Channel Catfish
Ictalurus punctatus
For blue and channel catfish, no minimum length limit; daily bag limit = 25 in any combination, of which only 10 can be 20 inches or greater in length. For flathead catfish, minimum length = 18 inches and daily bag limit = 5.
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 Placid
Docks, piers, bulkheads, overhanging brush and floating plants provide cover; scattered submerged wood and upper-river rocks add structure.
Fishing approach
Lake guide guidance: Fish shaded cover for bass with plastics or jigs; cooler-month crappie use submerged brush. Prepared or cut bait can take catfish; worms or crickets suit sunfish.
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 ↗