Catfish

North Florida Catfish

In North Florida there are six catfish species that are considered game fish within the state. Those fish are channel catfish, white catfish, brown bullhead, yellow bullhead, flathead catfish and blue catfish. There are other species of catfish that can be found in the rivers that are smaller such as the snail bullhead, spotted bullhead, and various madtoms. Flathead and blue catfish are non-native species in Florida waterbodies.

What is a non-native species?

A non-native species is a species that in not originally found in Florida. Flathead and blue catfish are native to the Mississippi River basin. Most introductions of flathead catfish come from stockings outside of their native range; within Florida they most likely moved down from the Flint River in Georgia. Blue catfish introductions also come from stockings outside of their native range; within Florida some introduction came from catfish farm ponds flooding. Both species have been known to have impacts on native species, so it is important for FWC biologists to collect data on these populations.

Flathead Catfish Range

Blue Catfish Range

River Summaries

Currently, there is little information on North Florida catfish populations. FWC biologists decided to start investigating catfish populations within North Florida rivers. Currently, 3 rivers have been sampled in 2023 or 2024. Species composition was looked at for each river sampled, and some rivers had prior data that could be used for comparison.

Chipola River species and composition percentage (2023)

Channel catfish: 29%

Flathead catfish: 48%

Spotted bullhead: 5%

Snail bullhead: 17%

White catfish: 1%

Choctawhatchee River species and composition percentage (2024)

*percentages are an average of 2005-2011 and then 2023

Channel catfish: 15% - 29%

Flathead catfish: 55% - 61%

Spotted bullhead: 21% - 0%

White catfish: 10% - 0%

Blue catfish: 0% - 10%

Ochlockonee River species and composition percentage (2024)

*percentages are from 2005 and then 2023

Channel catfish: 23% - 14%

Flathead catfish: 20% - 80%

Spotted bullhead: 43% - 6%

White catfish: 17% - 0.30%

From the data collected, it showed that non-native catfish have the greatest species composition in all three rivers. In rivers with previous data, it showed that most native catfish have decreased in composition. Biologists believe it’s important to keep sampling these rivers to collect data on the catfish population, and expand sampling to other north Florida rivers that have not been sampled in many years.