flathead catfish!

[osira]

hi
do any of you know where i can get some flathead catfish?
none of my local hatcheries have any flatheads so i resorted to the internet
im looking for particularly young flatheads does anyone live near flatheads maybe you could ship me some i'd be willing to pay
any help would be appreciated, i havent found them any where on the web

 

[JD7.62]

They are illegal in CA I believe.

Hatcheries usually do not raise flatheads because they are highly cannabalistic and one doesnt have to be much bigger then the other to attempt to eat it!

 

[ar0wan]

They're native to KS and MO if that helps.. We used to fish 40+ out on trot lines using 7-9" channels as bait. Biggest one I remember was 63lbs but the record is over 100lbs!

Maybe the game services there can help?

http://www.kdwp.state.ks.us/news/fishing/hatcheries

http://www.bio.txstate.edu/~tbonner/txfishes/pylodictis olivaris.htm

 

[AppStateBimmer]

how in the world would you keep a flathead? Swimming pool maybe?

 

[dominicolas]

I catch small ones in nets sometimes and I've kept a few befor releasing them into my pond, but I wouldn't know about shipping one to California. Also what is your set up, you probably can't keep one in an aquarium forever and I don't want to be responsible for spreading a foreign species if you chose to let it go. Are ther no flatheads naturally in CA?

 

[ray777]

How small do you catch them? I am also looking for some small ones for my gamefish tank.

 

[le patron]

you probably should have posted this on catfish under bottom dwellers, just to let you know.

 

[Mudfrog]

I caught a baby flathead last year while fishing for bullheads.. it was only 10" long or so.. I still regret that I didn't bring it home

 

[le patron]

thats too bad

 

[Oddball]

They are illegal in CA I believe.

This species is not on CA's restricted list.

We're collecting eggs very soon from farm ponds. Hopefully, we'll have a couple of thousand fry to raise this year since losing last year's crop. I'll keep everyone posted.