| Revision as of 19:28, 12 April 2002 editJosh Grosse (talk | contribs)8,857 editsmNo edit summary← Previous edit | Revision as of 16:03, 18 April 2002 edit undoRgamble (talk | contribs)956 edits Ok, I admit.. this expansion was made to allow me to talk about the 'vampire fish of Brazil'... Will attempt to expand this topic more in the future if others don't.Next edit → | ||
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| '''Class:''' ]<br> | |||
| '''Order:''' ]<br> | |||
| '''Catfishes''' are a very diverse group of ]. Most are found in freshwater environments of all kinds, but there are also a couple Atlantic Ocean species. They range in size and behavior from well over a hundred pound fish eaters, to detritivores (species that eat dead material on the bottom), even to a tiny parasitic species commonly called the ] (''Vandellia cirrhosa''). | |||
| This is a fresh water bottom fish found in streams and ponds all over the United States. There are several kinds of them, which vary in size from a couple of inches in length up to those monsters of the same species which inhabit the mud banks of the Mississippi river, and the great Western lakes. The common catfish is of a dusky color on the back, which gradually lightens towards the belly, the belly itself being of a light greyish hue. The sides of the head or greenish, and some species of them have small prickly horns. They are taken in great abundance, and their size varies with the size of the stream, or the richness of their feeding ground. In good situations in large rivers they weigh from one to four pounds. In the Mississippi, the lakes of Northern New York, they grow to twenty, thirty, fifty and even one hundred pounds. It is an easy matter to catch catfish. You have only to procure tackle strong enough to draw them out of the water, using a hook according to the expected size of your game. A single or double gut leader is necessary, according to the strength required. Minnows, pieces of fish, shad roe, worms, toasted cheese, insects, pieces of meat or liver, chickens offal - any of these baits will attract the catfish. You can fish with hand lines, or with a rod, as you may prefer. The proper hook is the Limerick salmon from No. 1 to 5, according to the size of your fish. They do not bite very vigorously, but perform a series of fine nibbles, similar to the bite of an eel. The catfish is an excellent pan fish when properly cooked. In St. Louis the large ones are sold in market like our large seafish, being cut up in steaks of the size desired by the purchaser. They are plentiful always in mud bottoms, above mill-dams, and in coves of the river. The large ones are often taken by trolling with artificial squid or fly. The time for fishing catfish begins in April and lasts until cold weather. | |||
Revision as of 16:03, 18 April 2002
Class: Osteichthyes
Order: Siluriformes
Catfishes are a very diverse group of fishes. Most are found in freshwater environments of all kinds, but there are also a couple Atlantic Ocean species. They range in size and behavior from well over a hundred pound fish eaters, to detritivores (species that eat dead material on the bottom), even to a tiny parasitic species commonly called the candiru (Vandellia cirrhosa).