Science Name: | Pylodictis olivaris |
Other Names: | yellow cat, mud cat, shovelhead cat, johnnie cat, goujon, appaluchion |
Ideal Temp: | 75 to 84 |
World Record: | 123 lbs. 9 ounces, Kansas |
Environment: | streams |
Techniques: | medium tackle |
The flathead catfish may spawn from late May through August. Males construct nests by excavating a shallow depression in a natural cavity (a hollow log, cave, or crevice) or near a large object. Females are encouraged by males to lay their eggs in the nest. Over 100,000 eggs may be found in a golden-yellow egg mass which is guarded viciously by the male. Young generally hatch in four to six days. They may school together for several days near the nest, but soon disperse and seek shelter under rocks or brush. Fingerlings feed on insect larvae, juveniles feed on small fish and crayfish, while adults feed almost exclusively on fish. Adults are usually solitary, each staking out a favorite spot, typically in deeper water or under cover, during the day. At night they may move into riffles and shallow areas to feed.
The native range includes a broad area west of the Appalachian Mountains encompassing large rivers of the Mississippi, Missouri, and Ohio basins. The range extends as far north as North Dakota, as far west as New Mexico, and south to the Gulf including eastern Mexico.
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