(
By Josh Otten www.lmrcc.org

Channel Catfish ( Ictalurus punctatus )
Also known as spotted cat, blue cat, river catfish, fiddler, willow cat
Identification:
• skin instead of scales
• upper jaw longer than the lower jaw
• whiskers around mouth
• dorsal and pectoral spines are sharp and deeply serrated
• slender body/deeply forked tail
• anal fin curved/24-30 rays (blue has
30+)
• body is bluish silver on the sides and generally has dark spots
• shading to silvery white on belly www.sportfishworld.com

Channel Catfish ( Ictalurus punctatus ) www.aqua.ucdavis.edu

Channel Catfish ( Ictalurus punctatus )
Channel anal fin has 24-29 soft rays
Flathead tail not deeply forked
Blue
30 or more rays in the anal fin
All photos http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us

Channel Catfish ( Ictalurus punctatus )
• can live as long as 25 years
• state record 36 pounds 8 ounces
• max 60 pounds (world record 58 pounds)
• Typical Adult
• Length: about 24 inches
• Weight: about 20 pounds
• Life span: about 11 years

Channel Catfish ( Ictalurus punctatus )
Habitat:
• found in most large streams, lakes, and many farm ponds
• prefer areas with deep water, clean gravel boulder substrates and low to moderate current
• tolerant of a wide range of conditions
• during the day found in deep holes with protection of logs and rock
• most movement occurs during feeding, around sunrise and sunset

Channel Catfish ( Ictalurus punctatus )
Distribution www.roughfish.com
catfish www.dlia.org
www.iowadnr.com

Diet:
Channel Catfish ( Ictalurus punctatus )
• use taste buds in the sensitive barbels and throughout the skin to locate prey
• primarily but not excessively bottom feeders
• omnivorous feeder/prefer smellier foods
• less than 14” primarily eat aquatic insect larvae and other invertebrates found on bottom
• over 14” primarily eat dead or alive fish
• also eat aquatic and terrestrial worms, frogs, crayfish, mollusks, mulberries, elm seeds and algae

Channel Catfish ( Ictalurus punctatus )
Reproduction:
• sexual maturity comes at five to eight years of age
• begin spawning when water temperatures reach 70 °F
• male channel cat builds a nest in underwater holes, logs or among submerged rocks
• use natural cavities, undercut banks and muskrat burrows as nests
• female lays a gelatinous mass containing between 8,000 to
15,000 eggs
• parents remain over the nest to fan the eggs and guard the young after hatching

Channel Catfish ( Ictalurus punctatus )
Conservation:
• none but raised in hatcheries and fish farms and distributed commercially
Economic Importance:
• commonly in supermarkets and on restaurant menus
• heavily stocked in any water that will hold them
• important commercial fish
• considered one of the best-eating freshwater fish
• most familiar and popular catfish in North America
Ecological Importance
• forages bottom, cleans up carrion
• eats smaller fish www.catfishbaitshop.com

Becker, G. C. 1983. Fishes of Wisconsin. Univ. Wis. Press, Madison.
Carlander, K. D. 1969. Handbook of freshwater fishery biology. Vol. 1. Life history data on freshwater fishes of the United States and Canada, exclusive of the Perciformes. Iowa St. Univ. Press, Ames.
Jenkins, R.E and N.M. Burkhead. 1993. Freshwater Fishes of Virginia.
American Fisheries Society, Bethesda, Maryland.
Robinson, E.H., M.H. Li, and B.B. Manning. 2001. A Practical Guide to
Nutrition, Feeds, and Feeding of Catfish (Second Revision). Mississippi
Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station Bulletin 1113. Mississippi
State University, Mississippi State, Mississippi.
Scott, W. B. and E. J. Crossman. 1973. Freshwater fishes of Canada. Fish.
Res. Bd. Can. Bull. 184:1-966.

