On
May 23, 1997, Governor Mel Carnahan signed a bill designating the
channel catfish as the official fish of Missouri. The channel catfish
(Ictalurus punctatus) is slender, with a deeply forked tail. Young
have spots that disappear with age. The catfish does not rely on
sight to find its food; instead, it uses cat-like whiskers to assist
in the hunt. The channel cat is the most abundant large catfish
in Missouri streams. Its diet includes animal and plant material.
Adults are normally 12 to 32 inches long and weigh from a half-pound
to 15 pounds. (RSMo 10.135)
On
May 23, 1997, Governor Mel Carnahan signed a bill designating the
channel catfish as the official fish of Missouri. The channel catfish
(Ictalurus punctatus) is slender, with a deeply forked tail. Young
have spots that disappear with age. The catfish does not rely on
sight to find its food; instead, it uses cat-like whiskers to assist
in the hunt. The channel cat is the most abundant large catfish
in Missouri streams. Its diet includes animal and plant material.
Adults are normally 12 to 32 inches long and weigh from a half-pound
to 15 pounds. (RSMo 10.135)