Are walking catfish edible?

[jimellinwoodbiz]

A pond right near me has been pretty much taken over by walking catfish, many 24" or more in length. I tried filleting one although it was mighty skinny behind its large bony head, and the meat was more red than white so I decided to wait and see if anyone actually eats these things. I hope so because I like most catfish and these are large and easily available.
Jim

[orion_xxvx]

Could you take a pic so I can see exactly what species this is?

[Pirate Jerry]

The small (12-14 inch) walkers are Ok to eat. When I was living in Homestead Florida, after a heavy rain the walkers would come out of storm drains and drainage ditches and could be found in flooded yards and parking lots. You would see people with buckets and dipnets everywhere chasing the catfish down. I never saw one over about 14 inches tho. A 24 inch one would be a monster for a walker.

[metalman]

"Are walking catfish edible?"

Only if you get them in a "to go" order:roll_eyes:...W

[223reload]

I remember the news story's in the 70's about the walking catfish invasion.

[Gordhawk]

I've heard of "walking tacos",but have never heard of a "walking catfish"!

[mighty_thorr]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ijSbKhcbvwg&feature=related

http://youtube.com/watch?v=JrpCDHZMiqk&feature=related

[jimellinwoodbiz]

Could you take a pic so I can see exactly what species this is?
Rob,
I will try to catch one tomorrow and photograph it. Thank you for your response.
Jim

[seacatfish]

Eat it! Then if it is not to your liking, eat it a different way. All fish are edible. Catfish are the most widespread food fish worldwide. What is the odds that only one species is not worth eating.

Seriously, I looked them up on the web and found they are raised as a farmed food fish.

The kids caught a little one in a ditch. We put it into the fish tank with a couple of big oscars. All 3 fish were about the same length, 6 or 7 inches. I thought they were doing ok together, just looked like the cat was chasing the oscars a little. It seems that it was doing it all night, too. The third day we woke up and the thing had SCALED the one oscar it had focused on. I mean 90 percent of the scales were knocked off. I inspected the cat and found it has the normal rough jaw surface of a catfish, it`s just turned upward and outward. It is a scaling machine! `Course the oscar died. Must be one of the ways these walking cats kill off other fish in the waterways.

[Scott Daw]

Death to the Clarias Cats!! evil little buggers will invade a place, clear it out of anything edible and walk off to a new hole to destroy! kill em all.

[aysil2004]

A pond right near me has been pretty much taken over by walking catfish, many 24" or more in length. I tried filleting one although it was mighty skinny behind its large bony head, and the meat was more red than white so I decided to wait and see if anyone actually eats these things. I hope so because I like most catfish and these are large and easily available.
Jim

Walking Catfish can be eaten. I have not seen it filleted, but usually grilled whole, peel off the skin. The meat is then dipped in light soy sauce with lemon.

[jolie]

Walking Catfish can be eaten. I have not seen it filleted, but usually grilled whole, peel off the skin. The meat is then dipped in light soy sauce with lemon.

Some reputation to you for your interesting reply. Welcome to the BOC. I'd be a novel catch and an interesting meal, I'm sure.

I have seen all kinds of catfish photos. to show one of near an inviting blue swimming pool is awesome.
Its snowing HARD here in PA right now !!!

[psychomekanik]

If the meat is really red, I bet if you hang it, and cut off it's tail and bleed it out till it's dead it won't be so red..