Lake Texoma Catfish | Channel, Blue & Flathead Catfish
Blue catfish is the largest freshwater sportfish in Texas. Where mature populations exist, 50-pounders are not unusual. Typically, the largest fish are caught by trotliners, some of whom have landed specimens in excess of 115 pounds. The Texas rod-and-reel record is 121.5 pounds. Catfish is the second most preferred group of fish among Texas anglers, and blue catfish rank third behind channel and flathead catfish. Like the channel cat.
Lake Texoma Catfish (Blue Cats)
The blue catfish or Ictalurus is Greek meaning “fish cat”, and furcatus is Latin, meaning “forked”, a reference to the species’ forked tail fin. Blue catfish have a forked tail and are sometimes very similar to channel catfish. However, only the Rio Grande population has dark spots on the back and sides. The number of rays in the anal fin is typically 30-35, and coloration is usually slate blue on the back, shading to white on the belly. Blue cats typically range from 20 to 40 pounds in size.
Catfish Distribution
Blue catfish are native to major rivers of the Ohio, Missouri, and Mississippi river basins. The range also extends south through Texas, Mexico, and into northern Guatemala. In Texas it is absent from the northwestern portions of the state including the Panhandle, but present elsewhere in larger rivers.
