Dear catfish spawner:

As pondmeister Cecil in Indiana points out, catfish need special habitat or they will not spawn. Our experience in small, earthen, dugout-style "tanks" or ponds in Texas is that catfish have about a 50-50 chance of reproducing enough to maintain their population numbers.

But if your a catfish man, there's good news: Catfish fingerlings and sub-adults are readily available. Young channel cats may be purchased, at various sizes, from a number of outlets, for pennies.

Check the resource guide in the magazine. Most any fisheries consultant will sell you channel catfish, at competitive prices. Even advanced c-cats are no more than $1.50 a pound.

So why wait for your fish to spawn next spring before you stock one of your ponds?

Mark McDonald
Editor, Pond Boss