Ameiurus natalis
Family Ictaluridae

• Depressed body shape
• Flat head
• 4 sets of barbels
• Dark olive/brown with yellow sides and belly
• Small eyes
• Adipose fin present
• Lighter color barbels than Black Bullhead

• Up to 4 lbs. max
• W.R. 4.4 lbs
• Slightly mottled
• Black margin evident on anal and caudal fin

Iowa DNR
• Range:
• Southeastern Ontario
West to Southern
North Dakota and south throughout the
Central and Eastern
United States.
• Statewide IA: except
N.W. corner http://www.dlia.org

• Habitat:
• Ideal Temperature 72-
80 F.
• Highly Vegetated
• Rivers, Streams,
Lakes, etc. with slow moving water
• Bottom Dwellers
Photo by: Ohio Division of Natural Areas and Preserves

• Diet:
• Minnows,
• Snails
• Larvae
• Crustaceans
• Aquatic Insects
• Benthic Foragers
• Forage mainly at night

•
Reproduction:
• Spawn from May to Early
June
– Male Constructs Nest
– Usually under structure
(Stump)
– 2,000 – 5,000 eggs
– Eggs Hatch in 5 – 10 days
– Both parents guard young until late summer
Photo by: E.R. Degginger

• Conservation Status:
– Exotic Species
– Proliferates well
– Hardy
– Main factor in lake degradation
– Sediment mixing
– Considered from
Rough to Game fish
– No Federal or State protection status
– Survive extreme poor water conditions

• http://www.floridagame.com/freshfish/yellb ullc.asp
• http://www.fcps.k12.va.us/StratfordLanding
ES/Ecology/mpages/yellow_bullhead.htm
• http://www.iowadnr.com/fish/iafish/ylbcard.html
• http://www.dlia.org
.

Ameiurus melas
Chris Steffen
Other Local Names:
Mudcat
Distribution:
Statewide
Identification: dark olive to black, belly white to bright yellow, tail fin slightly notched with light band at base
Habitat: quiet river backwaters, impoundments, ponds, lakes, and slow moving streams typically over soft bottoms; tolerates muddy water, warm temps, and low oxygen concentrations
Iowa DNR www.biology.ucok.org

Identification:
Barbed
Pectoral
Spines?
Black Bullhead
No
Brown Bullhead
Yes
Tail
Shape
Slightly
Notched
Square
Chin Barbel
Color
Distinct
Feature
Gray to
Black
Gray to
Black
Light band at base of tail fin
Mottled
Sides and
Back
Yellow Bullhead
Yes Round
White, not pigmented
Channel Catfish
Yes
Deeply
Notched
White to
Dusky
Dark
Spots on
Sides

Ameiurus melas
Diet: insects, small fish, crayfish, frogs, plant material (live or dead); basically anything it can get in its mouth.
Reproduction: female excavates a saucershaped nest in early summer and lays on average 2,000-6,000 eggs; one or both parents protect young until one to two inches long
Conservation Status: common, sometimes considered an undesirable species
Ouachita National Forest

Ameiurus melas
Size:
• Commonly 6-10 inches
• World Record 8lbs.
• State Record 5lbs. 8oz.
Murray State University
Gary Cole

Ameiurus melas
Economic/Recreational value: popular species with Iowa’s anglers; in 1981 50,000 harvested in Mississippi river worth ~ $10,000
Ecological Importance: serves as prey species for piscivores when small; one of a few species able to survive under poor lake conditions
Los Vegas Wash Coordination Committee

Eddy, S. and J.C. Underhill. 1978. How to Know the
Freshwater Fishes. 3rd Edition. McGraw-Hill,
Boston. 215 pp.
Iowa Department of Natural Resources. Iowa’s threatened and endangered species. Available athttp://www. iowadnr.com/fish/iafish/blb-card.html. October 2004.
Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. Minnesota Fish.
Available at http://www.pca.state.mn.us/kids/fish/bullhead.html. October 2004.
Ohio Department of Natural Resources. Fish and Wildlife.
Available at http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/wildlife/Fishing/aquanotesfishid/chancat.htm. October 2004.
Page, L.M. and B.M. Burr. 1991. Freshwater Fishes of
North America North of Mexico. Houghton
Mifflin Company, Boston. 432 pp.
Pflieger, W. L. 1997. The Fishes of Missouri, Revised
Edition. Missouri Department of Conservation,
Jefferson City Missouri.

Brown Bullhead
(Ameiurus nebulosus, LeSueur)
Chris Lee
Iowa DNR
Other common names : Bullhead, horned pout, red cat, creek cat, mud cat, speckled bullhead, and common bullhead.
Other scientific names: Ictalurus nebulosus (Armstrong 1962).

