Big Indiana Bass

The protection of trophy catfish has become a hot button issue these past couple years in several Midwestern states, including Indiana. This past week there was a good story with included video on the subject in the IndyStar, which can be found at the following link:

• Sport and commercial fishermen battle over monster catfish

 

Additionally, the most recent addition of the "Hoosier Conservation" Newsletter, November 3, 2014, Vol. 53 No. 3, which is put out by the Indiana Wildlife Federation (follow link to learn more about them), had a story/op-ed piece on the same basic subject of considering catfish to be classified as a sport fish. I received permission to reprint that piece from IWF staff, and it is reprinted in its entirety below.

 

Rough Fish or Recreation Sensation?

It is hard to comprehend that Indiana’s largest freshwater predators are seen merely as “rough fish.” To place channel catfish, and particularly blue and flathead catfish, in the same category as common carp (an exotic invasive species), gizzard shad, and gar seems absurd -- especially when species such as yellow bass, saugeye, and chain pickerel have been given sport fish status in Indiana. The Indiana Catfish Conservation Association would like to see this designation changed and catfish given the protection they require as critical components of our aquatic ecosystems and the respect they deserve as some of Indiana’s most sought after species of fish.

The general public may see catfish as bottom-dwelling trash fish that eat stinky cheese, hotdogs, and dead stuff. However, in reality, catfish are the top predators in many of Indiana’s waterways. Channels and flatheads can be found in nearly every corner of the state and blue catfish inhabit our larger rivers. Although all three species are opportunistic feeders, they are also voracious predators that can, and will, eat anything they can get in their mouths. These species are necessary components in our rivers to keep populations in balance. Additionally, with the invasion of Asian carp, flathead and blue catfish are practically the only natural line of defense our waterways have and we need these catfish to help preserve what ecological integrity we have left in our riverine ecosystems.

As a recreational resource, catfish are some of the most sought after species by Indiana’s licensed anglers. Surveys conducted over the past 30 years by the Indiana DNR’s Fisheries Section have consistently documented that catfish rank among the top five most preferred species to catch in Indiana. In the 2005 licensed angler survey, catfish ranked 4th overall in angler preference as a group. Individually, channel catfish, blue catfish, and flathead catfish ranked as the 4th, 6th, and 9th species most often fished for by Indiana’s anglers, respectively. Those rankings put channel catfish and blue catfish ahead of walleye and flathead catfish in front of our highly touted and managed muskellunge. To go along with their popularity, catfish are the largest fish anglers can catch in our state. The state record blue catfish topped the scales at 104 pounds. The record Indiana flathead is 79 pounds. Channel catfish, the smallest of the three species, boasts a 37- pound record – only a few pounds shy of the state’s musky and striped bass records.

However, no effort has been made to officially list them as sport fish. It is time for blue, channel, and flathead catfish to be granted status worthy of their popularity. We need to stop viewing catfish as nuisance rough fish and recognize them as the recreation sensations that the majority of Indiana’s anglers know they are.

 

Contributed by Matt Burlingame
Environmental Studies Instructor, Manchester University