What Type Of Catfish Is This?

[Trav]

yeah, I think so. thanks for your help.

Another way to tell is to look at the whiskers. Channels will have two dark ones like a horn stache. Blues are usually grey or white and the longer horn whiskers are the same color as the others.

[Greg_s]

The only definative way to tell is to count the rays on the anal fin. Less than 30 is a channel cat. 30 or more is a blue cat.

[esox niger]

counted the rays in the photo as best i could and it had about 30, plus more expert opinion, and my own instinct. yes its a channel cat.

got this blue today on a flesh fly under indicator, and there's no mistaking them for each other.

note: both fish released in good condition.

[flytyer57]

counted the rays in the photo as best i could and it had about 30, plus more expert opinion, and my own instinct. yes its a channel cat.

got this blue today on a flesh fly under indicator, and there's no mistaking them for each other.

Ok. Catfish on the fly. Maybe I missed it, but where are you catching these? I'd love to get a cat on the fly. I've fly fished many a river where I normally caught cats on the baitcaster, but never on the fly. Any tips on how you are doing this?

[esox niger]

Ok. Catfish on the fly. Maybe I missed it, but where are you catching these? I'd love to get a cat on the fly. I've fly fished many a river where I normally caught cats on the baitcaster, but never on the fly. Any tips on how you are doing this?

well to be honest, its not always easy. this past weekend as i said the limb liners were getten em left and right and I got mine casting just off the base of a standing submerged tree. The idea is usually get up tight to structure, either large rip rap or timber. ive gotten as many as 27 good fish in one day but often im lucky to get 3 or 4. this weekend i only landed 2 fish in two days fishing, im still learning to find and locate fish and present them with what they want. not always an easy task.

look for feeder creeks into the missouri and mississippi rivers or fish in the rivers themselves. I typicly throw streamers to catfish ...leeches or minnows, but my two cats from this weekend were caught on a large beadhead caddis with legs and a flesh fly respectively, both dead drifted under an indicator. its easier to fish tight to cover like that. and seems semi productive. i will definitly be using this tactic again. also try drifting a frog imitation, drowned mouse, or minnow/leech flys under indicators as well.

a boat and or a kayak you can stand in is a big help, but is expensive and takes a good deal of work to get where your going.

[flytyer57]

well to be honest, its not always easy. this past weekend as i said the limb liners were getten em left and right and I got mine casting just off the base of a standing submerged tree. The idea is usually get up tight to structure, either large rip rap or timber. ive gotten as many as 27 good fish in one day but often im lucky to get 3 or 4. this weekend i only landed 2 fish in two days fishing, im still learning to find and locate fish and present them with what they want. not always an easy task.

look for feeder creeks into the missouri and mississippi rivers or fish in the rivers themselves. I typicly throw streamers to catfish ...leeches or minnows, but my two cats from this weekend were caught on a large beadhead caddis with legs and a flesh fly respectively, both dead drifted under an indicator. its easier to fish tight to cover like that. and seems semi productive. i will definitly be using this tactic again. also try drifting a frog imitation, drowned mouse, or minnow/leech flys under indicators as well.

a boat and or a kayak you can stand in is a big help, but is expensive and takes a good deal of work to get where your going.

Thanks. I'll have to remember that the next time I go out. Normally with bait, I would just chuck it out in the river above a good looking area and hope the cats are out searching for food. That usually worked. With a fly, I'll have to get downright personal with them and put the fly in their living rooms.

Hopefully I will get my first cat on the fly soon. Of course, I don't live anywhere near the Miss or the Mo, so I'll just have to find someplace here in AR that has good cats. Anybody got any tips on locations for north central AR catfising?