Erie Channel Cats July 6th

[Fish em All]

Decided to try fishing an Erie tributary for a few hours this morning for some big channel cats....The water was high and fast from all of the rain the area received over the last couple of days, temperature was 67.5. We caught 5 fish using cut bait on bottom and float rigs, biggest cat of the day was a 15 pound male wearing his dark spawning colours.

 

[Tcat]

Holy some big cats there and boy are they one ugly looking fish but trophies none the less.Good job guys.

 

[Duck Soup]

Real nice cats. I've yet to catch one much over 5 pounds.

 

[stomp]

Real nice cats. I've yet to catch one much over 5 pounds.

I came close once... and then I found out that a net was an absolute necessity

 

[big rod]

Nice catfish,i dont know a thing about them but i catch them trolling for walleye.One caught last week was as black as the hog in your photo,i did not know that was there spawning colour.Some of the cats i caught last week had big wide mouths and others had very small mouths.Whats with that ,any idea.I thought a channel cat is a channel cat.The difference in size of the mouths was odd.

 

[wildeye rainbow]

Nice cats for sure. I'll more than likely get a few on the French R next week trolling worm harnesses targeting walleye.

Haven't hit the tribs this year as hard as past years - hopefully when I get back from the French.

WR

 

[buck]

hey guys are those cats good eating i had some down in florida and they were pretty good just wondering if the ones up here are good

 

[quinner01]

Some people do smoke them. Id assume catching them in the Spring (colder water) would be ideal if eating.

 

[Duckman1967]

They are as good as walleye I have made catfish and walleye together no one could tell the difference

 

[makoassault]

I always liked my catfish BBQ'd, I find it gets most of the fat out of them

 

[Fish em All]

Thanks for the replies...As male channel cats approach the spawn they change in colour from slate grey to dark blue, to a dark black. Their heads become swollen as they use this and their large mouths to protect nesting cavities. Female channel cats are generally more yellow in colour and have smaller heads and mouths. We release all of the catfish we catch, they are slow growing fish and have read it can take a channel cat 9 years to reach 5lbs. Have had smaller cats smoked and deep fried and were very tasty, but generally prefer perch and walleye!!!