Brown Bullhead (Ameiurus nebulosus)
Identification : Olive to brown with dark mottlings on sides fading to cream/white underneath.
Fleshy whiskers (barbels) dusty to black.
Relatively short anal fin with 22-23 rays. Rear of caudal fin slightly notched.
• May be confused with Black bullhead,
( Ameiurus melas ).
• However, A. nebulosus has 5-8 large sawlike teeth on rear of pectoral spine whereas A. melas has none.
• Also, A. nebulosus does not have black membranes contrasting with pale rays on caudal and anal fins.
Brown bullhead www.landbigfish.com/fish/fish.cfm?ID=22
Black bullhead http://www.landbigfish.com/fish/fish.cfm?ID=20

Brown Bullhead (Ameiurus nebulosus)
Distribution : Not common anywhere in
IA, but is widely distributed in the northern part of the state. Very few found in interior waters. Most taken from the upper Mississippi backwater sloughs.
A. Nebulosus is native and common to the Atlantic and Gulf slope drainages.
Habitat: Slow moving or stagnant parts of rivers, and streams, also ponds, lakes, and pools that offer a soft bottom.
Iowa DNR
Diet: Brown Bullheads are schooling bottom feeders that feed primarily on crustaceans, insect larvae, worms, snails, crayfish, and small fish, though they will eat virtually anything available, either alive or dead. A large part of their diet is midgefly larvae, or
“bloodworms” which they pick up off of the soft bottom ooze. Teeth in pads on both top and bottom jaws; used for tearing food. They seem to have ravenous appetites and will eat day or night.

Brown Bullhead (Ameiurus nebulosus)
Reproduction: Spawn in late April or May. Males fan out a saucershaped nest where females lay
2,000 to 10,000+ eggs that hatch in
5-8. Both parents guard the eggs during incubation and herd young around for several weeks after hatching. Young reach 2-1/2 – 4 inches in first year and mature in 3 years. Can reach two pounds. (IA
Record: 2-1/2 pounds, no specific species given though. World
Record: 6 lbs, 1oz., NY)
Economic/Recreational Importance:
Popular game species where they exist.
Ecological Importance: Not much due to their lack of distribution and non-predacious lifestyle.
Conservation Status: Abundant. Limit is same as catfish (?): DBL = 8 lake, 15 stream,
PL = 30. No limit in Mississippi River.
Other: Can reach 2+ pounds under ideal conditions, but most commonly range from 8-
10 inches and less than a pound
Konrad Schmidt, University of Minnesota

References: Ameiurus nebulosus
Armstrong, P.B., and J.S. Child (Illus.) 1962. Stages in the development of Ictalurus nebulosus.
Syracuse University Press, NY.
Iowa Department of Natural Resources. IowaDNR Fish and Fishing: Brown Bullhead. Available at: http://www.iowadnr.com/fish/iafish/brb-card.html
. October 2004.
LandBigFish.com. 2004. Brown Bullhead. http://www.landbigfish.com/fish/fish.cfm?ID=22 .
October 2004.
___. 2004. Black Bullhead. http://www.landbigfish.com/fish/fish.cfm?ID=20 . October 2004.
Mayhew, J. 1987. Iowa fish and fishing. Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Des Moines, Iowa. http://www.iowadnr.com/fish/iafish/browbull.html
Page, L.M. and B.M. Burr. 1991. Freshwater Fishes of North America North of Mexico. Houghton
Mifflin Company, Boston.

Pylodictis olivaris
•Dark to olive-brown with dark brownish mottlings on the sides
•Tan to yellow colors on their ventral sides from swimming on sand and light bottoms
•The anal fin is very short with 15-17 rays
•The head is broad and flat
•The lower mandible is longer than the upper unlike channels or blues
Iowa DNR

Where Can I find Flatheads:
•
Submerged Brushpiles
•
Logjams
•
Slack Water just off main Channel
•
Sandy Areas
Distribution: Most of Iowa and its mid to large size rivers. Common in many other areas of the US also.

