Flathead Catfish
Pylodictis olivaris
5 flathead catfish daily; minimum length 18 inches.
Identify your catch
Broad flattened head, projecting lower jaw and a tail that is not deeply forked.
Habitat on Lake Livingston
Turbid water, a major river channel and tributary creeks.
Fishing approach
White bass: spring tributaries. Striped bass: spoons or live shad near the US 190 bridge. Bass: northern bays and creeks in spring/fall. Blue/channel catfish: organic or live baits along channels.
Fishing guidance describes documented approaches, not a promise of fish activity today.
women of childbearing age and children under 12 — DO NOT EAT; adult men and women past childbearing age — at most 1 meal/month.
Harvest permission and eating restrictions are separate.
General species guide
Prefers cover such as submerged wood and feeds mainly on live fish as an adult.
General Flathead Catfish profile →Sources & lake evidence
Occurrence documented in the TPWD lake guide, fisheries survey or historical records. Historical evidence does not establish present abundance. Current harvest rules were checked separately from older survey regulations.
Lake harvest rules ↗Eating guidance ↗Lake habitat & fishing guide ↗Fisheries survey · species evidence ↗Species identification ↗