Catfish Fishing Pennsylvania

Catfish Fishing is Open

Season and Creel Limits

Catfish fishing is open year round. Anglers are limited to 50 combined species per day.

Commonwealth Inland Water Regulations

Catfish

The most common catfish species in Pennsylvania are the Flathead Catfish (Pylodictic olivaris), Channel Catfish (Ictalurus punctatua) and the Bullhead Catfish (Ameiurus nebulosus). Channel and Flathead Catfish are avidly sought by anglers in Pennsylvania due to their ability to grow to enormous sizes. Species spawn in spring to early summer. Small catfish form schools after leaving the care of both parents. Adult catfish thrive in muddy water waterways, except for Channel Catfish which prefer large rivers with clean, sandy bottoms. Active mostly at night, catfish feed on a variety of food sources including other fish, crayfish, aquatic insects and plant material.

State Records

Flathead Catfish-  Blue Marsh Spillway, Berks Co. (48lbs, 6oz.)

Channel Catfish-  Lehigh Canal, Northampton Co. (35lbs, 2.5oz.)

Bullhead Catfish-  Beltzville Lake, Carbon Co. (4lbs, 10oz.)

Featured Catfish Fishing Guides

Outlaw Guide Service