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