| When it comes to fishing, there are two names | | | | will. They may tend to stay or feed near the |
| that make the sport great to me, 'bullheads' | | | | bottom of lakes, ponds and rivers but they |
| and 'catfish', no other freshwater fish get | | | | really eat no crap or other junk. They like |
| such a bad rap as these two old friends do. | | | | feeding near the bottoms because that is |
| If I am at work or in a store or some other | | | | where one of their favorite meals live, |
| place, all I have to do is mention 'I caught | | | | crawfish, and clippers. The bullheads and |
| some bullheads or a catfish, and it's like I | | | | catfish actually push small rocks and stones, |
| am talking about some horrible skin disease. | | | | logs and other debris on the bottom to look |
| People frown or shake their heads in disgust, | | | | for the crawfish and clippers, along with |
| and start talking about how nasty they are | | | | other live water creatures, and bullheads and |
| and how they are bottom feeders. Let me tell | | | | catfish nest and burrow into mud and banksIt |
| you what I think about bullheads and | | | | is true that large catfish may be muddy |
| catfish.I think they get a back rap because | | | | tasting, but that can be simply cured by not |
| they are ugly to most folks, I mean they are | | | | eating the large ones. Some catfish have a |
| dark, they have whiskers by their mouths, and | | | | dark stripe in the meat that goes the length |
| they have sharp spines at the dorsal and | | | | of the fish, this area is sometimes strong |
| pectoral fins. Mishandle a bullhead while | | | | tasting, again, just avoid eating this part |
| removing a fishhook or when placing one in | | | | and you will be fine. I have caught and ate |
| the live well, and you can get horned or | | | | bullheads and catfish all of my life, and I |
| pricked with one of the sharp spines. The | | | | love them more then any other fish, including |
| spines contain a poison that often hurts | | | | perch and bass.Most of the bullheads I have |
| worse than a bee sting, and the pain and | | | | caught here in Pennsylvania in the ponds and |
| soreness can last a week. Bullheads and | | | | lakes are the black bullheads, once in awhile |
| Catfish can actually use the sharp spines to | | | | I catch a brown one, But there colors can |
| attack other fish, I have seen this myself | | | | vary a lot, I have caught some bullheads that |
| here in my home. I have a freshwater fish | | | | were yellow or a nice shade of green. I |
| aquarium, in it I once had a bluegill, | | | | believe it depends a lot on the amount of |
| goldfish and a small bullhead. I noticed one | | | | algae and other plants in the water, and also |
| day that the goldfish had a sore or bloody | | | | the time of the year, water temperature, and |
| area near it's tail. I soon learned how the | | | | other factors.I have been told by a lot of |
| injury had happened. I saw the bullhead | | | | different fishermen that the best times to |
| literally ram the side of the goldfish and | | | | catch bullheads and catfish is at night. I |
| stick it with one of it's spines. The | | | | have found that this is not always the case, |
| goldfish went nuts, swimming around fast, | | | | in fact most of my best bullhead catches |
| later it appeared to be ok, except for | | | | occurred during the daylight hours. I have |
| another bloodied spot or wound on it's side. | | | | fished at night and have not even gotten a |
| I am sure if the bullhead continued attacking | | | | bite, other times I have been at the pond at |
| and pricking the goldfish in the right spot, | | | | 3:00 PM, the hottest time of the day, on a |
| enough times, it would of killed it.I once | | | | clear, sunny, summer day, and have caught a |
| was trying to remove a hook from the tough | | | | whole stringer of bullheads. Sometimes |
| mouth of a bullhead I had caught, when I | | | | something strange happens that seems to |
| accidently got pricked by one of the spines, | | | | awaken bullheads, making them bite a lot or |
| the area swelled up and it hurt for days, I | | | | to suddenly stop biting. One time I was |
| was always a lot more careful when it came to | | | | fishing during a nice sunny afternoon, when |
| handling bullheads after that. The poison | | | | the sky clouded over, it wasn't the dark |
| contained in the bullheads sharp spines, can | | | | clouds, just the grey ones, as soon as the |
| make even a small baby bullhead very painful | | | | sun was gone, the bullheads stopped biting |
| if your not careful when handling it. The | | | | just like someone had turned off a switch. |
| poison glands are common throughout the | | | | Another time, I was fishing on a sunny day |
| catfish and bullhead species.Despite the | | | | when all of a sudden a thunderstorm hit, it |
| appearance, there isn't a more mellow and | | | | got dark and started to rain, and thunder, |
| better tasting fish than a bullhead or | | | | all of a sudden the bullheads started to bite |
| catfish. There are numerous ways one can | | | | like crazy, then the storm passed and the sky |
| prepare them for a meal, but all I ever do, | | | | cleared, when it did, the bullheads stopped |
| is gut them out, remove the dorsal and | | | | biting. So whether it's a sunny day, cloudy |
| pectoral fins, spines, head and the skin, | | | | day, or night, it seems there is a lot of |
| leaving the tail fin intact. Then I just get | | | | factors one must take into consideration when |
| me a large skillet and pour a good amount of | | | | catching bullheads and catfish. I have |
| cooking oil in it, and get it good and hot. | | | | learned that either they are going to bite or |
| Then I roll the bullhead or catfish meat in | | | | they are not, whenever you go fishing, no |
| flour, and gently place them in the hot oil | | | | matter what time of day or night it is.There |
| and fry them. I eat them hot with a little | | | | is Computer Software that is made for |
| salt and pepper, and dip pieces of the meat | | | | fishing. After keeping a few past records of |
| into ketchup. Bullheads and catfish have the | | | | fishing trips, this software will help you to |
| large backbones that make them the easiest | | | | easily calculate what days will be a great |
| fish to eat without filleting.I think people | | | | fishing day ! The software is called: ' |
| just get the idea that they taste bad because | | | | Fishing Buddy ', and you can download and try |
| they are bottom feeders. This means nothing | | | | the software for free at this website |
| really, a catfish and bullhead will eat or | | | | address: Robert W. |
| bite on a worm just like a bass or perch | | | | |