• Spawning occurs in June and July Flatheads are nest builders
• Grow 2-6 inches in the first year
• Sexually mature in their 3 or 4 year
• Adult diet consists usually of small to mid size fish
• Smaller fish eat crayfish and minnows

• Flathead Catfish are not protected in any way
• Are a popular recreational fish that are healthy in population numbers

• Commercial fishermen along the Mississippi and Missouri rivers bring in $32,500 yearly from the
Mississippi
• Flatheads are a highly sought after fish by
Iowa Fisherman.
Flatheadcat.com

Noodling- The art of sticking your down on it so you can pull it out.
arm in a hole hoping a catfish latches
Some think its crazy, some think it’s the best thing in the world.
Flatheads are the oldest fish behind
Armorplated sturgeon

Mayhew, J. (editor). 1987.
Moines, Iowa. 323 pp.
Iowa Fish and Fishing . Iowa
Department. Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Des
Department of Natural Resources. 2004. Iowa DNR Fish and
Fishing http://www.iowadnr.com/fish/iafish/catfishf.html
CatfishnFlatheads. 2003. http://www.flatheadcat.com/

Fundulus notatus
By Emily Mae Hoffman
Ohio DNR

• Prominent black stripe from snout to caudal fin
• Flattened head and nape
• Silver-white spot on top of head
• Incomplete lateral line
• Epiterminal mouth with small teeth on both jaws
• Dorsal fin begins behind anal fin
• Adults are 1.5-2.5 inches long, max. is 3 inches
Illinois DNR

Iowa DNR
• Small streams in Eastern
Iowa
• Low current
• Travel in pairs
• Swim near water surface

• Feed on water surface
• Aquatic and terrestrial insects
• Crustaceans
• Snails
• Algae
• Feed in morning, late afternoon, and evening

• Summer spawning season
• Male and female lay side by side on aquatic vegetation
• Female deposits eggs singly on aquatic vegetation
• 20-30 eggs are deposited at one time, and is usually repeated after several days
• No further care is provided

• Common in Eastern Iowa
• Population doubling rate of less than 15 months
• Can survive harsh environmental conditions due to breathing oxygenrich surface water
• Is threatened in some states due to water pollution and habitat destruction
University of Michigan

• Preyed upon by larger fish
• Known to jump out of the water to avoid predators
• Hide motionless in aquatic vegetation
• When feeding, their image reflects on the water surface.
When a predator approaches, they dart one way and their image goes another way, which confuses the predator.

Fundulus notatus. August 2004. Available at http://www.fishbase.org/Summary/SpeciesSummary.cfm?ID=3197. October
2004.
Illinois Department of Natural Resources. 2003. Illinois Fishes Families/Species.
Available at http://dnr.state.il.us/lands/education/fish/topmin.htm. October
2004.
Iowa Department of Natural Resources. 1987. IowaDNR Fish and Fishing.
Available at http://www.iowadnr.net/fish/iafish/blackstr.html. October 2004.

By
Shannon Lydic
Natural History Fishes

• Identification: Deeply compressed; 4-7 short dorsal spines; olive green dorsally with yellow spots or wavy lines
• Distribution: Streams and lakes in northern half Iowa

• Habitat: Prefers moderate current; sand to gravel bottom; clean to slightly turbid waters
• Diet: aquatic insects, terrestrial insects, worms, snails, and sometimes fish eggs; occasionally algae
• What eats them: Brook Trout, Walleye,
Basses, and fish-eating birds

• Reproduction: Males build nests in late spring
(May-June). Males secrete white cement chemical to attach nest to vegetation. The nest is made of organic material, algae, and other debris. Female releases 100-500 eggs.
• Conservation: Brook Stickleback is not considered threatened or endangered.
• Ecological Importance: Serve as natural mosquito control

Iowa Department of Natural Resources. 2004. http://www.iowadnr.com/fish/iafish/bsb-card.html
Fishes of Minnesota: Brook Stickleback. 2003. http://www.gen.umn.edu/research/fish/fishes/brook_stickle back.html
Carter, G.R., and J.D. Williams. 2002. National Audubon
Society Field Guide to Fishes Revised Edition. pp. 270-
271. Chanticleer Press, Inc, New York.
Page, L.M., and B.M. Burr. 1991. pp.242-243. Freshwater
Fishes of North America North of Mexico. Houghton
Mifflin Company, Boston.