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Help Identifying bullhead from catfish

3K views 12 replies 8 participants last post by  roadkill 
#1 ·
Well, It's been a long time since I caught a bullhead and I haven't caught many cats except by accident while bass fishing.

Today I caught what I think was an extremely large (15 1/2") bullhead on a 4" tube while bass fishing.

The fish had greyish skin, no spots and did have the 'spikes' in the dorsal and pectoral fins...The spikes are what have me leaning towards bullhead because I don't think channel cats have them

If Memory serves, Channel cats don't have the thorn like spikes on the fins and have a brown or yellowish skin with black spots.

Sorry, but I don't have a pic...it's still in the camera..

If anyone can help me out on this I'd appreciate it.
 
#2 ·
Well, after doing a bit of research, It looks like they both have the spines on the dorsal and pectoral fins but the cat has a forked tail while the bullhead has a flatter tail. The bullhead's fins are also rounded where the cat's are pointed.

I can't remember what my fish had, I'll have to wait until I get pics back.
 
#3 ·
Id have to see it to be for sure...but Bullheads dont generally got too big and are pretty short and fat in stature....and very dark in color, green or brown with yellowish bellies. they hit pretty hard, and are slimy as heck. they also have very big heads in proportion to thier bodies...not too pretty i gotta say, but they can provide alot of fun for kids because they are easy to catch.

the term "catfish" overs a whole slew of different species....but in this region you are most likely referring to channel catfish. They can get pretty big, but a 2 lbr is common. they are different variations of colorings, but mostly they appear grey with tiny black spots, and have a forked tail. Bullheads dont have this forked tail, they are usually more rounded if i can remember correctly. they are usually well proportioned, and can appear long and slended compared to a bullhead.

bullhead


channel cat
 
#4 ·
channels lomger skinnyer gray to black many times with spots and the forked tail


bullheads shorter fatter yellow brown

15" is a good sized bullhead ive pulled a few that size from brush hollow
 
#5 ·
Thanks guys,

The more I think about it, the more I think it was a channel cat. I have caught them before on lures while bass fishing. I've never accidentaly caught a bullhead on a lure...unless you count the hair on your legs...When I was a kid they'd come up and bite at the hair on your legs when you were wading or swimming. :p
 
#8 ·
Farmer Ted,
I live in Englewood and on sept. 1st, 1987 the division of wildlife gave me a record fish certificate for a bullhead hybrid. I caught it in a sand pit just north of mineral ave. in between santa fe and platte canyon. Yes, if any of you are familiar to where i,m talking about you CAN fish it no matter what any signs may say. I kept this fish alive and took it up to the dow on broadway and had several dow guys come out to my truck and look at it. A guy who was second in command agreed it was a bullhead,but, robin knox was on vacation and when he got back he wouldn,t give me the black bullhead record straight up and I raised enough hell with them that he finally give me this bullhead hybrid crap. I had a Mr. weber that was the major director and fish biologist for neb. kan. okla. look at my documentation and detailed pictures write a report to the effect of he had NEVER known a bullhead and channel catfish to ever get together and he swore it was a black bullhead! Part of the problem is that the state of colo. D.O.W. have a mindset of their own!~ Anyhow to get back to your question a bullheads anal rays are between 20-24, a channel cat is from24-30. This is the fin on the bottom of the fish back by the tail. A bullheads barbells are black and a channel cats are white. These are the "whiskers" on them. The fellow that sent you the pictures it shows the difference. The world record I.G.F. bullhead is 8.8 lbs. And it was a yellow bullhead I believe. The one I caught was 29.5 inches long and 14.2lbs. weighed at alocal King Soopers. Certified. Bullheads tails are marginally forked and your channel cats are acutely forked. A bullhead goes from dark green to black on it,s top to white or yellowish white on it,s underneath. I,m sorry to be so long winded but I went through hell and can assure you I know the difference between the two! The closest cat to a bullhead is the flat head. I do want to thank you for your post though, because I have been going to go to the dow and ask WHY my hybrid record isn,t on the books. For any one interested I live off broadway and oxford and you,re more than welcome to come see the award and ALL my documentation.
C Ya,
Boyd Smith
 
#13 ·
Foldem said:
Are bullheads any good to eat?

Foldem
they can be just as good as any cats but can be more of a pain to prepare as they are smaller. i like em chunked then battered and fried

makes great fish and chips
 
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