Channel Catfish
Ictalurus punctatus
For blue and channel catfish, minimum length = 14 inches and combined daily bag limit = 15 fish. For flathead catfish, minimum length = 18 inches and daily bag = 5.
Gear restriction: Fishing is by pole and line only. Anglers may use no more than two poles while fishing.
Identify your catch
Forked tail; younger fish commonly show dark body spots. The anal-fin edge is more rounded than in blue catfish.
Habitat on Abilene
Brush and rocks provide cover; flooded woody vegetation adds habitat when the reservoir fills.
Fishing approach
Lake guide guidance: TPWD describes working brush for bass and crappie; the guide’s forward-looking catfish prediction is omitted.
Fishing guidance describes documented approaches, not a promise of fish activity today.
No active lake-specific advisory or possession ban was named in the reviewed DSHS directory. This does not guarantee that fish are safe to eat.
Harvest permission and eating restrictions are separate.
General species guide
Occurs in rivers, lakes and reservoirs; feeds on a wide range of aquatic food.
General Channel Catfish profile →Sources & lake evidence
TPWD lake guide and reviewed fisheries evidence establish the listed species or group. Historical survey records do not establish current abundance.
Lake harvest rules ↗Eating guidance ↗Lake habitat & fishing guide ↗Species identification ↗