The flathead catfish is also known as the yellow cat, mud cat, Johnnie cat, goujon, appaluchion, opelousas, pied cat and Mississippi cat.
Description
The flathead catfish grows to a length of and may weigh up to, making it the second-largest North American catfish. The average length is about 25-46 in. Its maximum recorded lifespan is 24 years. Males are mature from and 4 years of age, while females mature from and 5 years of age, but may mature as late as 10 years. The world angling record flathead catfish was caught May 14, 1998, from Elk City Reservoir, Kansas, and weighed. However, a record from 1982, caught by "other methods", shows that the flathead catfish would be North Americas longest species of catfish, after a specimen pulled from the Arkansas river measured 175 cm and weighed 63.45 kg.
Distribution and habitat
The native range of the flathead catfish includes a broad area west of the Appalachian Mountains encompassing large rivers of the Mississippi, Missouri, and Ohio basins. The range extends as far north as Canada, as far west as Texas, and south to the Gulf of Mexico including northeastern Mexico. The flathead catfish cannot live in full-strength seawater, but it can survive in 10 ppt for a while and thrive in up to about 5 ppt.
Diet
The flathead catfish prefers live prey. It is a voracious carnivore and feeds primarily on fishes, insects, annelid worms, and crustaceans. It also feeds on other small catfish and almost anything that moves and makes vibration.
Breeding
Spawning of P. olivaris occurs in late June and early July, and the nests are made in areas with submerged logs and other debris. The males, which also build the nests, fiercely and tirelessly defend and fan the clutch. The size of the clutch varies proportionately to the size of the female; an average of 2,640 eggs per kilogram of fish are laid. The fry frequent shallow areas with rocky and sandy substrates, where they feed on insects and worms such as annelids and polychaetes. Young flathead catfish are also cannibalistic, which has largely precluded their presence in aquaculture.
Relationship with humans
Inhabiting deep pools, lakes, and large, slow-moving rivers, the flathead catfish is popular among anglers; its flesh is widely regarded as the tastiest of the catfishes. Its size also makes the flathead catfish an effective subject of public aquaria.
Sport fishing for flathead catfish using either rod and reel, limb lines, or bare hands can be an exciting pastime. Anglers target this species in a variety of waterways, including small rivers, large rivers, and reservoirs. A common element of flathead catfish location is submerged wood cover such as logs and rootwads which often collect at bends in rivers. A good flathead spot usually also includes relatively deep water compared to the rest of a particular section of river, a moderate amount of current, and access to plentiful baitfish such as river herring, shad, carp, drum, panfish, or suckers. Anglers targeting large flathead catfish usually use stout tackle such as medium-heavy or heavy action rods from in length with large line-capacity reels and line ranging from test breaking strength. Generally large live baits are preferred such as river herring, shad, sunfish, suckers, carp, goldfish, drum, and bullheads ranging from in length.
