Flathead Catfish

The Flathead Catfish is one of North America's largest freshwater catfish species, belonging to the family Ictaluridae. It is native to the Mississippi River basin and Gulf Coast drainages but has been widely introduced elsewhere, sometimes becoming an invasive predator of concern. Unlike most catfish, Flatheads are almost exclusively predatory on live fish rather than scavenging dead material, making them formidable apex predators in their home ranges. They can live several decades and reach exceptional sizes, with some individuals surpassing 45 kg. Flathead Catfish are popular sportfish, particularly among anglers targeting trophy-sized specimens from deep river holes and reservoir structure.

Flathead Catfish have a distinctively broad, flattened head and a squarish, protruding lower jaw that extends beyond the upper jaw, unlike other North American catfish. The body is heavy and cylindrical, tapering toward a squared-to-slightly-notched tail fin rather than the deeply forked tail of Blue Catfish.

• Mottled yellow-brown, olive, or pale coloration with dark blotches
• Small eyes set high on the flattened head
• Adipose fin present; anal fin short and rounded (not long like Blue Catfish)

Juveniles are more boldly mottled than adults, which can darken with age; large adults are unmistakable due to their sheer bulk and jaw shape.

Flathead Catfish inhabit large, warm rivers, backwaters, and reservoirs, favoring areas with deep holes, submerged logs, root wads, and other heavy cover where they can ambush prey. They are most active in warm, slow-to-moderate current and tolerate turbid water well. Native range covers the Mississippi, Missouri, and Ohio River basins plus Gulf Coast drainages from Texas to Florida, but introductions have established populations in Atlantic coastal rivers and the western United States. During the day they retreat to submerged cover or undercut banks, becoming most active at night. Young fish use shallower, faster-flowing riffle habitat before moving to deeper cover as adults.

Flathead Catfish are solitary, territorial, and primarily nocturnal, spending daylight hours motionless in cover before actively hunting live prey after dark. They are true piscivores, feeding heavily on sunfish, shad, and other catfish, showing little interest in dead or decaying bait compared to other catfish species. Spawning occurs in late spring to early summer in cavities such as hollow logs, undercut banks, or rock crevices, where males guard the nest and fan the eggs until hatching. As large apex predators, Flatheads can significantly reduce native fish populations when introduced outside their native range, prompting management concern in some watersheds.