Blue Catfish vs. Channel Catfish
Blue catfish and channel catfish are two of the most popular catfish for those that love to harvest or eat this delicious species. There are several differences that fishermen need to keep in mind when deciding which catfish they would like to go after or to determine what type of catfish they have caught.
Count the Number of Rays
Channel catfish are known to turn a dark blue color and are often mistaken for blue catfish. A sure-fire way to determine which catfish you just caught is by counting the number of rays on the anal fin. Blue cats are known to have over 30 of these rays while channel catfish have significantly less. Some channels only have 20 or so anal rays. Taking the time to count those is a great way to tell which catfish is on the other end of the line.
Location
Taking the time to learn which catfish are known to populate a region is a great way to tell which type of catfish has been caught, or to decide which catfish to go after. Often, fishermen set out to catch catfish and are happy with either one, but that is an easy way to wind up with a channel instead of a blue catfish. Instead, take the time to learn about the area, bust out the map and set your sites on a member of the catfish family.
Ignore the Blue Color
When a person sees a catfish that is blue, they instantly assume that it is a blue catfish. However, channel cats are known to turn a darker blue color during specific seasons, so it is vital that fishermen do not use this color to identify their fish. This is an easy way to think a fish is a blue catfish when, in fact, it is a channel catfish.
Different Tails
A blue catfish will have a tail that is pointed vs. a channel catfish that has a rounded forked tail. Fishermen that know not to use color to determine the difference and do not want to spend time counting rays often use a quick glance at the tail to determine the difference between cats. This is a great way for beginners to tell the difference as well.
Size
If a monster fish is at the end of the hook, chances are that it is a blue catfish. These fish are known to grow to over a hundred pounds vs channel catfish which rarely grow larger than thirty pounds. Although there are exceptions to this rule, those are the exceptions and are not the norm for these two fish.
Channel Catfish Often Have Spots
Even when channel catfish have turned blue for the season, they will still have spots. Fishermen can tell the difference between these two fish with a quick glance at their side. If there are black or dark brown spots present, it’s a channel catfish. If there are not, there is a chance that it is a blue catfish.
Channel catfish are known for a specific look and a size as are blue catfish. The similarities between the two can make it difficult to tell them apart, but, with experience, a fisherman will be able to identify them both with a quick glance. Keep a list of these tips handy to help out in the meantime.
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