Ontario-Great Lakes Area Fact Sheets

Channel Catfish

General Description

The channel catfish is the largest of the catfishes in Canada and has the following characteristics:

• a large, less rounded body than other catfishes with a large, long, wide head, which is flat to slightly rounded on top;
• a short, wide mouth with a broad, flat undersurface and 4 pairs of darkly coloured barbels;
• the back, top of the head and upper sides are steel-blue to grey;
• the lower sides and the underside are dirty white to silver-white;
• the fins are the same colour as the body and the caudal fin is forked (theonly catfish in Canada with a forked tail); and
• breeding males are often brighter blue in colour.

Distribution

The channel catfish is native to the fresh waters of eastern and central North America. In Canada, it occurs in the St. Lawrence River and its tributaries, in southern Quebec, the Ottawa River and tributaries, all the Great Lakes except Lake Superior, all of Ontario at the level of Lake Nipissing and the French River to Lake Superior, and in the Nelson River system of extreme western Ontario and Manitoba. Of the Prairie Provinces, it is known to occur only in Manitoba and as far north as Lake Winnipegosis and the Little Waterhen River.

Habitat and Life History

The channel catfish is a warm-water species found usually in cool, clear, deeper water with sand, gravel or rubble bottoms. During the day, they are most often found in the protection of rocks or logs. Although they are mainly sedentary animals, channel catfish undergo local movements in lakes and into tributary streams to feed. Channel catfish spawn in late spring or summer and, depending on the habitat, they may or may not migrate into rivers or moving water at spawning time. Spawning takes place in secluded, semidark nests built by the male in holes, undercut banks, log jams or rocks. After spawning, the males protect the nest and fan and clean the eggs with their fins. The eggs hatch in about 5 - 10 days and the young lie on their sides in the nest for 2 - 5 days, after which time they swim to the surface and begin to feed. Like other catfishes, the male probably broods the young, after which time they disperse.

Food Habits

Channel catfishes feed on or near the bottom, during the day and at night. They feed on a wide variety of plant and animal material, which includes mayflies, caddisflies, chironomids, molluscs, crayfish, crabs, green algae, larger water plants, tree seeds, fishes and, rarely, birds. While feeding at night, the channel catfish uses mainly its barbels to search for food; however, it may use mainly sight during the day in its clearer habitat.

Economic Importance

The channel catfish is an important commercial fish in the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River, a challenging sport fish and an excellent food fish.

Fishing Facts

There is a hybrid between the channel catfish and the flathead catfish.

Aboriginal artifacts have always included the spines of this and other species of catfishes, which were used as awls for leather-work or needles.

Further Information

For further information, please contact your local DFO office: http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/oceans-habitat/habitat/aboutus-apropos/regions/arctic-arctique_e.asp?#1