue has 30-35 rays on the anal fin. The skin is unspotted with slate grey on the sides and back. The belly is white also.

These fish grow larger than the channel catfish. This fish can grow to 5 feet and weigh in excess of 100 pounds. The average size is 2 feet and 5 pounds. In areas with good populations, a fish around 50 pounds is not uncommon.

Bullheads

One of the smaller catfish species rarely exceeds 14 inches in length. The fish is common in streams, ponds, and lakes. This fish thrives in murky and low oxygen content. You find high populations of these fish usually in areas with unsuitable habitats for most other species. It is in other water in low numbers. It is not stocked and is considered more of a nuisance.

They come in brown, yellow, and black in the common species. The white catfish is similar in details but not true bullhead but often people call it a bullhead catfish. People confuse the brown and black bullhead with flatheads. Look at the tail to see the difference. Bullheads lack a tail with a fork shape. The size will eliminate many bullheads for flatheads also. Bullhead goes around 2 pounds with the largest recorded being 8 pounds.

Bullheads are found east of the continental divide. They range from Texas to a few Canadian provinces. People do eat the fish but you need a few to make a good meal. They are also good for bait for large catfish species. I do not recommend eating the bullheads. They are known to eat sewage and other nasty items.

Conclusions

If you know where to find the fish. The first hurdle is over. Understanding the behavior helps with bait choices and presentation. Catfish eat about anything yet prefer certain foods. Plus you have to place the bait in the right spot. Understanding catfish behavior and habitat will solve these problems.