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 Palestine
Timber, brush, bridges and upper-lake vegetation.
Fishing approach
White/hybrid bass: winter into spring between the dam and US 155. Crappie: spring jigs/minnows near US 155. Catfish: channel areas. Bass: upper-lake creeks and bays.
Fishing guidance describes documented approaches, not a promise of fish activity today.
No lake-specific advisory found in the checked DSHS active list. This does not establish that fish are safe to eat.
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 ↗