Scientific Name
Ictalurus punctatus
Image Credit
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Length
36-53 centimetres (14-21 inches)
Weight
0.9-1.8 kilograms (2-4 pounds)
Location
- common in southern Ontario lakes, including Lake Huron, Lake Ontario, Lake Erie, Lake St. Clair, Lake Simcoe and Georgian Bay
- also found in large rivers, like the French, Ottawa and upper St. Lawrence
Description
- large, elongated body with no scales
- 4 pairs of dark barbels around the mouth
- pale blue, pale olive or grey back
- lighter sides, often with black spots
- grey to yellow to silver-white belly
- tail is more forked than a bullhead’s
Habitat
- warm-water habitats in lakes and streams
- cooler and swifter water than most other Ontario catfish
- fast water downstream from power dams
Angling Tips
- try protected areas like deep holes below riffles, and under drift piles or overhanging banks
- still-fishing is recommended
- active feeders all day long
- often active during low light periods (dawn and dusk) and even through the night
- sometimes take spinners and small plugs
- try bottom fishing or drifting a live minnow under a small float
Common Bait
- crayfish, earthworms, large dead minnows
- cheese
- strips of cut herring or smelt
- chicken entrails