| Catfishing is different than most types of fishing in North America. Channel, blue, and flathead catfish collectively are among the most pursued fish in many of our waterways, yet today there are many places that have no regulations on catfishing. You can keep as many catfish as you want regardless of size. They can be caught not only using rod and reel, but also with trotlines, jugs, limblines, or by hand. In some larger rivers catfish are even considered rough fish and can be fished for commercially. With these pressures making catfish susceptible to harvest it is a tribute to the catfish’s resilience that we can still go out and catch fish, but imagine if catfish management received half the attention that some other sport fish do. It is time to reconsider how we perceive our favorite fish and change the perception of the catfish in mainstream fishing circles. |
| Catfishing today is much different than it was years ago. Historically catfishing has been a way for families to put food on the table with whatever means necessary. Trotlines, jugs, limblines, were all used to be an efficient way to collect food. Today there is an increasing number of anglers who catfish for the sport of it, for the opportunity to catch some of the largest and strongest fish that swim in North American waters. Catfishing is one of the fastest growing segments in freshwater fishing. As the numbers of anglers increase we need to set regulations to manage catfish harvest so we can not only preserve, but improve fisheries nation wide. |
Today we are much more conscious of conservation issues than anglers were years ago. We have all seen black and white pictures of dozens of huge bass, walleye, or musky strung up on stringers and the victorious anglers standing behind their magnificent catch. Those pictures can not be replicated today because these fish are managed to maximize their potential size and numbers for sport. We can still however find these pictures today of catfish. We are a new breed of catfishermen and need to give catfishing the credibility it deserves in the fishing community. Kudos to those conservation departments who have already implemented regulations on fisheries such as the Red River, Missouri River, and others. Hopefully we continue to see improvement in these fisheries and the economic benefits that go with it, and maybe other agencies will follow suit. Catfish are a renewable resource if they are properly managed, but with little to no management in some areas, and the additional pressures that these fish face today their future is uncertain. Too often we wait until damage is already done and have to react to save our natural resources when a proactive approach would have been a much easier route to take. This is the time to act, catfishermen exist in historically high numbers. As a group we comprise a large percentage of fishermen. If you are not satisfied with the regulations that exist in your state contact the Department of Natural Resources and let them know. Get others to do the same. Contact fishing guides who have a vested interest in catfishing. As an individual sometimes it is difficult to get anything accomplished, but if you can get enough voices heard simultaneously they will act. If we act now we can ensure that the catfish is respected as the truly remarkable fish that it is, and ensure that the future of catfishing is a bright one. |
| We tend to forget how small the percentage of fish that make it to adulthood is, and even smaller is the percentage of fish that make it to trophy status. When we remove these fish that have defied the odds we are removing not only the fish itself, but potential trophy offspring. That does not mean that keeping all the small ones you want is the answer either because some of the small ones may also have the trophy genetics in them, they just may be too young to see their potential. In essence you may not only be pulling out a five pound fish, but maybe a potential trophy fish. |
| Ensuring the Future of Catfishing By: Marty Jandura |