Is this a flathead cat?

[GarGuy]

It is a spawning male channel cat. I'm not guessing. That's what it is. Others have said it and they are right. Puzzle solved guys.

[RiverRat1]

If fish was cleaner it would be easier to tell. I'd say blue cat. Not a flathead. I've caught blue cats that look like that in the Nueces.


BTW - fish in post 24 are blues.

[Tryton]

I'd say it's a channel cat. Those big ones get a big ole goofy head on them.

[RiverRat1]

It is a spawning male channel cat. I'm not guessing. That's what it is. Others have said it and they are right. Puzzle solved guys.

Not saying you're wrong. You're probably correct. But do male spawning channels not have spots? And are they dark blue and not brown at all?

How big do they get? I've caught them that look just like this one that weighted 8-13 pounds. Assumed they were blues. When cleaned they didn't have yellowish meat like regular channels.

[Mayhem]

World record Riverwalk Polly wog.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[haas0311]

If it’s a bullhead is that the same as a mud cat?

[jp77]

World record Riverwalk Polly wog.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Right!

[RifleBowPistol]

I have never tried to understand the differences between catfish. A few times, I have caught catfish, that I was pretty sure that I knew what they were, but for the most part, I just worry how they taste.

The only catfish I was ever good at identifying are hardheads and gafftop.

[GarGuy]

If fish was cleaner it would be easier to tell. I'd say blue cat. Not a flathead. I've caught blue cats that look like that in the Nueces.


BTW - fish in post 24 are blues.

Yes they turn dark blue and swell up. The fish in post 24 are male channel cat.

[Texas Grown]

If that tail-fin is not V-shaped, that may very well be a record Black bullhead! And it looks pretty flat to me, even scrunched up.



Just check out what TAM has to say. And send them the pics.

http://wildlife.tamu.edu/files/2010/04/2_Identify_Catfish.pdf

[lovetohunt]

I agree it looks like an old male channel cat. The hand holding the tail closed the V of the channels tail.

[Texas Grown]

It weighed 6.5 lbs, and we have been catching lots of bullheads behind the house, however this one didn’t have the light ring at the tail base, that’s why I assumed it want that species either.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

And that sir is a yeller bullhead.

[Texas Grown]

Channel tails have pointy ends, even scrunched up. Count the anel fins. And where to they start? Close to the body? or away from it? Channels start at the body.



Course it could be some type of hybrid too.






Gur Guy is correct in pointing out that male channels head's swell up during the spawn. Kinda like a male teen on or after a first date sometimes.

[Texas Grown]

Simple video showing tails of Blue, channel, and yeller. That fish in OP don't have a forked tail!



[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hXpDDl_GV0g"]YouTube[/ame]

[Hunting4fun]

If you clean it and it loses 5 gallons of blood then still won't die it's a channel.