Channel Cat Vs Blue Cat

Blue catfish ictalurus furcatus are one of the largest species of the north american catfish. The best way to tell the difference between the two species is the ray count on the anal fin. Typically blue catfish have 30 plus anal rays vs.
channel cat vs blue cat

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Channel cat vs blue cat. A sure fire way to determine which catfish you just caught is by counting the number of rays on the anal fin. Channel catfish are known to turn a dark blue color and are often mistaken for blue catfish. Their bellys are white. New member new subcriber and first post but have read the forums on pb for several years while dreaming about my new pondsi have 2 ponds being built.

Some channels only have 20 or so anal rays. Channel cats have 25 to 29 rays. Blue catfish 2 lb from trotline one channel 175 lb rod n reel magic bait other channel cats 5 keepers on yoyo at night magic bait from my. Blue cats have 30 to 36.

Blue cats are known to have over 30 of these rays while channel catfish have significantly less. Body without dark spots b. Flatheads almost always are caught in or near some type of dense cover while blues and channel cats most often are not. More about channel catfish.

More about blue catfish. Channel cats and blues sometimes do this too but not as frequently as their big brown cousins. The best way to tell the difference between a channel catfish and a blue is to count the rays on the fishs anal fin. Unlike channel catfish the blue cat is unspotted.

They both should be c. Body with dark spots spots may be absent in large adults b. One is 2 acres 17 max depth average 6 7 and the other one is 1 12 acres 11 max depth average of 6. They are slate gray on the upper sides and back.

Outer margin of anal fin straight and anal fin with 30 to 36 rays. Outer margin of anal fin rounded and anal fin with 24 to 29 rays. The channel catfish with 29 or less.