PlanetCatfish.com

Just curious, why do people call a type of catfish a "Blue Channel"? Their is no such thing as a "Blue Channel Catfish". Their is a Blue Catfish and their is a Channel Catfish, but no Blue Channel Catfish.

We don't have Blues in my state (well, we do have some in one big river, but not that many yet and only in that one river). When I go fishing and someone next to me catches a channel, they say, "Its a blue channel cat". Then the first thing I say is, "there's no such thing". "It's a channel cat". Then they say, "Well. . .it's blue, it must be a blue catfish". Of course I have to reply back, "Channel cats come in a few different colors. I've caught yellow ones, blue ones, silver ones, greenish ones, the color of the channel depends on it's environment. You can tell if a catfish is a Blue or a Channel by color." Of course they don't believe me, but o'well.

The biggest problem I have with this is, when I am talking to someone about catching catfish, I want to know what type of catfish they are talking about. Is it a Blue or a Channel. Big difference on many things and it is important to know which one they are talking about. I guess it's one of my little pet peeves.

I mean no offense to anyone, I'm just asking a question.

I certainly don't have the definitive answer to your question, but the Cat-eLog lists
as a Blue Channel Cat and
as a Channel Cat.

Maybe the confusion arises with the "Bullheads".

the White Catfish
the Black Bullhead
the Yellow Bullhead
the Brown Bullhead
or one of the other Bullheads

Dave Rinaldo wrote:I certainly don't have the definitive answer to your question, but the Cat-eLog lists
Ictalurus furcatus as a Blue Channel Cat and. . . .

are actually Blue Catfish as defined by the DNR of all USA states that have them and also the IGFA (International Game Fishing Assoc. - which handles world records for fishing).

There are many common names for each fish. But I believe their is only one true real name other then the scientific name, the rest is just slang. Like some people may call a bullhead a mudcat, but it's still a bullhead catfish. Some people call a Flathead Catfish a shovel head or a yellow-belly, but the real name is still Flathead.

I live at the confluence of the Clearwater and Snake Rivers, both are major tributaries of the Columbia River.
Sometime in the 1880's non-native catfish of the Mississippi River drainage were introduced and became well established. Ameirius species and the Flathead and Channel Cats were also introduced. Channel Cats became especially well established with the Bullhead types prospering where the flows are less. The locals often refer to Channel Catfish as both Blue and Channel Cats. The channel catfish are usually blue gray and which name fisherman use tends to reflect his families' traditional names but some fisherman wrongly believe there are true Blue Cats.(Couldn't resist the pun). I have even caught a few madtoms in sloughs as a kid that apparently were by catch among the larger catfish species fry used for the original introductions. They live a very marginal existence.
Channel cats outnumber the Flatheads by far. Flatheads are rarely caught but when they are, they tend to be large by our standards, 30 to 40 lbs and they seem to be just a giant mouth and head with some fins attached; a classic ambush predator design. The Flatheads tend to be caught in deep holes of slower moving water, The Channel cats are far more stream lined and obviously designed to live in strong water flows.
Most of the Channel cats are about 5lbs but the occasional one runs 10 lbs or more. The unusually large specimens of 10 or more pounds are usually called Blue Catfish as Channel Catfish that large are so unusual, ergo must be a different species.
All these catfish species and all the Centarchids(Small Mouth and Large Mouth bass all the Sunfish, were introduced into what once was the exclusive domain of Salmonids, many small and one large Cyprinid(Columbia Pike Minnow). Carp, are another now well entrenched non-native invasive species. Even some European Tench manage to exist in small numbers although they are not a small fish.
Too bad the native White Sturgeon, which historically reached 12 feet, didn't eat all these introduced species and all the native Salmon and Trout would not have to fight to survive in this milieu of introduced species..

MagicMike304 wrote:There are many common names for each fish. But I believe their is only one true real name other then the scientific name, the rest is just slang.

Generally speaking, I think you are wrong. Perhaps understandebly, but you forgot the situation where more than 1 language is around. Why would a fish in Spanish be referred to by an English name?

Further, apart from French, no other language has a committy which decides which is French and which is not. So perhaps one can say 'only 1 french name applies' but not for English or any other language.

Still language is about communication and if I say I got a blue cat (referring to sp A) and you think of sp B, we have a miscommunication. Personally, Í'd be happy if all common names could be forgotten, but I know I will not see that day

MagicMike,
You raise some great questions. So many people just think of a catfish as a catfish from their local fishing hole. Or, just go to any fish monger to purchase fish for dinner. There is just "catfish, farm raised." Many people are surprised to learn about the thousands of species out there. I'll never forget, about a year ago. People were "shocked" to learn of a "new species" of catfish discovered "South of the Border". One of the newscasters said, "Well, I guess that makes two species." I'll never forget that.

Can you please help me out? What's DNR(besides do not recusitate ).
Thanks!
Amanda

I assumed it was Department of Natural Resources?

Here in Texas it is called Texas Parks and Wildlife

Mikes West Virginia is Division of Natural Resources

Yep, Department of Natural Resources. The name varies between USA States, but it is the gov. dept. that handles fish/game wildlife for each state.

Thanks, mate!
Amanda