black catfish

[Hookman]

when i lived FLA. i caught a lot of black catfish. why don`t i ever here about them. has anybody caught one.

[cook]

What size were they.When we are in Fl.,we catch them too.Definatly not channels.Locals called them butterballs.I think they were brown bullheads,but they averaged 3-5 pounds.Some spots they were black,other areas they were motled(? sorta spotted)might have to do with the water chemistry.

They are sweet and tasty

[capt.kirk]

i live on a brackish water canal that is fed from the cootee river,i started
catching black catfish off my boat dock with nightcrawlers,the fish were
jet black and shaped like a channel cat,i was fishing on the bottom in about
7 foot of water,they were crusing thru the mussel shell beds.they run 3 to 6
pounds,with 1 going 14.7 they are as good as any cat i have ever eaten.
once in a while you will catch some that are black and silver mix color.they
are not here every day,but i can chum them up sometimes with cheap bag
of cat food,some days the chum brings the sheephead around and will take
dead shrimp.yeasterday 6 sheep head i red 17",just never know whats going
to be in the brackish water,june 22 nd got a 31 lb tarpon fishing for blue gill,
i hope this will awnser your question on black cats,extra info NO CHARGE.
KIRK :D

[Stump Bumper]

I learn something new every day. I sure would like to catch one someday....Ray

[Hookman]

i caught all of mine in fresh water. the biggist one that I saw was 35" long 15.5#. all black with a white belly with a lot of small black spots. biggist one i caught was about 10#. i herd they are not native to the U.S.A. they come from south america and grow too 50# and git a red spot on there tail above 40#s. they are good eating

[Hookman]

thanks for your coments guys, i am surprised there wern`t more and some pics. thanks again HOOKMAN.

[capt.kirk]

HOOK MAN
i have a nice picture of 5 laying on my drive way i will post the pic when
i get my own wrinkeled up mug up for halloween.
KIRK :eek:

[playinghooky]

Those cats seem cool looking Would like to see a picture of one I lived in Fl wonder why you dont hear much about them

[flathunter]

I had a friend who caught a nice channel cat a couple years ago hear in Ohio that was almost completly black, first one I have ever seen.

[capt.kirk]

i was talking to stump bumper by e mail,i said i belive they at one time were an ocean cat, that had adapted to fresher water.i dont have
any proof to back that up,but it does sounds like a reasonable assumption,
all i know for sure is they taste as good or better than any catfish,i have
ever eaten,my wife does not really care for catfish,but she ate the heck
of the black ones. :)