Channel Catfish
Ictalurus punctatus
Daily bag limit = 5 ( all species combined ) of Which only 1 may be a black bass. No minimum length limits except black bass, which must be 14 inches or greater in length. All public impoundments 75 acres or smaller located totally within an incorporated city limits or a municipal, city, county, or state park. For flathead catfish, minimum length = 18 inches and daily bag limit = 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 Bonham State Park
Pondweed, coontail, lotus, dam-side brush and riprap provide cover, with placed fish habitat.
Fishing approach
Lake guide guidance: TPWD describes seasonal bass lures, natural bait for channel catfish, crappie jigs or minnows, and worms under a float for bluegill.
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 ↗