Burwell40
08-17-2006, 08:53 AM
Iowa Brothers and Sisters,
I have read of a Blue-Channel hybrid that commercial catfish farms raise. They grow lots faster than channels and can, of course, get lots bigger. We have seen the DNR introduce hybrid bass into Iowa waters. Why not hybrid catfish? I think the shad population in Iowa reservoirs would support the hybrids. Hopefully, the channel cat half would allow the cat to grow in the colder Iowa waters. What do you all think? I've emailed a couple of folks at the Iowa DNR to propose this.
I think it would be cool if, in 10 years or so, Iowa catfishermen could be hauling in 20 lb blue-channel hybrids. If this appeals to you as well, perhaps we could start a lobbying campaign to give this a whirl. I think having the opportunity to catch huge cats would be a huge bonus for our sport and you'd see a lot more people getting out there trying to catch catfish. While we all know that there is a healthy population of flatheads in most Iowa rivers and reservoirs, they are tough for the average catfishermen to catch. Blues can be fished very similarly to channel cat...a hybrid even more similar I'm thinking.
Let me know what you think. If any of you have DNR contacts or, better yet, if any of you work at the DNR, please, let's start a dialogue. I'm not getting any younger and I'd like to catch a huge catfish in Iowa before I die!
Mike.
I have read of a Blue-Channel hybrid that commercial catfish farms raise. They grow lots faster than channels and can, of course, get lots bigger. We have seen the DNR introduce hybrid bass into Iowa waters. Why not hybrid catfish? I think the shad population in Iowa reservoirs would support the hybrids. Hopefully, the channel cat half would allow the cat to grow in the colder Iowa waters. What do you all think? I've emailed a couple of folks at the Iowa DNR to propose this.
I think it would be cool if, in 10 years or so, Iowa catfishermen could be hauling in 20 lb blue-channel hybrids. If this appeals to you as well, perhaps we could start a lobbying campaign to give this a whirl. I think having the opportunity to catch huge cats would be a huge bonus for our sport and you'd see a lot more people getting out there trying to catch catfish. While we all know that there is a healthy population of flatheads in most Iowa rivers and reservoirs, they are tough for the average catfishermen to catch. Blues can be fished very similarly to channel cat...a hybrid even more similar I'm thinking.
Let me know what you think. If any of you have DNR contacts or, better yet, if any of you work at the DNR, please, let's start a dialogue. I'm not getting any younger and I'd like to catch a huge catfish in Iowa before I die!
Mike.