Catfish, Bait, and Catfishing Techniques

1. Catfish, Bait, and Catfishing Techniques Aquaculture

2. Objectives • Identify three major breeds of catfish on a quiz with 100% accuracy. • Describe each different catfishing techniques learned in the lesson on an exam with 95% accuracy. • Identify catfish anatomy terms discussed in class on a test with 95% accuracy. • Compare and contrast different catfishing techniques in a paper with 90% accuracy.

3. Just a few questions before we get started….

4. Catfish terms

5. Catfish Species • All three species can be commercially grown in the United States

6. Catfish (general) • Catfish do not have scales, but have smooth skin • The fins have venom in them • When you are poked you have severe pain, possible swelling, and stiffness in joints • Be careful when handling catfish

7. Blue Catfish • Largest of species • Can reach 120 pounds • Blueish gray colored • Have a forked tail

8. Blue Catfish • Mainly reside in large rivers and lakes • Like deep areas and secluded holes • Mainly eat gizzard shad

9. Flathead Catfish • Also called: Yellow Cat, Opelousa Cat, Pied Cat, Mississippi Cat, Mud Cat, Shovelhead Cat • Second largest species • Dark brown colored • VERY FLAT head

10. Flathead Catfish • Prefer slow current and very cloudy waters • Prey on live fish only, like shad and sunfish, they are not scavengers • Nest in logs, rocks, and dense covering

11. Channel Catfish • Third largest species • Yellowish colored with definite spots • Like swift gravel covered areas • Small fish and crawdads

13. Baits • Gizzard Shad • Crawdads • Sunfish • Stink bait • Worms

14. Catfishing Techniques • Pole fishing • Trotlines/Troutlines • Jugs/floaters • Limb lines • Noodling • Other techniques

15. Pole fishing • Can be as simple as a stick with a line, hook, and bait • Modern poles have line on a reel where you can reel in your catch

16. Trotlines/ trout lines • a long heavy duty fishing line with many shorter lines and hooks attached to it (usually suspended between buoys)

17. Jugs/ floaters • A main line is tied to the jug or floater • Leader lines with hooks are tied in the middle • At the end of the main line there is a weight tied on to keep the line to the bottom

18. Limb lines • A line is tied to a limb • A hook is tied to the end of the line • Choice bait is put on hook • Perch, sunfish, or bluegill

19. Noodling • Bare hands and feet are used to catch fish • Can dive or stay above water • Fish bite and full the fish out

20. Other techniques • Do you use a different technique?

21. Review • Three main species of catfish? • Main parts of a catfish? • Major baits used to catch catfish? • Do catfish have scales? • What are some different catfishing techniques?

22. Situation • It is around July 4th and you and your teammate have a boat to go fishing on. Your goal is to devise a plan to catch those crazy catfish! Pick out your targeted species of catfish, bait, and technique to be used… You can use noodling, but it will have to be used alongside another technique.

23. CatfishBaits • Blue catfish shad worms • Channel catfish sunfish crawdads • Flathead catfish stink bait • Techniques • Pole fishing • Trotlines/Troutlines • Jugs/floaters • Limb lines • Noodling