Seasonal Changes

Preferring somewhat warmer waters for spawning than other coarse fish, channel cats wait for river temperatures to near 75° F. (24° C) before moving in from the lakes. They congregate in deeper flowing pools and fast channels, particularly on the edges of currents alongside a sandy to rocky bottom. Both parents actively care for their fry, guarding them in loose schools until the young attain a size sufficient to fend for themselves (about two inches).

As they grow, they feed hungrily. And they are not too selective about what they eat. They'll devour minnows, crayfish, clams, snails, and carp, but the angler can easily tempt them with earthworms, cheese, strips of fish flesh, frogs, and even chicken entrails or any other stink bait.

When water is high, catfish often move into the flooded mouths of small streams and backwaters, probably to forage. Their activity is nocturnal but they can still be caught at any time during the day.

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