How old is a 100 pound catfish?
It's common to see blue cats up 10 years of age, Jerry Brown director with the MDWFP, told the Clarion Ledger. Brown has seen some Mississippi blue cats up to 25 years old. “In the Mississippi River they have plenty to eat, so they can get to that (100-pound plus) size,” Brown said.
Unlike many other gamefish, growth rates for blue catfish are variable and unpredictable. Research has shown that a 20-year-old fish can weigh 5 pounds, or it can weigh 120 pounds.
Holley said he must remove an ear bone to properly age the fish. The oldest catfish he's aged in Alabama weighed 80 pounds and was 25 years old. Catfish in the 50-pound class are typically in their teens. A large catfish in Tennessee was aged at more than 30 years.
After about a year, they become herbivores, and eat plants and algae. The Mekong giant catfish has one of the fastest growth rates of any fish in the world. It can reach up to 440 pounds in only six years. They can live up to 60 years.
The otolith (ear stone or ear bone) is the most commonly used structure for determining the age of fish. Otoliths are calcium carbonate structures found inside the heads of bony fish; sharks and rays lack otoliths. Each fish has three pairs of otoliths, which vary in shape and size.
Flathead catfish reach sexual maturity between the ages of 4 and 6 and have an average life span of 20 years. Remember that this is only an average. A 70 lb flat could be 40 or 50 years old, 123-pound fish could be older, but it could be in a fishery with more food.
Blue catfish have four pairs of black whisker-like barbels around their mouths. While adults usually grow to be less than 2 feet long, they can grow to be 5 feet long and weigh more than 100 pounds.
It's common to see blue cats up 10 years of age, Jerry Brown director with the MDWFP, told the Clarion Ledger. Brown has seen some Mississippi blue cats up to 25 years old. “In the Mississippi River they have plenty to eat, so they can get to that (100-pound plus) size,” Brown said.
Blue catfish become sexually mature between the ages of 4 to 7 years; at this time, they are generally 35 to 66 cm (14 to 26 in) long and weigh 2.3 kg. During the first few years of development, blue catfish grow slowly; however, this rate typi-cally increases with their size as they age.
Alessandro Biancardi, an Italian angler, pulled an enormous, 9.4-foot-long (2.85 meters) catfish from the shallow waters of the River Po in the Lombardy region of northern Italy. The catch beats the previous world record for the largest wels catfish (Silurus glanis) ever caught by 1.6 inches (4 centimeters).
How old is a 25lb catfish?
To reach a 25 pound trophy mark, Flathead Catfish have to survive to at least 7 or 8 years. Once they reach that size, they have must eat a lot to grow larger and are highly vulnerable to hook-and-line or trotline fishing.
Channel catfish average 16-24 inches in the 2-5 years post stocking. Some individuals will live 15-20 years, grow over 30 inches in length and weigh in excess of 30 pounds.
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World Record flathead catfish: 123 pounds
Ken Paulie had the day of his life on May 19, 1998 when he caught a giant 123-pound flathead catfish while fishing at Elk City Reservoir in Kansas. In addition to its massive weight, the behemoth measured 61 inches long with a girth of 43 3/4 inches.
A 30 inch blue catfish in Oklahoma and Missouri averages 10 to 12 pounds and is most likely around 14 years old!
Unlike many other gamefish, growth rates for blue catfish are variable and unpredictable. Research has shown that a 20-year-old fish can weigh 5 pounds, or it can weigh 120 pounds. These patterns have been observed in populations across the U.S., and they raise many questions.
Growth rates vary from river to river depending on the population density and available food. In the James River, they can grow up to 3 pounds in the first 8 years, while in 11 years, they can reach 20 pounds.
Channel catfish have a top-end size of about 40 to 50 pounds but the world record weighed 58 pounds. Generally a channel catfish over 10 pounds is a solid fish that is ideal for eating and anything over 20 pounds is a remarkable catch.
The blue catfish (Ictalurus furcatus) is a large species of North American catfish, reaching a length of 65 in (170 cm) and a weight of 165 lb (75 kg). The continent's largest, it can live to 20 years, with a typical fish being between 25–46 in (64–117 cm) and 30–70 lb (14–32 kg).
Total Length (inches) from the tip of the mouth to the end of the tail; mouth closed and tail lobes pressed together | Blue Catfish Anticipated Weight (pounds) | Flathead catfish Anticipated Weight (pounds) |
---|---|---|
22.0 | 3.76 | 4.54 |
22.5 | 4.05 | 4.87 |
23.0 | 4.36 | 5.22 |
23.5 | 4.69 | 5.58 |
Impacts of these introductions are well documented and include competition and predation on native fish and invertebrate species, leading to declines in those populations. Several of the native species affected by P. olivaris introduction are federally listed under the Endangered Species Act.
What is the lifespan of a catfish?
Average lifespan of the flathead catfish is 12 to 14 years, but one recorded flathead catfish lived 24 years. Adults are usually solitary, each staking out a favorite spot under a tree or in a cove, in deep water.
Ken Paulie has the current all-tackle world record, with a 123-pound flathead caught May 19 1998, from Elk City Reservoir in Independence, Kansas. This flathead was 61 inches long with a 43-inch girth.
Additionally, catfish are known for their voracious appetite and can consume large amounts of food, contributing to their size. Furthermore, environmental factors such as ample food supply, favorable water conditions, and habitat availability can also play a role in the growth of catfish.
What Was the Largest Fish Ever Caught? According to IGFA records, the largest fish ever caught was a great white shark that weighed an unbelievable 2,664 pounds (1,208.389 kg.). Caught off the coast of Ceduna, Australia, in 1959, it took angler Alfred Dean just 50 minutes to win the fight against this one-ton shark.
- Angler: Richard Nicholas Anderson.
- Species: Blue catfish.
- Weight: 143 pounds.
- World Record Line Class: All Tackle.
- Location: Kerr Lake, Buggs Island, Virginia.
- Date: June 18, 2011.
- Lure or Bait Used: Chicken.
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